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Chapter Text

Get ready to see what I imagine Dazai and Chuuya chaotic lives would look like.

Chapter Text

Chapter 2

The words hung heavy in the air, a death sentence disguised as an order. "Remember your mission, Nakahara Chuuya. Do whatever it takes to destroy our enemies." Mori's command echoed in Chuuya's mind hours after they were spoken, each syllable a weight pressing down on his shoulders as he surveyed the carnage around him.

The warehouse district had become a battlefield, the concrete stained dark with blood and scattered with debris. The setting sun cast long shadows across broken bodies and shattered glass, painting everything in shades of crimson and gold. It was fitting, Chuuya thought bitterly, that even nature seemed to mirror the violence of this day.

Gin lay unconscious several yards away, her small frame crumpled against a partially collapsed wall. The sight of her made Chuuya's heart clench painfully in his chest. She was too young for this, too young to be caught in the endless cycle of violence that defined the Port Mafia. His gaze swept the area desperately, searching for any sign of Ryuunosuke, but the young assassin was nowhere to be found. The absence of a body gave Chuuya hope – slim as it might be – that Ryuu had somehow survived.

Thunder rolled overhead, nature's drums accompanying the symphony of destruction below. Chuuya knew what he had to do, even as every fiber of his being rebelled against it. He'd sworn never to use that power again, not after the last time, not after seeing what it could do. But what choice did he have? His children – because that's what they were to him, regardless of blood – needed him.

"Oh Grantors of Dark Disguise," he whispered, the words bitter on his tongue as he gazed up at the roiling clouds above. Lightning split the sky, illuminating his face for a brief moment. In that flash of brilliance, his expression was one of resigned determination, of a man who knew he was walking to his death but would do so willingly to protect those he loved.

His thoughts drifted, unbidden, to Dazai. His former partner would have had a plan, would have found some clever way out of this mess without resorting to such desperate measures. But Dazai wasn't here – hadn't been for years – and Chuuya had made his choice to stay with the Mafia long ago. Sometimes, in quiet moments, he wondered what might have been different if he'd left with Dazai when he had the chance.

A soft groan drew his attention back to Gin. She was stirring, consciousness returning slowly as she assessed her injuries with the practiced efficiency of someone far too young to be so familiar with pain. With trembling hands, she grasped the metal pole protruding from her abdomen. Blood welled up around the wound as she pulled it free, her face contorted in agony but refusing to cry out.

"Papa?!" Her voice was weak, barely more than a whisper, but it carried to where Chuuya stood holding their enemies at bay. He turned, offering her a smile that contained all the love and regret he could never put into words. It was the smile of a father saying goodbye.

"Do..." The word hung in the air between them.

Understanding dawned in Gin's eyes, horror replacing pain as she struggled to her feet. "No! Papa don't!" she screamed, desperation lending strength to her voice as she stumbled forward.

Lightning flashed again as Chuuya slowly removed his gloves, each movement deliberate and final. The leather fell to the ground, discarded like the last remnants of his restraint.

"Not Wake..."

"Please Papa, I can't!" Gin's plea was cut short as she tripped over one of the fallen, her face splashing into a pool of crimson as an explosion rocked the area, sending debris raining down around them.

"Me Again." The words were barely out of his mouth before Chuuya felt his consciousness slipping away, replaced by something ancient and terrible. Arahabaki's laughter echoed across the battlefield, a sound of pure chaos as gravity itself bent to its will. Buildings began to rise from their foundations, concrete and steel floating like leaves in a storm.

Gin forced herself up, blood dripping from her face as she watched her father disappear into the maelstrom of power. Through tear-filled eyes, she spotted one of the enemy ability users – the teleporter – preparing to make his move. With the last of her strength, she launched herself at him, their bodies vanishing in a flash of light just as Arahabaki's power reached its crescendo.

*****

Miles away, at the Armed Detective Agency, Dazai Osamu was doing what he did best – avoiding work and annoying his colleagues. The atmosphere in the office was heavy with the promise of rain, matching the dark clouds gathering outside, but Dazai seemed determined to maintain his cheerful facade.

He sat at his desk, humming an irritatingly catchy tune while pretending not to notice the mounting frustration of his work partner, Kunikida Doppo. They had just returned from a case that had nearly ended with Dazai taking an impromptu bath in boiling oil – a situation that might have been avoided if he'd actually focused on the mission instead of seeking new ways to test his immortality.

Kunikida's desk was littered with the remains of four pens, victims of his attempting to maintain composure while completing both his and Dazai's reports. The fifth pen was showing signs of imminent destruction as Dazai's humming grew progressively more off-key.

Atsushi watched the scene unfold from his own desk, concern evident in his violet eyes. "Dazai-San.... Aren't you going to write your report?" he ventured carefully.

Dazai's response was immediate, accompanied by a smile that promised mischief. "Ah Atsushi, no of course not. Kunikida is my work partner, he is going to write it for me. Right, Doppo?"

The crack of splintering plastic was audible throughout the office as Kunikida's fifth pen met its end. "Dazai, do your work for once in your life and stop making my life hell already!"

From his perch on the office couch, Ranpo observed the familiar scene while munching on chips. "Funny enough how Dazai-San is the only one who calls everyone by their respective title. You will never catch him calling Kunikida his partner."

"But Kunikida is his work partner...." Atsushi's gentle observation was met with a laugh from Dazai, though something in his eyes had changed, becoming distant and almost melancholic.

"Of course, Kunikida can never be my partner. I already have a partner called...nevermind." The uncharacteristic hesitation in Dazai's voice drew everyone's attention, even Kunikida's anger temporarily forgotten in the face of this rare glimpse beneath his colleague's carefully maintained mask.

Kunikida approached Dazai's desk, his curiosity overriding his frustration. "Why can't I be your partner? I call you my partner, don't I?"

Dazai leaned back in his chair, his usual playful demeanor replaced by something more serious. "I already have a partner and I always will. It feels wrong calling you my partner when mine is still out there, and still sees me as his partner no matter what."

"He? A man from your previous work place?" Kenji's innocent question carried an edge of curiosity. "Where did you work though? Who was unfortunate enough to be your work partner before Kunikida-san?"

Dazai's expression darkened slightly. "I didn't call him a work partner. We are partners. Don't misuse the words." The distinction seemed important to him, though none of his colleagues could understand why.

"What's the difference between adding work?" Naomi asked, leaning forward with interest.

Ranpo's smile turned knowing. "Maybe there is something he is not telling us. Maybe he sees him more than just a mere partner?"

"Are you implying that Dazai-san likes him?" Atsushi's eyes widened at the thought.

"That's a terrifying thought. Dazai liking something." Kunikida adjusted his glasses. "Oi Dazai, tell us what we want to know already. What's so special about this so-called partner and where did you two work?"

"Honestly Kunikida, there is nothing special about my past. I just traveled the world before joining the ADA." Dazai's response was automatic, practiced, but his attention had shifted to the window. Something about the darkening sky set him on edge, an instinct honed by years of experience warning him that something was terribly wrong.

The crash at the door silenced all conversation. Atsushi, ever helpful, moved toward it. "Do you think our neighbors tripped and fell something down?"

Before he could reach it, the door burst open with enough force to crack the frame. A body tumbled through – a young man, blood streaming from his eyes, dead before he hit the floor. Behind him stood a girl, her clothes and skin painted red with blood, barely staying upright as she leaned against the doorframe.

"So this is the ADA..." she managed between labored breaths, taking an unsteady step forward. Everyone except Dazai drew their weapons, but he stood frozen, his face drained of color as recognition hit him like a physical blow.

"Stop right there. Or we will be forced to shoot. You are under arrest." Kunikida's voice was firm, professional, unaware of the connection between the intruder and his colleague.

The girl's eyes found Dazai's, desperation and relief warring in her gaze. "Dad.... Please...." She reached for him as her legs gave out.

Dazai moved faster than anyone had ever seen him move, catching her before she could hit the ground. "Gin...what happened to you?" His voice shook as he cradled her, quickly assessing her injuries with practiced ease.

The office erupted in shocked whispers. "Did that Port Mafia girl call Dazai-san dad?" Atsushi's question went unanswered as everyone tried to process this revelation.

"Papa... Ryuu.... All dead." The words were barely audible as Gin's eyes fluttered closed, her body going limp in Dazai's arms.

"Yosano!" Dazai's shout carried the edge of panic as he held the unconscious girl closer, his usual carefree mask completely shattered. "Yosano, I need you now!"

The rain finally began to fall outside, drops striking the windows like bullets as the Armed Detective Agency faced a revelation that would change everything they thought they knew about Dazai Osamu – and the past he'd tried so hard to leave behind.

Chapter Text

Chapter 3

Five seconds.

That's all it took for everything to change. Five heartbeats that stretched into an eternity as Dazai felt Gin's pulse fade beneath his fingers. The office erupted into chaos as Yosano burst through the door, responding to Dazai's desperate call. The familiar clicking of her heels against the wooden floor seemed to echo in his mind as she rushed forward, medical bag in hand.

The weight of Gin's body was lifted from his lap, leaving him with phantom sensations and blood-soaked clothes. Black butterflies danced at the edges of his vision – a sign of shock, the analytical part of his mind noted distantly. But all he could focus on was the memory of those five seconds, the feeling of his daughter's heart stuttering to a stop beneath his trembling hands.

The office had descended into pandemonium. Voices overlapped, questions flying through the air like bullets, but Dazai heard none of it. He was vaguely aware of Kunikida gripping his shoulders, the man's face contorted with concern and confusion as he shouted words that never reached Dazai's ears. To his right, Atsushi watched with wide, fearful eyes, an expression of horror and something deeper – perhaps recognition of seeing his mentor's carefully constructed facade crumbling away.

This wasn't the time for a breakdown. Gin's words echoed in his mind: "Papa... Ryuu.... All dead." Chuuya and Ryuunosuke were in danger. If Gin had arrived in such a state, what horrors awaited the others? The thought sent ice through his veins, shocking him back to clarity.

With strength that surprised even himself, Dazai shoved away from Kunikida's grip. His colleague stumbled backward, shock evident in his expression. It was the first time any of them had seen physical evidence of what lay beneath Dazai's seemingly fragile exterior.

"What the hell is going on here, Dazai?" Fukuzawa's commanding voice cut through the chaos as he placed a firm hand on Dazai's shoulder. It was a gesture meant to ground him, to offer support, but Dazai shrugged it off as though it burned.

His eyes were fixed on Yosano as she worked, her skilled hands moving with practiced efficiency as she removed Gin's blood-soaked jacket. "Is she..." The words caught in his throat, raw and vulnerable in a way none of them had ever heard from him before.

Yosano met his gaze steadily. "She will be fine. I promise... the worst is over."

The relief hit him like a physical force, dropping him to his knees beside them. Silent tears tracked down his face as he gathered Gin back into his arms, uncaring of the blood that soaked into his clothes. He pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, a gesture so tender it made several of his colleagues look away, feeling like intruders in this private moment.

"You will be fine, I promise you," he whispered against her skin. "I'll kill whoever did this to you. It's a promise." His hands moved to her pockets, retrieving a blood-stained piece of paper. After one more kiss to her forehead, he handed her back to Yosano with careful, precise movements.

"Make sure she is alive by the time I get back." The words were spoken softly, but there was something different about his voice now. The warmth had leached away, replaced by something cold and dangerous. When he raised his head, the man looking through Dazai's eyes was a stranger to the ADA members – this was Dazai Osamu of the Port Mafia, the Demon Prodigy who had terrorized Yokohama's underworld.

He moved to his desk with fluid grace, opening a hollowed-out book to reveal two carefully maintained handguns. As he checked the weapons with practiced efficiency, Kunikida studied the address on the bloodied paper.

"That address isn't far from here. It's near the port, maybe seven minutes away."

"I'll get there in three." Dazai's response was clipped as he grabbed his keys. When Atsushi tried to stop him, reaching out with concern, Dazai shoved him aside with enough force to send him crashing into a nearby table.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Dazai?" Kunikida's outrage was clear as he helped Atsushi up. The younger man's eyes reflected more emotional than physical pain at Dazai's actions.

Dazai's response was cold, precise, and terrifyingly sincere. "Either you come with me or you stay out of my way, but the next person to stop me receives a bullet and I don't miss."

Before Kunikida could escalate the situation, Ranpo intervened, placing a restraining hand on his shoulder. "We are coming with you. You can lead the way."

The drive through Yokohama's rain-slicked streets was a masterclass in controlled chaos. Dazai handled the car like a weapon, weaving through traffic with reckless precision that had his passengers gripping their seats in terror. His eyes were fixed ahead, but his mind seemed elsewhere, caught in memories that spilled out in muttered conversations with ghosts.

"Shut up," he growled at nothing, drawing concerned glances from his colleagues. Moments later, he was arguing with thin air again, responding to voices only he could hear. "Of course I'll come to save you, you little chibi."

The car screeched to a halt as they neared their destination. The ground beneath them trembled, and maniacal laughter echoed through the storm-darkened air. Before anyone could stop him, Dazai was out of the car, moving with deadly purpose toward the source of the chaos.

They found three men ahead, discussing their plans with casual cruelty. "Our boss said we should bring down The Port Mafia Executive no matter what, do we shoot him while he is in the air."

"Hello boys." Dazai's greeting was pleasant, almost cheerful. Two shots rang out before anyone could blink, and two bodies hit the ground with precise holes through their foreheads. The third man managed to get off a shot, catching Dazai in the shoulder, but it didn't even slow him down. The third bullet found its mark just as easily as the first two.

Standing over the bodies, blood mixing with rain on his coat, Dazai smiled a smile that belonged in nightmares. "The Demon Prodigy is back."

His ADA colleagues stood frozen, finally understanding why that title had once made the underground tremble. This wasn't their lazy, suicidal coworker – this was something else entirely, something that had been sleeping beneath the surface all along.

The storm intensified overhead as Dazai moved forward, toward whatever chaos awaited them ahead. His teammates followed, knowing they were about to witness something that would change their understanding of Dazai Osamu forever.

Chapter Text

Chapter 4: Fight or Flight

The storm raged overhead as Dazai moved forward through the rain-slicked streets, his mind flashing back to the last time he'd seen Chuuya use Corruption. That day remained vivid in his memory - the dragon, the desperate battle, and those precious few minutes afterward with Chuuya collapsed in his lap, heartbeat steady enough to assure Dazai that he would survive. But now, as maniacal laughter echoed through the air and buildings floated impossibly above them, "alright" seemed like a distant dream.

The scene before them was apocalyptic. Debris hung suspended in the air, defying gravity as Corruption's power warped reality itself. Bodies of fallen enemies littered the ground, some crushed beyond recognition, others bearing the telltale signs of gravity manipulation. In the center of it all, surrounded by swirling red energy, was Chuuya - or what remained of him when Corruption took hold.

Dazai's teammates watched in horror as another figure tried to approach Chuuya, only to be instantly crushed by the overwhelming gravitational force. Blood sprayed across the pavement as Dazai raised his gun with mechanical precision, putting a bullet through the head of an enemy who was attempting to take advantage of Chuuya's deteriorating condition.

The shot seemed to echo forever as Chuuya suddenly retched, blood spraying from his mouth as he began to fall. Dazai moved without thinking, muscle memory from years of partnership taking over as he caught his former partner before he could hit the ground. His nullification ability activated automatically, but something was wrong. The red ribbons of energy that usually disappeared under No Longer Human's influence remained, writhing around Chuuya's unconscious form like angry serpents.

"Dazai-san, you're bleeding!" Atsushi's concerned cry cut through the chaos. Dazai glanced down at his shoulder, where blood from the earlier gunshot wound had soaked through his coat, but he dismissed it immediately.

"Find Ryuunosuke for me. Hurry!" The command came out harsh, causing Atsushi to flinch. He'd never heard such raw desperation in his mentor's voice before. Despite his fear, he nodded and took off through the carnage.

As Atsushi searched, his mind raced with questions. He knew Akutagawa Ryuunosuke by reputation - the wielder of Rashōmon, feared even within the Port Mafia. But Dazai had always referred to him formally as "Akutagawa," maintaining a cold distance. This familiar use of his given name suggested a connection Atsushi hadn't known existed.

The trail of destruction led him to a clearing where fifteen bodies lay scattered, each one cleanly bisected by Rashōmon's razor-sharp edges. Among them, barely distinguishable from the corpses around him, lay Akutagawa. His normally pale skin was nearly translucent, dark blood staining his signature white coat.

Fighting back bile at the grotesque scene, Atsushi carefully lifted his rival's body. Despite their antagonistic relationship, seeing Akutagawa so vulnerable stirred something in him - perhaps recognition of their shared connection to Dazai.

When he returned, Dazai was already organizing their retreat. "Ranpo, call Yosano and tell her to meet us in front of the ADA. Atsushi, carry Ryuu. Kunikida, you're driving." He tossed the keys to Kunikida, who caught them with a troubled expression. Questions burned in his eyes, but he held them back, recognizing the urgency of the situation.

With Junichiro's help, Dazai maneuvered Chuuya's limp form into the back seat of the car. The drive back was tense, silent except for the occasional wet cough from Chuuya or ragged breath from Akutagawa. Kunikida pressed the accelerator to the floor, knowing that every second could mean the difference between life and death.

As he drove, Kunikida's mind wandered to what he knew about Nakahara Chuuya - Port Mafia Executive, gravity manipulator, and apparently someone far more important to Dazai than any of them had realized. He'd seen Chuuya's regular ability in action before, the precise control over gravity that made him one of the Mafia's most feared combatants. But what he'd witnessed today - the red energy, the inhuman laughter, the sheer destructive force - that had been something else entirely.

Despite Dazai's gentle handling of Chuuya now, Kunikida couldn't shake the image of the monster he'd seen. No human should have that kind of power.

They arrived at the ADA to find Yosano already waiting, her medical bag in hand. The rain had finally stopped, but the air remained heavy with tension.

"Save Ryuu first," Dazai's voice cracked as he spoke. "Please... Chuuya will want that. I don't want him to die." The raw emotion in his voice startled Yosano, but she nodded, moving quickly to Akutagawa's side.

As she activated Thou Shalt Not Die, memories of her own time working under Mori surfaced. She remembered seeing Akutagawa around the Port Mafia headquarters, remembered how Dazai had treated him with calculated cruelty. This desperate concern was something new, something that spoke of depths to Dazai they'd never suspected.

Once Akutagawa's condition stabilized, Atsushi carried him inside while Dazai brought Chuuya to Yosano. She couldn't quite hide her grimace at his condition - the aftermath of Corruption had ravaged his body far worse than any injury she'd treated before.

Dazai stepped back, but remained within arm's reach as Yosano prepared to use her ability again. Before she could, Chuuya's hand shot up, gripping her wrist with impossible strength. His eyes snapped open, but instead of their usual brilliant blue, they were completely white.

Kunikida's hand moved to his gun, uncertain whether to fire as a voice that wasn't quite Chuuya's spoke. "Did you really think that I would give up that easily? Banished to the body under lock and key?"

Those empty eyes turned to Dazai, who gripped his coat tightly as his ability fluctuated, cycling between activation and cancellation. "You will pay for this. Don't think I will forget this. But I'll need my damn vessel alive." The thing wearing Chuuya's face spat at Dazai, who didn't even flinch as the spittle hit his face.

His ability flared one final time, and Chuuya collapsed back onto the bed, finally unconscious. Yosano immediately reactivated her ability, relief evident on her face as it took effect properly this time. Ranpo stepped forward with a handkerchief, and seeing that Dazai wasn't going to take it, gently wiped his face himself.

"We need to know what's going on, Dazai," Kunikida said firmly. "And now you're the only person who knows what is going on."

"I was able to revive him," Yosano interrupted, "but his injuries are still too..." She trailed off as she noticed Dazai's eyes rolling back in his head. "Dazai!"

With the immediate crisis passed and the adrenaline fading, the bullet wound near his heart finally made itself known. Dazai's legs gave out, but Atsushi caught him before he could hit the floor. The younger man cursed himself for forgetting about the injury - they'd all been so focused on saving the others that they'd overlooked Dazai's own wound.

As Yosano rushed to treat him, the rest of the ADA members exchanged troubled looks. They'd just witnessed a side of Dazai they'd never known existed - the Port Mafia's Demon Prodigy, yes, but also someone capable of deep attachment and desperate sacrifice. As their colleague lay unconscious, bleeding from a wound he'd ignored to save others, they realized how little they truly knew about Dazai Osamu.

The storm clouds finally began to break outside, letting weak sunlight filter through the windows. In the infirmary, three of the Port Mafia's most dangerous ability users lay unconscious while the Armed Detective Agency stood guard, waiting for answers to questions they weren't sure they wanted to ask.

Chapter Text

Chapter 5: Hidden Truths

Two hours had passed since the chaos of the afternoon. Midnight approached, but none of the ADA members showed any inclination to leave. They remained in their seats, eyes drawn repeatedly to the closed clinic door, minds wrestling with the events they'd witnessed.

The usual comfortable silence of their office had been replaced by something heavier, laden with unspoken questions and growing concerns. Even the constant sound of Kunikida's pen against paper was absent as he sat, deep in thought, occasionally adjusting his glasses in a nervous gesture.

Finally, Kunikida broke the silence. "I understand everyone must be confused and shocked at what we witnessed today," he began, his voice carrying the weight of authority he usually wielded with confidence. "But we should remember that these are Port Mafia people. They still kept a bounty over Atsushi's head and are responsible for much of the criminal activity in this city. And now we've seen that Dazai had a history with these people."

Before he could continue, Ranpo cut in, casually popping a potato chip into his mouth. "Not just a history," he corrected, his usually playful tone tinged with seriousness. "This is way too intense for ordinary history. We've got a God on our hands, a serial killer, and a well-trained assassin, and Dazai is still the greatest mystery. I haven't seen such things since the days of the Double Black."

The mention of that name sent visible shivers through most of the room's occupants. Only Atsushi and Kenji remained unaffected, their faces showing confusion rather than fear.

"What is Double Black?" Atsushi asked, his innocence making the question seem even more poignant. "And why does it sound so terrifying?"

Before anyone could answer, the clinic door opened with a soft click. Yosano emerged, peeling bloody surgical gloves from her hands with practiced efficiency. She disposed of them in the nearest bin before addressing the group.

"Since Dazai's ability is such a nuisance, I had to remove the bullet the old-fashioned way," she explained, exhaustion evident in her voice. "But they'll all survive. They're heavily sedated now, though Dazai will likely wake first, around daybreak."

"Thank you, Yosano. You're the only one who truly worked hard today," Kunikida acknowledged, earning a tired smile from the doctor as she collapsed into Dazai's empty chair.

"I know I often joke about wanting to treat severe injuries," she said, accepting a cup of water from Ranpo. "But them... especially that Port Mafia executive... never again. Those people have tasted death more times than I can count. It makes me queasy just thinking about it."

"That's precisely why we need answers," Kunikida pressed. "What do we do?"

Atsushi raised his hand tentatively, like a student in class. "Well... we c-could search their belongings," he suggested. "Maybe their jackets contain information that could tell us what happened."

Kenji perked up at the suggestion. "That's a good idea! I'm not sure they'll talk willingly when they wake up, but if we have leverage..."

"Or possibly trigger an attack on the ADA," Junichiro interrupted. "Do you really think those twins or the Mafia wouldn't retaliate?"

Naomi shrugged. "They definitely will. Maybe Dazai-san can talk to them, prevent an attack."

"Let's pray Dazai doesn't join them in the attack," Kunikida muttered, loud enough for everyone to hear. The statement made Atsushi look like he might cry.

"Oh come on, we're all thinking it," Ranpo said, standing up and moving toward the pile of bloodied jackets they'd collected earlier. "And it's true."

"What are you doing?" Atsushi asked, following him.

"Searching their things. At least one of them must carry something important." Ranpo's hands moved efficiently through pockets, producing various weapons and, most importantly, a phone.

Kunikida took the device, finding it miraculously undamaged. The screen lit up to reveal a background image that made them all pause - a scene of carnage that left them unsure whether it was a wallpaper or a photograph.

At Ranpo's suggestion, they connected the phone to a laptop, gathering around as he and Kunikida navigated through its contents. Hidden among various files, they found a folder that seemed deliberately obscured.

"This looks private," Ranpo observed, cursor hovering over it. "Should we open it?"

The group collectively held their breath as the first video file loaded. Instead of the expected mission briefings or strategic information, they found themselves looking at a domestic scene - a bedroom, clearly lived-in, with muffled voices in the background.

Suddenly, Akutagawa Ryuunosuke bounded into frame, causing several of them to jump. But this wasn't the feared Port Mafia assassin they knew - this was a younger version, perhaps fifteen, wearing not his signature black coat but a rabbit-eared onesie.

"The damn camera won't record," young Ryuu complained, only to be corrected by an equally young Gin, who shoved her way into frame.

"Fucking asshole, it's recording," she declared, dragging her brother by the ears. "Now let's get started."

What followed was so far removed from their expectations that several ADA members found themselves pinching themselves to ensure they weren't dreaming. The feared twins were arguing over a dance game, dressed in casual clothes, behaving like... normal teenagers.

The scene escalated into playful wrestling until a younger Chuuya intervened, using his ability to separate them. "Kids..." he called out, floating them apart with casual ease.

"Papa, she started it!" Ryuu protested. "She told me Dad didn't like me anymore because I killed less. I knew I should have killed more."

The casual mention of killing amidst such domestic normalcy sent chills through the watching agents, but Chuuya's response was surprisingly parental. "Ryuu, Dazai loves you very much. And Gin, killing isn't a competition. Don't provoke your brother anymore, okay?"

The video continued, following the siblings downstairs where they captured something none of them had expected - Dazai, without his bandages, pressing Chuuya against the dining table in an intimate kiss.

"Eww," Ryuu's voice commented just before the clip ended, leaving the ADA members in stunned silence.

"What the fuck!" Atsushi's outburst seemed to sum up everyone's feelings perfectly.

The revelation hit them like a physical force - Dazai hadn't just been part of the Port Mafia, he'd been part of a family. A strange, violent, decidedly unconventional family, but a family nonetheless. The man who deflected every personal question with jokes about suicide had once been a father figure to the very people they considered enemies.

The implications of this discovery spread through the room like ripples in a pond, forcing each of them to reevaluate everything they thought they knew about their colleague. The supposedly simple mission of gathering intelligence had instead opened a door into a past that none of them had been prepared to discover.

Chapter Text

Chapter 6: Awakening

The ADA office remained shrouded in stunned silence following their discovery. The video had shattered their understanding of their colleague, leaving them grappling with implications none had been prepared to face. Kunikida paced the length of the office, his usual composure fractured as Yosano and Kenji attempted to calm him. Atsushi sat frozen, his earlier outburst still echoing in the quiet room.

Only Ranpo seemed to maintain any semblance of equilibrium, though even he showed signs of being rattled as he cleaned his glasses with methodical precision. "I knew there was something between them, bad blood or whatnot," he mused, shaking his head. "But this... I didn't expect this. How the hell did Dazai keep this a secret from me? I'm supposed to be the genius here."

"It doesn't matter," Kunikida snapped, his voice tight with tension. "Dazai was part of them. We need to get rid of him. We can't have a Port Mafia dog here with us."

Yosano rose from her chair, anger flashing in her eyes. "What do you mean by that? Dazai isn't a threat to us. I knew he was in the Port Mafia like I was, granted I didn't know about this. But still—"

Atsushi moved to intervene, seeing the dangerous glint in Kunikida's eyes, but Ranpo spoke first. "Fighting amongst ourselves isn't the answer," he said firmly. "The sun is almost up. We should secure these videos and review them later, then make a decision. For now, we act clueless."

While Ranpo worked to extract and secure the files, the others dispersed throughout the office. Kunikida stormed out, presumably to walk off his anger in the pre-dawn streets. The tension remained, hanging heavy in the air like the aftermath of a storm.

Hours passed, and the first rays of sunlight were just beginning to pierce through the windows when Ryuunosuke Akutagawa regained consciousness. His vision swam as he fought to orient himself, the unfamiliar ceiling above him offering no clues to his location. A noise drew his attention, and his heart nearly stopped when he saw Chuuya strapped to a stretcher, unconscious, with Yosano holding a scalpel above him.

Despite the pain wracking his body, Ryuu summoned Rashōmon with a hoarse scream. The ability manifested instantly, dark tendrils protecting Chuuya while throwing Yosano through the door into the main office. The crash brought everyone to their feet as Ryuu struggled to sit up, coughing violently but keeping his eyes fixed on Chuuya's still form.

"You will pay for what you did," he snarled, Rashōmon writhing around him like angry shadows. The sight of the ADA office beyond the door confirmed his fears – they were in enemy territory.

Atsushi rushed forward, trying to defuse the situation, but his presence only fueled Ryuu's rage. All the bitterness of rejection, of watching his mentor cradle and nurture this silver-haired upstart, came rushing back. "I will kill you, Jinko," he promised, Rashōmon wrapping around Atsushi's throat.

Kunikida reached for his notebook, but Ryuu's ability moved faster, slamming him against the wall with enough force to draw blood. When Kenji moved to intervene, Ryuu demonstrated tactical awareness even in his wounded state, maintaining distance while keeping Atsushi pinned.

Panic began to set in as Ryuu assessed his situation. He had no idea where Gin was, no way to contact backup, and Chuuya was still unconscious. The odds were stacked against him, but he couldn't – wouldn't – leave them behind.

"Akutagawa, stop! We're trying to help you," Atsushi managed to say despite the pressure on his throat. Ryuu's response was to hurl a table at him before training a gun on Kenji.

"Move and I will blow your freaking brains out," he threatened, mind racing to formulate an escape plan. But before he could act, the door swung open, and a familiar voice froze him in place.

Dazai stood in the doorway, taking in the chaos with an unreadable expression. "Akutagawa Ryuunosuke, what did you do?" The cold tone in his voice made Ryuu tremble, the gun slipping from his fingers as he instinctively backed away.

He raised his arms defensively as Dazai approached, expecting the punishment that had always followed failure. Instead, he felt a gentle touch on his face, so unexpected it nearly broke him.

"Oh Ryuu..." Dazai's voice was soft, lacking its usual mockery. Ryuu looked up cautiously, waiting for the other shoe to drop, for this tenderness to transform into the cruel manipulation he'd grown to expect.

"I'm not going to hurt you," Dazai continued, surprising everyone in the room. "You should be in bed. What are you doing? Your wounds won't heal this way." Before Ryuu could process what was happening, he found himself pulled into an embrace.

He allowed himself to be held, too confused and desperate for the contact to resist. "What happened, Dazai-san?" he asked softly, trying to understand this sudden shift in their dynamic.

"I'm sorry I came so late two days ago," Dazai murmured, still holding him. "I didn't know what I would do if you didn't wake up. You were dead, Ryuu. How can you get to die when I'm still alive?" The gentle admonishment was followed by a kiss to Ryuu's forehead, causing him to tremble before giving in and hugging Dazai tightly.

The moment was interrupted by Gin's arrival with takeout food. Dazai stopped her with a raised hand before lifting Ryuu up with surprising strength. "You're heavy, Ryuu," he teased gently. "You should be eating less so that you won't become a liability to leave behind." Despite the words, his careful movements as he placed Ryuu back in bed betrayed his true concern.

The ADA members watched this interaction in stunned silence, their earlier discoveries taking on new meaning as they witnessed this hidden side of their colleague. The man who had always kept them at arm's length with jokes and feigned incompetence was showing a depth of care none of them had imagined him capable of.

A/N: Dazai didn't bodyshame Ryuu. He only meant that Ryuu had added some weight and looked normal for a kid during the time he was gone. I tried to write it in a way that Dazai would probably say something.

Sorry if it offended anyone

Chapter Text

Chapter 7: Reconciliation

The aftermath of Ryuu's outburst left the ADA office in disarray, broken furniture and scattered papers testament to the power of Rashōmon even when its wielder was injured. Dazai surveyed the damage as his colleagues worked to restore order, noting Kunikida's barely contained fury as his partner methodically righted overturned chairs.

Kunikida turned to face him, keeping his voice low but intense. "They need to be gone like right now. Dump them at the Port Mafia and leave them be." The words carried an edge of ultimatum.

"I'm not doing that," Dazai replied, shrugging off his coat and draping it over his chair with deliberate casualness. "Not now when Chuuya isn't awake... and they need me." The simple statement carried years of unspoken history.

Ranpo stepped between them before Kunikida could respond, placing a calming hand on the idealist's shoulder. "Kunikida, let's give him time until Chuuya wakes up. We shouldn't move him in such a state." He guided the still-bristling man toward the door, defusing the tension before it could explode.

"Atsushi!" Dazai's call made the young agent jump. He'd been keeping to the periphery since Ryuu's attack, wrestling with emotions he couldn't quite name.

"Dazai-san... you called for me?" Atsushi approached cautiously, hyperaware of how different things felt now. The easy mentor-student relationship they'd shared seemed suddenly precarious in light of recent revelations.

Dazai studied him with uncharacteristic seriousness. "Did Ryuu hurt you too much?" His fingers ghosted over the bruises forming on Atsushi's neck, the touch gentle but clinical.

"I'm already healing. It doesn't hurt that much," Atsushi assured him quickly, trying to mask his discomfort at this new, more paternal version of his mentor.

Dazai nodded, seemingly satisfied. "Alright, go downstairs and get me the order I made earlier. It should be ready by now. Ryuu will be waiting for me, so meet me in the clinic." He turned and left before Atsushi could ask any questions.

The request itself was surprising - Dazai was notorious for never spending his own money, preferring to mooch off his colleagues. Still, Atsushi made his way to the restaurant, where another shock awaited him.

"He already paid for the food," the clerk informed him, sliding over the containers. "You can take it."

Atsushi's return to the clinic revealed a scene that made his heart clench. Akutagawa sat cross-legged on the bed, Gin leaning against his shoulder, while Dazai tended to the still-unconscious Chuuya with tender care. It was a picture of family intimacy that made Atsushi feel like an intruder in his own workplace.

"Oh good, the food's here," Dazai said, noticing him. "Ryuu and Gin were getting hungry."

"I said I wasn't hungry... sir," Ryuu grumbled, the formal address at odds with the familial scene.

Dazai ignored the honorific, settling opposite the siblings. "Ryuu, I'm going to feed you, okay? You need to open up and eat." The gentle command drew a look of stunned surprise from Akutagawa.

Noticing Atsushi still hovering uncertainly in the doorway, Dazai spoke without turning. "Atsushi, leave. Ryuu won't eat when you're watching him like a hawk. You're no longer needed."

The dismissal hit Atsushi like a physical blow. He nodded mutely and turned away, but not before catching a glimpse of Dazai wiping food from Ryuu's mouth with paternal care, then moving to feed Gin with equal attention. He barely made it to the bathroom before the tears started falling.

Ranpo observed the interaction with growing concern. He'd anticipated the effect this would have on Atsushi, who had come to see Dazai as a father figure himself. The apparent replacement of that bond with Dazai's actual adopted children was a cruel twist of fate.

Back in the clinic, Ryuu broke the comfortable silence. "Did you... come for us?"

"Why?" he continued when Dazai nodded. "Was the ADA also assigned this case? This isn't common knowledge, and we didn't get news that the ADA would be joining."

"No, he didn't," Gin interjected. "Dad... Dazai-san was unaware. I saw what was happening. I couldn't save Papa because he activated Corruption, but I knew Dazai-san could help, so I got to the ADA. That ability user... the one who was giving us issues. Remember?"

She explained how she'd lost consciousness after arriving, waking to find both Ryuu and Dazai at her side. Dazai took up the narrative, describing how he'd found the address in her jacket and arrived in time to save them.

"You really gave me a scare, Ryuu," he said, gripping the young man's hand. "You were dead, and I don't want to ever experience that again. I can't hold your lifeless body in my hands again. Do you understand me?" His grip tightened until Ryuu winced, prompting him to let go immediately.

"Why do you even care?" Ryuu's question carried years of pain.

"Ryuu..." Gin started, but her brother cut her off.

"No, he left us. Gin, he took us and left us in Mori's hands. We were tortured and Papa... Papa was broken. Why should we forgive him just because he saved us? He didn't - Papa did. He used Corruption knowing it was the final straw, to save us."

The words dissolved into sobs as Dazai pulled both siblings into his arms, their tears soaking into his shirt as the ADA members watched silently from the doorway, witnesses to this raw display of emotion.

"I'm so sorry, Ryuu, Gin," Dazai murmured, pressing kisses to their foreheads. "I didn't know this would happen."

"Please... Dad... don't leave us again," Ryuu pleaded, using the title for the first time in years. "Don't shun me away again. I don't want to be the enemy."

Dazai held them tighter, his own voice thick with emotion. "I'm here now. I'm not leaving you or your sister or Chuuya. Okay? I'll protect you all from anyone who wants to harm you. I promise."

The words hung in the air like a vow, witnessed by both his current colleagues and his former family, bridging the gap between his past and present lives.

Chapter Text

Dazai stood in the hallway outside the clinic, wrestling with the promises he'd just made. He'd sworn to the twins he wouldn't leave them, but the weight of that vow sat uncomfortably on his shoulders. It was precisely why he'd never contacted them after leaving the Port Mafia - he knew how easily promises could turn to ash.

He'd carefully constructed his post-Mafia life to avoid exactly this scenario. His interactions with Ryuunosuke were meant to be confined to battlefield encounters, their relationship that of enemies, not the father and son they'd once been. He hadn't planned on having to face the part of himself he'd tried to bury after holding Oda as he died.

"What were you thinking, Mori?" he muttered to himself, running a hand through his hair in frustration. The calculated cruelty of his former boss was evident in how this situation had unfolded.

Making his way back to the main office, he found his colleagues clustered around a screen, so engrossed that they didn't immediately notice his presence. Even Kunikida had abandoned his precious notebook to watch whatever had captured their attention.

The moment they realized he was there, an uncomfortable silence fell over the room. Even Atsushi, usually so eager for his attention, wouldn't meet his eyes. The video was hastily paused.

"Is there something I should know?" Dazai asked, his voice carrying in the tomb-like quiet of the office.

Kunikida cleared his throat awkwardly. "Not really. We are just watching.... Shouldn't you be with Nakahara-san?"

Dazai kept his expression carefully neutral, though he could read the nervous energy in the room. His colleagues were looking at him differently now, as if seeing him for the first time. "He's fine. I don't need to be there. Besides, I want the twins to have a rest as well. So I'd rather stay here. What's the clip about?"

Ranpo, ever direct, spoke around a mouthful of candy. "What the hell. We're ransacking Nakahara-san's phone and the twins'. We were bored and they have a lot of recordings. Do you want to watch?"

"We were supposed to keep it silent, not tell him!" Kunikida snapped, but Ranpo just shrugged.

"What should we do? He knows them and this was going to get us caught sooner than later."

Dazai nodded slowly, memories surfacing of why these recordings existed. After a particularly bad episode with Corruption, Chuuya had expressed fear of losing his humanity entirely. The recordings had been Dazai's idea - concrete evidence of Chuuya's humanity, his capacity for love and care. They'd become a tradition, a way for Chuuya to preserve what normalcy they could carve out of their violent lives.

"Well, I'm sure you've seen some of me in it so there's no need hiding it. Sure, I'll join." He settled next to Atsushi, noting how his protégé remained uncharacteristically silent.

The tension in the room eased slightly - apparently, his colleagues had expected a more violent reaction to their snooping. Even Yosano, who'd trained under Mori herself, seemed to be reevaluating her understanding of both Dazai and the Port Mafia. The organization they'd viewed as purely evil was revealing itself to be capable of surprising humanity.

Kenji pressed play, and the screen showed a familiar office - Chuuya's workspace within Port Mafia headquarters. The twins were there, Gin absently throwing and catching knives while Ryuunosuke sprawled across a table, Rashōmon writhing restlessly around him.

"Dazai-san... where are they?" Kenji asked.

"Chuuya's office," Dazai replied simply, watching as the scene unfolded.

"How long is this going to take?" Ryuunosuke whined, surprising the ADA members who'd only known him as the fearsome Port Mafia assassin.

"It's torture. However long as possible," Gin replied, just before the door burst open to reveal a blood-spattered Chuuya.

"Can't believe the fucker left bloodstains on my hat," Chuuya muttered, frantically trying to clean the expensive accessory. "Couldn't he just die without stressing the shit out of me?"

The twins straightened immediately. "Chuuya-san," they chorused, their concern evident despite their attempt at casual poses.

"Is everything alright, Chuuya-san?" Gin asked through her mask.

"Yes... what are you two doing here? Aren't you supposed to be with Hirotsu?" Chuuya's suspicious tone made it clear he knew they were up to something.

The twins exchanged guilty glances before Gin admitted, "Well... we kind of pranked Mori Ougai. And we might be in trouble when he finds out."

Chuuya's reaction was explosive. "What the fuck! How dare you prank the boss? The Head of Port Mafia. What were you thinking?"

The sight of the tall twins cowering before the much shorter Chuuya drew laughs from the ADA members. Even Dazai couldn't suppress a smile - he'd faced down Mori countless times, but even he had never dared to prank the man. Some lines just shouldn't be crossed.

The recording continued, showing a side of the Port Mafia that challenged everything the ADA had believed about their enemies. These weren't just cold-blooded killers - they were people, capable of foolish decisions, family bonds, and even moments of joy.

Dazai watched his past self moving through these scenes, wondering how he'd managed to lock away these memories so completely. The facade he'd maintained at the ADA suddenly felt paper-thin, and he wondered if he could ever return to being the carefree, suicidal fool they'd known before.

Chapter Text

---

## **Video Clip: The Prank That Nearly Ended the Akutagawa Siblings**

"It was an accident. We didn't mean to do it. It just sort of happened."

Ryuunosuke's voice was hoarse, punctuated by a cough as he rubbed his sleeve against his lips. Chuuya barely contained the urge to strangle the idiot in front of him. His patience was already thin, and this—this *mess*—was only making things worse. The Akutagawa siblings stood before him like a pair of guilty children, heads bowed and shoulders tense. They weren't stupid. They knew exactly what kind of danger they were in.

Chuuya dragged a hand down his face and took a steadying breath before speaking. "And what prank exactly is that?" His voice was deceptively calm, but the underlying threat was clear.

Neither sibling answered.

The guilt was practically rolling off them, thick and suffocating. Gin avoided his gaze entirely, and Ryuunosuke looked like he was debating whether throwing himself out the nearest window would be preferable to answering Chuuya's question.

This was bad.

He wasn't sure if it was the severity of whatever they’d done or if it was because things between them were still… *rough*. A Dazai-shaped hole had been carved out of their dynamic, and it hadn’t fully healed. Chuuya was trying, but that didn’t mean the twins trusted him enough to tell him everything.

That trust had been stolen long ago.

Chuuya clicked his tongue impatiently. "*How the hell* am I supposed to know what to do and fix this if you won’t tell me what the prank is?"

A long beat of silence followed before Gin finally spoke, her voice barely above a whisper.

"We didn’t want you to fix it… we were hoping you could buy us some tickets so that we can leave Yokohama."

Chuuya blinked.

"What."

He didn’t phrase it as a question. He couldn’t. His brain was still processing the absurdity of the request.

Gin’s fingers clenched at the hem of her sleeve. "It would only be temporary. Just until things… cool down."

"Jeez, was it that bad?" Chuuya muttered to himself, running a hand through his hair. *What the fuck did they do?*

A sharp knock at the door made all three of them tense.

"What now?" Chuuya snapped.

The door creaked open, and Hirotsu stepped inside, his usual composed demeanor not betraying a single hint of the chaos about to unfold. He bowed slightly before speaking.

"Executive Nakahara-san, The Boss demands to see you. As well as the Akutagawa siblings."

Chuuya's stomach dropped.

Gin and Ryuunosuke stiffened beside him, and he swore he heard Gin whisper something under her breath that sounded suspiciously like a prayer.

Even the ADA members watching the clip on the screen could see it—*fear*. Genuine, bone-deep *fear*.

Kunikida frowned, trying to make sense of it. He’d always thought of the Port Mafia as nothing but a ruthless organization filled with killers and criminals who feared nothing. But here? Seeing the way Gin’s hands trembled, how even Akutagawa—one of their deadliest assassins—looked pale? It forced him to rethink things.

*Just how terrifying was Mori Ougai to make them react like this?*

He stole a glance at Dazai, expecting some level of concern on his face. Instead, there was a faint, almost nostalgic smile tugging at his lips. A real one, not the false, empty ones he always gave them.

Kunikida gritted his teeth. Dazai had always been a liar. And the biggest lie of all was the version of himself he showed to them.

The clip continued.

---

### **Video Clip: Mori Ougai’s "New Look"**

The office doors opened, and Chuuya was the first to step inside. He barely managed to keep his composure as his brain struggled to process what he was seeing.

Mori Ougai was seated at his usual desk, hands steepled together in front of him in their normal, elegant position. The problem?

His hair was pink.

Not just any pink—*violently, absurdly, aggressively pink*.

It was as if someone had taken an entire bucket of neon dye and dumped it onto his head. The color clashed horribly with his usual dark attire, and the serious expression on his face made the entire situation even more surreal.

Chuuya resisted the urge to laugh. *Holy shit.*

He turned slightly to check on the twins. Ryuunosuke was staring at the ground with a carefully blank face, but his twitching shoulders betrayed the effort it took not to react. Gin, on the other hand, had gone stiff as a board, her posture that of someone trying very hard to become *invisible*.

*Oh. So that’s what happened.*

Mori finally acknowledged them, his gaze settling on Chuuya. "Executive Nakahara-san. You’re on time."

Chuuya nodded, wisely keeping his mouth shut.

Mori tilted his head slightly. "Forgive my… *different look*. It caught me by surprise as well."

The twins flinched.

Chuuya didn’t dare look at them. If he did, he might actually laugh, and that would be a *death sentence*.

"But that’s not why I called you here," Mori continued smoothly. "There is an organization that needs handling. They’ve gotten bold and seem to believe they can do whatever they want."

A file slid across the desk. Chuuya caught it before it could fall, flipping it open and scanning the contents.

"Should we leave any survivors?"

"Just a few. Enough to tell the tale."

Chuuya nodded and turned on his heel. The twins scrambled after him, relief visible on their faces.

*He didn’t mention the hair.*

That meant one of two things:

1. He didn’t know it was them.
2. He knew *exactly* who did it and was waiting for the right moment to deal with them.

Chuuya honestly wasn’t sure which was worse.

---

### **The Getaway Plan**

Back in the Port Mafia’s underground garage, Chuuya leaned against the side of a sleek black car, arms crossed as he glared at the siblings.

"Are you two *out of your fucking minds*?" he hissed. "*Pink hair*? Do you have any idea what kind of hell you just unleashed on yourselves?"

Gin shuffled uncomfortably, while Ryuunosuke coughed into his hand.

"It wasn’t supposed to happen like that," he mumbled. "Higuchi made a snarky remark, Gin tried to get back at her, and Mori just… got in the way."

Chuuya groaned. "*How the hell do you accidentally dye the Boss’s hair?*"

The twins had the decency to look ashamed.

He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Alright. Does he *know* it was you?"

"We… don’t think so," Gin admitted.

"Is there any evidence?"

Ryuunosuke hesitated. "Not… exactly."

Chuuya sighed. "Then we don’t say a fucking *word* unless he confronts us. Understand?"

Both twins nodded rapidly.

Tachihara pulled up in one of the black SUVs, rolling down the window with a smirk. "Are we ready to leave, or are you three still plotting treason?"

Chuuya shot him a glare before sliding into the passenger seat. The twins climbed into the back, quickly buckling up—a small comfort that at least they weren’t *completely* reckless.

As the car pulled out of the underground base, Gin leaned forward slightly.

"If we die, I just want you to know," she said, voice solemn. "It was an honor."

Chuuya rolled his eyes. "Shut up."

---

### **Reality and Revelations**

The clip cut off suddenly, leaving the ADA in a frustrated uproar.

"That’s it?" Atsushi exclaimed. "What happened next? Did Mori find out?"

"They have to have suffered for that, right?" Tanizaki added. "There’s no way they got away with it."

As the office filled with conversation, Dazai silently stood from his seat. He’d seen enough for now.

He barely made it a few steps before the clinic door creaked open.

Akutagawa stood there, looking pale and uncertain.

Dazai met his gaze. "You can join me."

Akutagawa hesitated. His instincts screamed that this was some kind of cruel trick.

But Chuuya wasn’t awake. There was no one to tell him what to do.

He swallowed his pride and nodded.

The ADA members exchanged glances. Akutagawa—*Akutagawa*—listening to Dazai so easily? It confirmed something they had suspected but hadn’t fully understood until now.

Dazai had never been honest with them.

Not about his past.

Not about the Port Mafia.

Not even about *himself*.

And now?

Now, they were seeing the truth.

And they weren’t sure if they were ready for it.

Chapter Text

### Chapter 10

Chuuya adjusted the straps of the tight black dress, cursing under his breath. The outfit clung to him in all the wrong places—or maybe the right ones, depending on how one looked at it. The plunging neckline revealed more skin than he was comfortable with, and the short hem left his legs on full display. But it wasn’t the worst part. No, the worst part was the damn heels.

"When Boss said 'take care of them,' I expected total decimation, not infiltration," Chuuya grumbled. He tugged at the dress, glancing at his reflection with a grimace. “And as a girl? He really made me a fucking hooker. What the hell?! This is worse than Dazai’s—” He cut himself off, scowling as he bit his lip. “Damn it. I’m not remembering that bastard.”

Gin sat at the nearby vanity, expertly applying makeup to her own face. A small smirk tugged at her lips as she observed him.

“You look good, Chuuya-san.”

Chuuya turned to glare at her, but the expression softened when he caught sight of her without her usual mask. With her straight hair now curled and pinned back elegantly, she looked completely different—more like the young woman she actually was, rather than the assassin everyone knew her to be.

He scoffed, crossing his arms. “Well, the heels are good for one thing.”

Gin chuckled, covering her mouth with a gloved hand. It was rare for Chuuya to admit any kind of advantage, even sarcastically.

A buzzing sound interrupted them. Gin glanced at her phone and let out an amused snort before reading the messages aloud.

**Ryuunosuke:**
— *I look like a waiter*
— *Are you sure this tie is worn right?*
— *I look hideous*
— *Chuuya-san can’t see me like this.*
— *I want to set myself on fire.*

Chuuya groaned, rubbing his temples. “Please tell me Ryuunosuke isn’t contemplating actual murder.”

“He’s just nervous.” Gin scrolled through her phone with a knowing smile. “He’ll be here soon. Everything is in order.”

“Good.” Chuuya tapped his fingers impatiently against the vanity’s wooden surface, watching the door. Just as he was about to make another snarky remark, it swung open, revealing Akutagawa standing stiffly in the doorway.

Dressed in a crisp suit, his tie slightly crooked from his constant fidgeting, Akutagawa looked miserable. His hands clenched into fists at his sides as he kept his gaze down, clearly avoiding looking at Chuuya. The moment his eyes finally lifted, however, his entire body tensed, his face immediately turning a bright shade of red.

“About time,” Chuuya huffed, strutting toward him with practiced ease despite the heels.

Akutagawa made a strangled noise in the back of his throat, quickly averting his gaze as he fought to maintain composure. His mentor—his terrifying, ruthless, commanding mentor—should not look this… this *good*. It was disorienting.

Gin barely suppressed a giggle as Chuuya grabbed Akutagawa by the arm and pulled him forward. “Come on. We don’t have all night.”

***

“Detective Nakahara is a beauty. I’m not going to deny that,” Kunikida stated as Ranpo paused the video.

The ADA members nodded in agreement, their expressions ranging from awe to envy.

“I’m even jealous,” Yosano admitted. “And I’m a woman. He’s miles ahead of me in terms of beauty. He can *definitely* pass for a girl.”

Dazai, who had remained silent up until now, simply smiled to himself.

Ranpo narrowed his eyes, glancing at him. “Has he done this before? The cross-dressing, I mean. He mentioned something about it but trailed off.”

Dazai’s smile turned wistful. “Yeah... he did once. It was one of the happiest days of my life.”

Akutagawa scoffed, breaking his silence. “You got punched across a building. You crashed through multiple walls and just *laid* there, grinning.”

Dazai chuckled. “Of course. How could I forget our witness?” He reached out to ruffle Akutagawa’s hair, but the younger man instinctively flinched back before catching himself. His eyes widened slightly, as if realizing what he’d just done.

The room fell into an uncomfortable silence.

Dazai sighed, dropping his hand. The tension was palpable, thick enough to be cut with a knife.

Atsushi, who had been feeling increasingly neglected, decided to speak up. “Dazai-san, what made Detective Nakahara dress up like a girl the first time?”

Dazai’s expression shifted. “That’s private.” His tone was firm. “Unless Chuuya or Akutagawa say otherwise, I won’t share. Non-negotiable. If you need answers, ask Ryuu.”

“I won’t be telling the were-tiger anything,” Akutagawa snapped. “We’re enemies. If this were a different situation, I would attack him. He doesn’t need to know matters that don’t concern him. *Orphan.*”

Atsushi visibly flinched, but Dazai said nothing to reprimand Akutagawa, which stung even more.

Kunikida’s jaw tightened. “We don’t tolerate that attitude here, Akutagawa.”

Akutagawa didn’t respond, his gaze fixed on the wall.

Atsushi forced a smile. “Don’t worry about it, Kunikida-san. It doesn’t matter.” He was lying, of course, but the last thing he wanted was for the situation to escalate. If someone snapped, Dazai would inevitably side with his former mentee, and Atsushi didn’t want to see that play out.

The memory of Dazai’s cold threat—*Stay out of my business, or I’ll put a bullet in your head*—still haunted him.

Ranpo, sensing the shift in atmosphere, clapped his hands together. “Why don’t we watch the next clip? Maybe something fun?”

The others murmured in agreement, grateful for the distraction.

Ranpo pressed play.

***

The video was different from the previous one.

Akutagawa was holding the camera, adjusting the lens with an almost obsessive focus. He was dressed casually, a stark contrast to his usual uniform. Judging by the lighting and his relaxed attire, it seemed to be a rare day off.

The ADA members exchanged glances, curiosity piqued.

Akutagawa, on the other hand, paled. “Oh, God no. Not this.”

Before anyone could ask what he meant, a rapid beeping filled the room.

In the video, Akutagawa stiffened, cursing in a colorful array of expletives. He scrambled for the device in front of him—now fully visible as a *bomb*—and panicked, searching desperately for a place to throw it.

His frantic movements were met with stunned silence from the ADA members.

“Oh my God, is that—” Kunikida started, eyes wide.

On screen, Akutagawa bolted toward the bathroom door, yanked it open, and hurled the bomb inside. He slammed the door shut just as the explosion detonated. Smoke seeped through the cracks almost immediately.

Akutagawa hesitated, then made the mistake of opening the door again. A thick cloud of smoke billowed out, engulfing him instantly. He staggered back, coughing violently.

The real Akutagawa groaned, burying his face in his hands.

“I *just* remembered this day,” he muttered.

In the video, footsteps echoed down the hall before Chuuya burst in, grabbed Akutagawa by the collar, and dragged him out into the fresh air.

“You *idiot*,” Chuuya snapped. “What the hell were you thinking? You—”

Before he could continue, Gin sprinted up the stairs, doubled over in laughter.

“April Fool’s!” she wheezed. “Oh my God, that was so good. You really thought it was from your admirer, huh?”

The ADA members blinked.

Akutagawa looked seconds away from committing murder.

Chuuya, off to the side, tried—and failed—to stifle his laughter.

The video ended.

Silence.

Then—

“Wait.” Kunikida adjusted his glasses. “You got pranked with a fake bomb?”

Akutagawa refused to respond.

Ranpo smirked. “I like your sister.”

Gin, watching from her own seat, simply smiled.

Chapter Text

A/N: Fucking kill me. So I just found out from Google that Gin and Ryuu aren't twins; well they are going to be twins in this fics.
And for the purpose of this fic, I'm going to de age Ryuu: I can't believe he is fucking 20 and Dazai is 22. No way, I need Ryuu to be an insecure child, as I have portrayed him in the book, so Ryuu and Gin will be sharing the same age which is 16.
Atsushi is 18 in BSD. Honestly I don't really care about him but I did promise to not actively hate him so I'll guess I'll make him 16. Or 18.
Elise will remain her normal age- 10 and Mori as well -40.
I increased Dazai's and Chuuya ages to be 24 instead of 22.
So I'm going to give a lil backstory so you can understand the fic.

Dazai and Chuuya met at the age of 15--- Dazai picked Ryuu as a mentee at the age of 18( Ryuu was 10then for the sake of the fic pls.)
Dazai and Chuuya had an one-off friends with benefits and they tied the knot at 18, for a mission and didn't really bother filing for a divorce.
Chuuya loves taking care of kids younger than him so he was drawn to Ryuu after he caught Dazai beating him up( remember this is Dark Era Dazai )and took Ryuu and Gin under his care. And made Dazai stop beating him up.
Then Gin and Ryuu started crashing over at Chuuya-san apartment after mission when Chuuya would force them to sleep over because they were wounded and he wanted to take care of them.
Then Dazai came around one day and found the kids in the apartment and suffice to say he decided to let the sleeping dogs lie and came over as well, crashing when he was injured or hungry or just wanting to annoy Chuuya.
Chuuya got tired of telling him off and allowed him to move in after Dazai had brought up the fact that married couples should be living together.
Then one day Chuuya overheard Ryuu and Gin talking about how they shouldn't get attached to a PM executive because they weren't family and something might happen ending them screwed over so Chuuya was hurt and got drunk and spilled to Dazai telling him he saw himself as a father to them and the twins did not feel safe enough in the apartment.
Dazai brought up the idea of adoption and Chuuya went ahead and adopted them and since well Chuuya was married, Dazai officially became their Dad and Chuuya papa.
Chuuya made the adoption official by giving them the name Ryuu and Gin Nakahara-Dazai. But they kept Akutagawa for PM official business related matters.
Chuuya then went ahead and got them rooms and clothes and they moved in and became a family although Ryuu and Dazai were still a bit distant, Ryuu wanted Dazai to see him as not a failure and Dazai was reminded of his guilt whenever he saw how he treated Ryuu and how Ryuu was always on guard whenever he was around. But he could see when Ryuu behaved his age around Chuuya. He was hurt because he actually came to like their dynamics and well he figured it was best he kept away from Ryuu so not to hurt him(not knowing this was hurting Ryuu because Dazai was close with Gin and was abrupt with Ryuu )
Oda(oh yes he isn't dead now, but he will still die) was the only one aware of this changes involving the Nakahara-Dazai family but Chuuya wasn't close with Oda.
So they try to live a normally separated secret life behind the watchful eyes of PM in general and strangers and subordinates in public.
Oda died when Dazai was 22 years and Dazai fled leaving the rest unaware of his treason until they found out from Mori that Dazai has deserted them.
And Chuuya actually got in the car with Ryuu when it exploded as Ryuu protected Chuuya with his ability and Ryuu was critically injured.
He barely managed to survive after waking up from his coma 8 months later.
Chuuya at that point hated Dazai for what he did, how he broke Ryuu over again and swore he would do his best to be the best Papa that the kids would have (Dazai didn't know about Ryuu getting hurt up till now.)
Gin was conflicted because she still cares for Dazai but for Chuuya and Ryuu sake didn't bother contacting him years later when they found out he was in the ADA until that day Gin appeared asking for help.
You probably noticed that Ryuu sometimes changes his behavior - first he hates Dazai, scared of him and then breakdown begging Dazai not to leave again and it's like a routine. Ryuu never really got over Dazai's betrayal, he just bottled him feelings and well let's just say he has the moodswings of a girl.
The story is going to get serious soon, once we are done with the clips of their past.
Honestly this wasn't part of the story but I just wanted to indulge myself a bit so hence the video clips.
And you should know by now the clips aren't in order. That's the whole point. The remaining clips will be in the form of flashbacks throughout the story.
What more, Mori is still a manipulative bastard, but he cares about Chuuya in a way because Chuuya is loyal to him and surprisingly covered the void that Dazai left in the PM.
Mori did tell Chuuya to use corruption in the first episode which led them to the ADA but Mori didn't actually want him to use it.

Y'all understand as the story progresses.
Also, if the fic seems off to you, it's probably I didn't plan it. I just feel like updating, I write whatever I think of that day and upload that day.

Maybe I should do one a week update and make it 5k words per chapter so I can review, rewrite and upload. Or just upload a chapter that moment I'm done writing it.

Honestly I was supposed to work on the next chapter but I figured that I rather made a A/N so people would get the scope of the story.

PS: Will there be Atsushi joining the family?
Right now: NO!
I might change my mind but this is a Ryuu self indulgent fic that I want to heal my heart from what Ryuu in BSD suffered just because he was seeking for Validation.
Will they be a Ryuu/Atsushi pairing.
Also NO. I can see the potential in the Shin Soukuku in BSD, but to me I don't like Atsushi so I won't force myself to write them as a couple.
At most they will actually become friends. Not best friends though. That post is forever held by his twin sister Gin.
PS: There is no truce between ADA and PM at the moment. So of course there will be mild hostility.
Will Chuuya wake up with amnesia?
Hehehehe, I don't know yet, I just want the ADA currently to have an idea how Dazai was with his family he abandoned.
I love Dazai for his chemistry with Chuuya but I hate him for his behavior towards Ryuu.... Does anyone put here feel what I mean?
So yes Dazai is an insufferable asshole but will be protective of his family this time around.
And Dazai would be oblivious to Atsushi for the moment because his mind is greatly concerned over his family not his mentee.
So in conclusion: Dazai lived with his family for 5 years (17-21) and was undercover for a year joining ADA at 22.
Wow, I wrote an entire chapter of author notes.
If there is any questions pls ask and I'll do my best to answer

Chapter Text

---

### **Chapter 11**

Kunikida stared at Dazai, who was currently engaged in a conversation with Akutagawa and Gin. Or rather, Gin was the one speaking—her hands moving animatedly as she explained something—while Akutagawa stood stiffly beside her, his gaze darting to the ground every time Dazai directed a question at him. His discomfort was almost comical.

Kunikida frowned. How was this even possible? Akutagawa—the same ruthless assassin who had struck fear into countless enemies—was acting like a shy, flustered child in front of Dazai? It made no sense. Kunikida had faced Akutagawa before on the battlefield, and even though the younger man had been just a teenager at the time, he had been terrifying. A killing machine trained to be lethal. And yet here he was, avoiding eye contact and hesitating like a nervous recruit.

It wasn’t just Akutagawa either. Over the past few days, the atmosphere had shifted. The members of the Armed Detective Agency had slowly lowered their guard around the Port Mafia guests. Everyone except Kunikida, that is. He couldn’t bring himself to relax.

They had spent hours going through old footage, glimpses of Dazai’s past—most of which had been nothing short of horrifying. Some videos were skipped because Dazai had deemed them "too intimate" for outsiders, and surprisingly, the Agency had respected his decision. But even with what they had seen, it was enough to reveal who Dazai had once been.

Most of the clips showcased Dazai’s brutal efficiency, his talent for destruction. A bloodstained history of orchestrated massacres. In some, Chuuya stood beside him, smirking while bodies piled up.

Kunikida shuddered. The Dazai in those clips bore little resemblance to the man lounging before them now. Beside him, the rest of the Agency looked equally disturbed.

"What?" Akutagawa scowled, irritated by their reactions. "We were in the Port Mafia. What did you expect?"

"Ryuu, don’t defend me," Dazai interrupted, placing a hand on Akutagawa’s head. The younger man instantly froze, his face turning an embarrassing shade of red as he quickly looked away. Gin, who had been casually twirling her knife from where she sat, smirked at her brother’s reaction.

Before the tension could grow heavier, Ranpo yawned and stretched. "We’re finally done with today’s workload. Should we watch another video?"

There were murmurs of agreement, and Dazai merely shrugged. He wasn’t sure what else the recordings would show, but deep down, he hoped they contained happier memories—moments with Chuuya and the kids.

He hadn’t truly realized what he had lost until he left. Sure, he had abandoned the Mafia for Odasaku’s sake, but nothing had stopped him from staying in Chuuya’s life. He could have maintained some sort of presence, even in secret. It would have been better than severing ties completely.

But now, it seemed as though they had all moved on without him.

Akutagawa no longer sought his praise like he once did. In fact, it almost felt like their roles had reversed. This time, it was Dazai who was trying to mend what had been broken, while Akutagawa remained hesitant—perhaps even waiting for him to leave again.

As the video loaded, a dark screen filled the projector before words appeared in white. Then, almost eerily, the letters turned crimson, dripping like blood.

**Compilation of the Port Mafia saving Dazai even after he went rogue.**

Atsushi tensed. "Should we be worried about that ominous blood effect?"

Kunikida huffed, arms crossed. "Of course. It’s the Port Mafia. Bloodbaths are their signature. I still can’t believe we let Dazai in here."

Yosano rolled her eyes and shushed him as the first clip began playing.

---

### **[First Clip]**

**Mori’s Office:**
Mori sat behind his desk, his expression unreadable. "I’ve found where Dazai disappeared to. Fetch me the communicator to the front lines."

**Port Mafia Front Lines:**
Someone handed Chuuya a phone.

Mori’s voice came through the receiver. "Dazai needs your help."

Chuuya rolled his eyes, sighing in exasperation. "Got it, Boss."

---

**[Second Clip]**

**A Forest—After a Battle:**
Dazai lay bloodied against the base of a tree, a lazy smile on his lips.

Chuuya sprinted toward him, eyes wide with panic. "Are you okay?!"

Dazai chuckled, despite the blood dripping from his mouth. "Yeah."

---

**[Third Clip]**

**Mori’s Office Again:**
Mori nodded approvingly. "You did a commendable job protecting your partner."

Chuuya scoffed, crossing his arms. "He’s not my partner. I was just following orders."

---

**[Fourth Clip]**

**Inside a Helicopter (During the Dragon Head Conflict):**
Ango turned to Chuuya. "Chuuya, it’s possible that Dazai has been eliminated. If you use Corruption now, you won’t be able to stop it. You’d be throwing your life away—"

Before he could finish, Chuuya ripped off his gloves. "He’s alive. I’m going down there to kick his ass."

---

**[Fifth Clip]**

**Behind a Building:**
Dazai frowned at Gin and Higuchi. "Why would Ougai allocate his trusted subordinates for this charade?"

Gin barely spared him a glance. "To protect you."

---

**[Sixth Clip]**

**Rooftop Confrontation with Fyodor:**
Dazai smirked. "The only reason I made it out of that elevator was because Chuuya manipulated the gravity inside it."

---

The clips continued, each showing moments where the Port Mafia had gone out of their way to protect Dazai, even after he had left them behind.

The ADA sat in stunned silence. Dazai, for his part, looked genuinely surprised. He hadn’t realized the extent of Mori’s involvement behind the scenes.

Before anyone could speak, the door suddenly swung open.

Chuuya stood in the doorway, dressed in casual clothes but still radiating authority. His eyes swept over the room, narrowing when he noticed all eyes were on him. His skin glowed faintly red as his ability flared.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" he snapped. "Keeping me locked in here like a goddamn prisoner?"

The silver cuffs dangled from his wrists, the very ones Yosano had used to restrain him during his more unstable moments. Yosano’s breath hitched in realization.

Before the tension could escalate, Akutagawa and Gin immediately ran to Chuuya’s side. He hesitated for a brief second before allowing them to approach, his power fading as he confirmed they were unharmed.

Dazai exhaled in relief and took a step forward. "Chuuya."

Chuuya’s head tilted slightly in confusion. His gaze landed on Dazai, his expression darkening. Then, his lips curled into something resembling amusement—but it was anything but friendly.

"The name is Nakahara to you." His voice was sharp, biting. "Who the hell are you?"

The room fell into stunned silence.

Even Akutagawa and Gin turned to Chuuya in shock.

Dazai’s smile faltered. For the first time in a long time, he was at a loss for words.

Chapter Text

### **Chapter 12 – Recognition and Ruin**

#### **Thirty Minutes Earlier**

"So… basically, the Port Mafia is just tolerating us because Dazai is here," Kunikida muttered, his tone filled with reluctant acceptance.

Across the room, Akutagawa stared pointedly at the ceiling as if it had suddenly become the most fascinating thing in existence.

Some of the ADA members looked like they wanted to protest, but before they could, Dazai—ever the opportunist—seized the moment with a dramatic sigh.

"Of course, Kunikida! You should write that down. After all, I'm the most handsome man here. It’s only natural they need me," Dazai said, flashing an infuriating smirk.

Kunikida, who had been taking notes out of sheer habit, froze mid-sentence before scowling. With a sharp crack, his pen broke in his grip.

"I hate you, Dazai," he growled, throwing his notebook at him.

Dazai dodged effortlessly, laughing.

Ranpo sighed and adjusted his hat. "Alright, enough. Let's focus—"

Before he could finish, the door swung open, and all the air seemed to be sucked out of the room.

### **Now**

Dazai had imagined many things in his lifetime.

A future without war. A world where he could have saved Odasaku. An existence where he never had to bear the weight of his sins.

But never—not even in his worst nightmares—had he imagined Chuuya looking at him with complete, unrecognizing eyes.

"Who the hell are you?"

It shouldn't have been possible.

Dazai had spent years in the Port Mafia with Chuuya, had fought beside him, laughed at his rage, admired his strength, and mocked his temper. He had betrayed him, left him, and even then, he had *never* considered the possibility of being forgotten.

Hate, sure. Anger, of course. Indifference? Maybe. But not this.

Not total and utter non-recognition.

Dazai’s breath caught in his throat. He stared at Chuuya, waiting—hoping—for even a flicker of acknowledgment. For a twitch of the lips, a narrowing of the eyes, *something* that indicated this was just another game, another way to spite him.

But there was nothing.

Chuuya’s glare held only confusion and irritation, with none of the familiarity that should have been there.

Dazai’s fingers curled into fists, hidden by the folds of his coat. He had faced death countless times, had stared into the abyss willingly, had danced on the edge of destruction—but this?

This made him sick.

It was Akutagawa who finally broke the unbearable silence.

"Chuuya-san, you shouldn’t be walking around. You’re still hurt," he said, voice uncharacteristically soft. "Everything is fine. I’ll explain later."

Dazai watched as Chuuya turned his gaze to Akutagawa and Gin—the kids who had once been his responsibility, his burdens. And in an instant, the hardness in Chuuya’s expression softened.

They mattered.

They still mattered to him.

It *was* just Dazai he didn’t remember.

Something inside Dazai twisted violently.

"Alright," Chuuya finally said, sighing as he ruffled Akutagawa’s hair in a rare display of affection. "But you better fill me in. And why the hell are we even here? Where’s Boss?"

Dazai stiffened.

The casual way Chuuya referred to Mori—without contempt, without venom—made his skin crawl.

He almost didn’t want to look at Mori as the man walked in, dressed sharply in black, Elise skipping beside him.

Everything about Mori's entrance set the ADA on edge. Kunikida’s jaw tightened, Yosano’s grip on her scalpel twitched, and Atsushi stood rigidly, eyeing the ex-boss of the Port Mafia warily.

Dazai instinctively moved, positioning himself between Mori and Chuuya. Between Mori and the kids.

"You have no business here," Dazai snapped, eyes narrowing.

Mori merely smiled, unbothered. "Relax, Dazai. I didn’t come for you." He paused, letting the weight of his next words settle. "I’m here for Chuuya."

Dazai’s entire body went cold.

"Like hell you are—"

"Don't speak for me."

Dazai flinched.

The voice was sharp, cutting through the tension like a blade.

Chuuya stepped forward, eyes blazing. "Who the hell do you think you are, questioning *my* boss?"

It felt like a slap to the face.

No.

No, no, no—

Chuuya hadn’t called Mori his boss in years. Not unless he was forced to. Not unless it was a necessary evil.

But now, there was no resentment, no hidden disdain, no *anything* Dazai had come to associate with Chuuya’s grudging loyalty.

It was like watching a stranger wear Chuuya’s face.

"Seems like you need a beating, huh, shitty bandage man?" Chuuya sneered, pushing past Dazai like he was nothing.

Like he had never mattered at all.

Akutagawa grabbed their things, Gin followed closely, and together they moved across the room—away from Dazai, toward Mori.

Mori’s eyes gleamed with amusement. "Hmmm… interesting."

Dazai forced himself to breathe through the nausea twisting his stomach into knots.

"Chuuya," Mori said pleasantly, "this is Dazai. Your former partner in the Port Mafia. Do you not remember him?"

The words hung in the air.

Chuuya frowned, his gaze flickering toward Dazai. There was something distant about the way he looked at him, something uncertain. His fingers twitched at his sides as if something *almost* surfaced in his mind.

Then his brows furrowed, and he murmured, "*Dazai…?*"

For the first time, hope sparked in Dazai’s chest.

Maybe—maybe he *did* remember. Maybe this was all some cruel joke, a temporary condition, a moment of lost clarity.

But then Chuuya’s expression darkened.

His voice was low, almost dangerous, when he spoke again.

"The one who blew up the—"

His words cut off.

His entire body went rigid as his breath hitched. His pupils dilated, his fingers flexed as if he were struggling to grasp something just beyond his reach.

And then his eyes locked onto Dazai’s again—this time with fury.

Before Dazai could react, Chuuya lunged.

"CHUUYA-SAN!"

Akutagawa and Gin moved fast, grabbing onto Chuuya just before he reached Dazai. Their grips were strong, desperate, and filled with barely restrained panic.

"Chuuya-san, please don't!" Gin pleaded.

Dazai barely registered the momentary betrayal in their voices. His mind was reeling.

He didn’t know what Chuuya was remembering.

Didn’t know what part of their past had resurfaced to make him want to tear Dazai apart.

But he did know one thing.

Chuuya *meant it*.

This wasn't a trick. This wasn't a bluff.

If Gin and Akutagawa hadn't stopped him, Chuuya would have *killed him*.

And Dazai had no idea why.

A slow, horrible realization settled into his bones.

Something had happened.

Something he didn't know about.

And judging by the way Akutagawa and Gin were holding Chuuya back with wide, panicked eyes, it was something *bad*.

Dazai didn't know when, or how, or why, but somewhere between his departure and now—

—he had done something Chuuya could never forgive.

Chapter Text

### **Chapter 13 – The Hatred That Remains**

The room was deathly silent except for the sounds of Chuuya struggling in Gin and Akutagawa’s hold. His breath came in sharp, furious bursts, muscles tensed as if he was still fighting against an invisible force telling him to calm down.

The ADA didn’t move. They barely even breathed.

This wasn’t the Chuuya they had come to know.

Sure, their knowledge of him was limited—based on brief surveillance footage, old mission reports, and the stories Dazai had chosen to share (mostly exaggerations meant to either mock or admire the redhead’s sheer stubbornness).

From what they had seen before today, there had always been a certain *fire* between him and Dazai. A rivalry, a deep-seated irritation, a constant clash of personalities that resulted in endless bickering.

Hatred? Maybe.

But *not like this*.

Nothing like this.

Not the kind of hatred that dripped from Chuuya’s every breath. Not the kind that made him look at Dazai like he was something that needed to be *eradicated*.

A shiver ran down Atsushi’s spine. He had seen many kinds of hatred in his life. The cruel kind, the bitter kind, the vengeful kind. But this?

This was *hatred born from pain*.

Something had happened. Something bad.

And from the way Dazai stood there—silent, stunned, staring at Chuuya like he was looking at a ghost—he had no idea what it was.

Dazai always *knew* things. He was always a step ahead, always planning, always *aware*.

But now?

Now he looked lost.

For the first time, Dazai Osamu was truly, undeniably confused.

**"What did I do?"**

His voice was quieter than usual. Not soft, not weak—but *uncertain*. A rare, vulnerable moment slipping through the cracks of his usual mask.

Chuuya jerked against the hands holding him, his lip curling into a snarl. "You seriously don’t know?"

Dazai’s gaze flickered, searching, desperate for some sort of answer. His mind was already racing, flipping through every possibility. Every betrayal, every deception, every cruel joke he had ever played on Chuuya.

Nothing fit.

Nothing could explain *this*.

"Chuuya," Dazai started carefully, his voice steady despite the chaos, "I swear to you, I don’t know what I did."

Chuuya’s whole body trembled. His nails dug into his palms, his breath uneven, his chest rising and falling with barely contained rage.

Akutagawa and Gin held onto him tighter, but neither spoke.

And that—*that*—was what made dread settle into Dazai’s bones.

Because if it was something *simple*, something *forgivable*, something that could be explained away—Akutagawa would have thrown it in his face. Gin would have snapped at him.

But instead, they said *nothing*.

The rest of the ADA stayed quiet as well, watching, *waiting*.

Mori hummed thoughtfully.

"I suppose I could tell you," Mori mused, stepping forward. "Wouldn’t that be interesting, Dazai? Seeing the great Demon Prodigy realize what he’s done?"

Dazai barely reacted to Mori’s taunting tone. He didn’t care about whatever game Mori was playing—he just needed to *know*.

But before Mori could continue, a quiet voice cut through the room.

"Don’t."

Every single person turned.

Ryuu had barely spoken since they arrived. He had been silent, hovering near Chuuya and the other kids, watching everything unfold with careful eyes.

And now, for the first time, he had spoken up.

Telling Mori—*Mori*—not to say anything.

The air in the room seemed to shift.

Mori actually paused.

Dazai narrowed his eyes, noting the way Mori glanced at Ryuu, amused yet thoughtful.

"You don’t want him to know?" Mori asked, tilting his head.

Ryuu met Mori’s gaze without fear. "Not now."

The ADA barely processed what they were witnessing.

*Someone*—no, a *child*—had *told Mori Ougai what to do.*

And Mori had *listened*.

The weight of that realization settled over the room like a heavy fog.

Even Dazai’s expression shifted. He wasn’t one to be easily surprised, but this? This was *unexpected*.

For Mori to actually *stop* just because a child asked him to? That was *wrong*.

That was *dangerous*.

It meant Mori considered Ryuu *valuable*.

It meant Mori saw something in him that made him pause.

And if Mori saw *value* in someone, it was never for anything good.

The ADA remained frozen, unsure what to say, what to *do*.

Dazai, however, exhaled slowly.

"Fine," he said, his voice light, casual—almost dismissive, even though nothing about this was casual. "If you won’t tell me now, I’ll just have to figure it out myself."

Chuuya scoffed. "Tch. Good luck with that, bastard."

There was no playfulness in the insult. No lingering familiarity.

Dazai felt something twist in his chest, but he ignored it.

Instead, he turned his attention to Ryuu.

The boy had positioned himself slightly in front of Chuuya, his stance protective. It was a subtle gesture, but Dazai didn’t miss it.

Chuuya might not remember everything, but Ryuu?

Ryuu *knew*.

And Ryuu had chosen to stand *with* Chuuya, *against* Dazai.

That fact alone told Dazai everything he needed to know.

Whatever had happened—

It wasn’t something that could be fixed with clever words.

It wasn’t something he could manipulate, charm, or sidestep.

This was *real*.

And for the first time in a long, long time—

Dazai didn’t know if he could make it right.

Chapter Text

### **Chapter 14 – The Path Chosen**

The tension in the room remained thick, pressing against everyone like a suffocating weight.

Chuuya had finally stopped struggling against Gin and Akutagawa’s hold, but his sharp eyes remained locked on Dazai with a hatred that refused to waver.

Then Mori sighed, drawing everyone’s attention to him.

“Well,” he said, clasping his hands together, “I suppose we should start with the obvious—how are you all feeling? Fully healed, I assume?”

The question was casual, but the weight behind it wasn’t lost on anyone.

Chuuya exchanged a look with the kids before nodding. “We’re fine.”

Gin and Akutagawa gave subtle nods as well, confirming their agreement.

Mori’s smile widened slightly. “That’s good to hear.”

The ADA remained silent, absorbing the scene in front of them. Everything about it felt *wrong*.

Mori Ougai was standing before them, treating Chuuya and the kids with a level of concern that didn’t fit the image they had of him. He was supposed to be ruthless, manipulative, someone who only saw others as pieces on a chessboard.

And yet—

He had just *asked* if they were healed.

As if he *cared*.

It sent a chill down their spines.

Dazai, however, remained still, his sharp eyes never leaving Mori. He knew better than anyone that Mori’s concern was never without reason.

Chuuya was the first to break the silence.

“What are you doing here?” His voice was sharp, laced with suspicion.

Mori chuckled. “Ah, well, I was *bored*,” he admitted easily. “And I thought it was about time I picked you all up.”

“Picked us up?” Chuuya echoed, narrowing his eyes.

Mori nodded. “Of course. I knew where you were the moment I saw the battlefield. The *works* of the Demon Prodigy were unmistakable.”

His gaze flickered toward Dazai with something unreadable in his expression, and for a brief moment, a silence stretched between them.

Dazai didn’t react, but the weight of the words sank in.

The *works* of the Demon Prodigy—

The mission Chuuya had been on.

That was where Mori had realized they were missing.

And if *Mori* recognized his handiwork, then that meant—

Dazai’s stomach twisted.

Mori’s voice cut through the heavy silence.

“I do apologize, by the way.”

The room froze.

The *Port Mafia boss* was *apologizing*.

To *Chuuya*.

To the *kids*.

Even the ADA, who had been expecting nothing but smugness from the man, were left momentarily speechless.

Mori continued, completely unfazed by their reactions.

“I was unaware that the enemy had planned something against you,” he said smoothly. “We were attacked as well at the base, which left us unable to retrieve you in time. And by the time we got there…”

His gaze turned sharp.

“You were nowhere to be found.”

The ADA had no words.

They had never once thought they would witness such a moment—Mori Ougai *genuinely* apologizing.

But what was even more surprising was Chuuya’s reaction.

He didn’t explode in anger. He didn’t lash out.

He simply *nodded*, acknowledging the apology without further argument.

That—

That wasn’t *right*.

Not after everything they had seen from him. Not after the rage, the deep-seated hatred burning in his eyes.

And yet, here he was, accepting Mori’s apology like it wasn’t anything *out of the ordinary*.

Atsushi swallowed hard, exchanging a glance with Kunikida, who looked just as unsettled.

This wasn’t the Chuuya they knew.

And it made everything even more confusing.

Mori clapped his hands together, the eerie atmosphere lifting slightly. “Well then, shall we? It’s time to go.”

Chuuya didn’t hesitate.

He stepped forward, moving to stand beside Mori.

The decision was made.

There was no second-guessing, no lingering hesitation.

He was going *with* Mori.

Gin and Akutagawa followed without a word, their loyalty to Chuuya unwavering.

The kids, however, lingered.

They hesitated.

Their gazes flickered between Dazai and Chuuya, torn between the two.

Dazai knelt down, meeting their uncertain eyes with a soft expression.

“It’s alright,” he murmured.

He pulled them close, pressing a light kiss to each of their foreheads.

The kids gripped his coat tightly, but eventually, they pulled away.

They made their choice.

They stepped toward Chuuya.

And Chuuya *snapped*.

The sight of *Dazai*—the *monster*—*touching* his kids sent fury racing through him like fire.

“What the *hell* do you think you’re doing?!”

He surged forward, but Mori’s hand shot out, gripping his arm before he could react.

The action was subtle, but the message was clear.

*Not now.*

Chuuya froze, his jaw clenched tightly.

Mori turned back to Dazai, his expression unreadable.

“You should pick a side, Dazai.”

Dazai’s eyes flickered, analyzing every word, every movement.

“Something bad is coming,” Mori continued, his tone dark. “And it won’t just affect us—it’ll affect *everyone*.”

His gaze swept over the ADA, lingering just long enough to make them feel the weight of his words.

Then, without another word, Mori turned.

Chuuya followed.

The kids, Gin, and Akutagawa followed.

And just like that—

They were *gone*.

The silence left in their wake was deafening.

The ADA remained frozen, trying to process everything that had just happened.

They had seen many things before.

Fought many battles.

But nothing had ever left them feeling so *lost*.

Nothing had ever shaken their understanding of things quite like this.

Dazai remained where he was, still kneeling, still watching the door where they had disappeared.

For the first time in a long time, he *truly* didn’t know what to do next.

Chapter Text

### **Chapter 15 – The Night It All Fell Apart**

The room was silent, the tension thick enough to choke on.

No one had spoken since Chuuya and the others left with Mori. The weight of their departure still lingered, leaving the Armed Detective Agency shaken and confused.

Then the screen flickered.

A new clip had been found.

Atsushi, standing closest to the device, hesitated before pressing play. The moment he did, the footage began rolling, and the past unfolded before their eyes.

---

The scene was a dimly lit airport terminal, almost empty save for a few late-night travelers.

Chuuya stepped into frame, dressed in his usual black suit and hat, carrying a single bag over his shoulder. He looked exhausted, his body language heavy with fatigue as he walked toward the exit.

Then, he pulled out his phone.

The moment he switched it on, the screen lit up with dozens of missed calls.

A muscle in his jaw ticked.

None from Dazai.

None.

But there were endless calls from the twins—his subordinates.

And at the bottom of the notifications—one missed call and a single voice message from Mori.

Chuuya’s expression darkened as he pressed play.

“Chuuya,” Mori’s voice came through, calm and even. “Dazai defected. Come to the organization immediately.”

The message ended.

A slow inhale.

A long pause.

Then—

“*That bastard.*”

The venom in Chuuya’s voice was unmistakable.

He shoved his phone back into his coat, movements sharp with frustration as he stormed out of the airport.

The footage jumped.

Now, Chuuya was in the Port Mafia headquarters, moving swiftly through the halls, his expression set in a furious scowl.

The ADA watched, almost afraid of what they were about to witness.

Then—

“*Chuuya!*”

A blur of white rushed into frame.

Ryuunosuke Akutagawa.

Much younger than they were used to seeing him, barely more than a kid, eyes wild with desperation.

Chuuya barely had time to react before Ryuu was right in front of him, panting heavily.

“They said it’s true,” Ryuu blurted out, his voice raw with something that almost sounded like panic. “They said he’s *gone*.”

Chuuya’s fists clenched.

“I’ll get to the bottom of it,” he said through gritted teeth.

Then he turned and stormed off, heading straight for the garage.

The ADA members tensed, the atmosphere growing heavier.

Dazai himself had gone completely still, his eyes locked on the screen, as if he already knew something was about to go wrong.

Chuuya moved with purpose, his frustration making him reckless.

He didn’t notice the signs.

Didn’t notice the subtle tension in the air.

Didn’t *notice*.

But Ryuu did.

Just as Chuuya reached his car and yanked the door open, Ryuu’s entire body *tensed*.

His ability activated instantly—

*Rashoumon* surged forward, wrapping around Chuuya, shielding him completely.

But in doing so—

Ryuu left himself *wide open*.

The explosion was instantaneous.

Fire and metal tore through the air, the sheer force of the blast sending Ryuu flying backward like a ragdoll.

Smoke engulfed the screen.

For a moment, there was nothing but ringing silence.

Then—

“*RYUU!*”

Chuuya’s scream shattered the stillness.

The smoke cleared just enough to show Chuuya scrambling toward the fallen boy, his hands shaking as he dropped to his knees beside him.

Ryuu wasn’t moving.

Blood pooled beneath him.

His breathing was ragged, shallow.

“Stay with me,” Chuuya muttered, his voice strained. His hands hovered over Ryuu’s wounds, desperate to stop the bleeding.

But there was so much blood.

Too much.

“*Someone get a medic!*” Chuuya bellowed.

Nobody responded.

The screen froze.

The ADA sat in stunned silence.

It was Dazai who finally broke it.

“…That bomb,” he murmured.

His voice was disturbingly soft.

“I set that bomb.”

The statement sent a shiver through the room.

The others turned to him, but Dazai wasn’t looking at them. His gaze was still locked on the frozen screen, his mind racing.

“That was meant to prove Chuuya wasn’t involved in my defection,” he continued, his voice hollow. “I made sure it would trigger only if he entered the garage. It was supposed to go off *immediately*, to make it clear he had no knowledge of my escape.”

His hands curled into fists.

“But it didn’t.”

Nobody moved.

Dazai inhaled sharply.

“I *never* knew about this.” His voice wavered slightly. “Nobody *told* me.”

Kunikida looked at him, expression unreadable.

“Even after you joined the ADA?” he asked quietly.

Dazai shook his head.

“If I had known…” He trailed off.

No one asked him to finish that sentence.

The footage spoke for itself.

Ryuu had been caught in the explosion that *Dazai himself* had set up.

And Chuuya—

Chuuya had been *screaming* for him.

Begging for him to *stay alive*.

All while Dazai had continued on, completely unaware.

The ADA wasn’t sure what to say.

They had already seen how much Chuuya hated Dazai now, but *this*—

This was something else.

This wasn’t just anger.

This was *betrayal*.

Dazai, for once, had no words.

And for the first time in a very long time—

He felt something unfamiliar settle in his chest.

Something close to *regret*.

Chapter Text

Revelations and Alliances

After Dazai's departure, the ADA office remained suspended in an uncomfortable silence. The revelations from the recordings had shaken their worldview, forcing them to confront the complex reality behind their simplistic understanding of the Port Mafia.

Ranpo was the first to break the silence, unwrapping another candy with deliberate care. "Well," he said, "that explains a lot about our resident suicide maniac."

"How can you be so casual about this?" Kunikida demanded, adjusting his glasses with agitated movements. "We just discovered that our colleague was essentially running a criminal family. The Port Mafia's most dangerous executives weren't just his subordinates - they were his kids!"

"Were they though?" Yosano interjected, her medical training lending a clinical edge to her analysis. "Or was it more complicated than that? Dazai was barely older than the twins when he became an executive. He was a child himself, really."

Atsushi sat quietly, processing everything they'd seen. The relationship between Dazai and Akutagawa that he'd witnessed since joining the ADA took on new meaning. "All this time," he said softly, "I thought Akutagawa-san's hatred was about Dazai-san choosing me as his student. But it wasn't just about that, was it? Dazai-san didn't just abandon him - he nearly killed him."

"Unintentionally," Kenji pointed out, his usual cheerfulness subdued. "The bomb was meant to protect Nakahara-san."

"Does that make it better?" Kunikida challenged. "He still planted a bomb. He still left those kids behind. And now we're supposed to just accept that one of the Port Mafia's most notorious executives has been working alongside us this whole time?"

Ranpo popped another candy in his mouth, considering. "You're looking at it wrong, Kunikida. We didn't just learn that Dazai was more dangerous than we thought - we learned that the Port Mafia is more human than we believed possible."

"What do you mean?" Atsushi asked.

"Think about it," Ranpo continued. "We've always seen them as monsters. Chuuya Nakahara, the gravity manipulator who can level cities. Ryuunosuke Akutagawa, the merciless assassin. Gin Akutagawa, the silent killer. But these recordings show something else entirely."

"They show a family," Yosano finished, understanding dawning in her eyes. "A dysfunctional, dangerous family, but a family nonetheless. Chuuya looking after the twins, Dazai trying to protect them in his own twisted way, even Mori watching over them all."

"Which makes them more dangerous, not less," Kunikida insisted. "They're not just following orders - they're protecting their own. That kind of loyalty is far more dangerous than simple obedience."

"But it also means they're not as unreachable as we thought," Kenji suggested. "If they can care that deeply about each other, maybe there's hope for cooperation rather than constant conflict."

Before anyone could respond to this optimistic assessment, the office door opened to reveal President Fukuzawa. His expression was grave as he surveyed his subordinates.

"I see you've been doing some unauthorized research," he said, eyeing the paused video screen. "While I understand your curiosity, there are more pressing matters at hand."

"Sir?" Kunikida straightened instinctively.

"I've just finished speaking with Mori Ougai," Fukuzawa continued, causing several sharp intakes of breath. "The situation is more complicated than any of you realize. We're facing a threat that requires cooperation between our organizations."

"Cooperation? With the Port Mafia?" Kunikida's disbelief was evident. "After everything we've just learned about them?"

"What you've learned," Fukuzawa said firmly, "should make it clear why this cooperation is possible. The Port Mafia may be our enemies, but they're not mindless killers. They're capable of loyalty, of care, of putting aside differences when necessary."

He moved to the center of the room, commanding their full attention. "An organization has emerged that threatens both our interests. They've been targeting both ADA and Port Mafia operations, and their ultimate goal appears to be the destruction of both organizations."

"Is that why Akutagawa-san and Nakahara-san were so badly injured?" Atsushi asked. "Were they attacked by this group?"

"Yes," Fukuzawa confirmed. "Their mission was to gather intelligence on this organization, but they were ambushed. The fact that they sought help from us, through Dazai, speaks to the severity of the situation."

"And now we're supposed to work with them?" Kunikida's skepticism remained evident.

"Not just work with them," Fukuzawa replied. "We need to form a temporary alliance. Mori and I have agreed that the threat is too significant to face separately."

The implications of this announcement settled over the room. The idea of working alongside the Port Mafia - not just Dazai, but the very executives they'd just watched in those personal recordings - was staggering.

"How is this going to work?" Yosano asked practically. "The level of trust required for genuine cooperation..."

"Will be built on necessity and mutual interest," Fukuzawa finished. "And perhaps on the connections we already have, whether we knew about them or not."

"You mean Dazai," Ranpo stated rather than asked. "He's the bridge between our organizations."

"Yes," Fukuzawa acknowledged. "His history with both organizations, complicated as it may be, provides a foundation for cooperation. The personal relationships you've witnessed in those recordings, while painful and complex, may be exactly what we need to make this alliance work."

"But can we trust them?" Kunikida persisted. "The Port Mafia has never hesitated to sacrifice pawns for their objectives."

"What we've just seen suggests otherwise," Ranpo countered. "They protect their own, sometimes at great cost. If we're working together against a common enemy, that protection might extend to us as well."

"Besides," Yosano added, "we have something they want right now - their injured executives are in our care. That creates a certain leverage."

"No," Fukuzawa said firmly. "We will not use injured allies as bargaining chips. That's not how the ADA operates." He paused, making eye contact with each member of his team. "This alliance must be built on mutual respect and genuine cooperation, or it won't work at all."

"Sir," Atsushi spoke up hesitantly, "what exactly are we facing? What could be so dangerous that both the ADA and Port Mafia need to work together?"

Fukuzawa's expression darkened. "An organization that has somehow gained access to both our secrets. They know our operations, our abilities, our weaknesses. They nearly killed two of the Port Mafia's strongest executives, and they've made attempts against us as well."

"The bombing at the harbor last month," Ranpo realized. "That wasn't a random attack."

"No," Fukuzawa confirmed. "They're testing us, probing our defenses, looking for vulnerabilities. And they're getting bolder."

The room fell silent as they processed this information. The personal revelations about Dazai and the Port Mafia suddenly seemed less important in the face of this larger threat.

"What are your orders, sir?" Kunikida asked finally, his sense of duty overriding his personal reservations.

"For now, continue your normal duties. But prepare yourselves for close cooperation with Port Mafia members. Once Nakahara-san and the Akutagawa siblings are recovered enough, we'll begin joint operations."

"And Dazai?" Yosano asked. "Should we tell him we know about his past?"

Fukuzawa considered this for a moment. "He already knows you've seen the recordings. How you handle that knowledge is up to you. But remember - we need him focused on the present threat, not distracted by past regrets."

As their president left the office, the ADA members exchanged glances. They had started the day wanting to understand their colleague better, but they'd ended up uncovering a web of relationships and loyalties that defied simple explanation. Now they faced the prospect of working alongside the very people whose personal struggles they'd just witnessed.

"Well," Ranpo said, breaking the tension once again, "at least our meetings won't be boring anymore."

The weak attempt at humor drew a few chuckles, but the gravity of their situation remained. They had glimpsed the humanity behind their enemies' facades, and now they would have to find a way to work with those same people to face a common threat.

The sun continued its journey across the sky, casting long shadows through the office windows. Somewhere in the building, Dazai sat with his former family members, perhaps beginning the long process of reconciliation. And beyond the city's boundaries, an unknown enemy waited, watching both organizations and planning their next move.

The line between ally and enemy had never been so blurred, and the stakes had never been higher.

Chapter Text

Unexpected Discoveries

The tension in the ADA conference room was palpable as members from both organizations gathered around a large table strewn with intelligence reports and surveillance photos. The alliance was still new, still uncomfortable, with both sides carefully measuring their words and actions.

"Elimination is the cleanest solution," Gin argued, her voice calm but firm. "These people targeted us specifically, trying to destabilize both organizations. In the Port Mafia, such actions have only one response."

"We're not assassins," Kunikida countered, adjusting his glasses with barely contained frustration. "There are legal ways to handle this."

"Legal ways?" Ryuunosuke scoffed. "They're using ability users to target memories. What court would even handle that?"

The debate had been circling like this for hours. The Port Mafia's practical brutality clashing with the ADA's moral standards, neither side willing to fully concede to the other's methods.

"Perhaps we should focus first on locating them," Ranpo suggested, popping another candy in his mouth. "We can argue about what to do with them after we actually find them."

A junior Port Mafia member burst into the room, slightly out of breath. "We've got a lead. One of our informants spotted the target at the new French restaurant in the business district."

The room immediately shifted into action mode, previous arguments temporarily forgotten. Within minutes, they had established a surveillance position in a building across from the restaurant, complete with high-powered binoculars and monitoring equipment.

"I have visual on the target," Atsushi reported, adjusting his binoculars. "He's at a window table and..." He trailed off, something in his tone making everyone tense.

"What is it?" Dazai asked, moving to take a look himself. The moment he focused on the restaurant window, he went completely still.

Chuuya sat at an elegantly set table, dressed impeccably in a tailored black suit that Dazai recognized as one he'd helped pick out years ago. But it wasn't Chuuya's presence that had caused the reaction - it was who he was with. A tall, handsome man with silver-streaked dark hair was leaning across the table, saying something that made Chuuya laugh.

As they watched, the man reached across to brush a strand of hair from Chuuya's face, the gesture intimate and familiar in a way that made Dazai's chest tighten painfully.

"Ryuunosuke," Dazai said, his voice dangerously calm. "Who is that?"

The twins exchanged uncomfortable glances before Ryuunosuke sighed. "That's Kazuki Makoto. He's a legitimate businessman who sometimes works with the Port Mafia. He's been trying to court Chuuya-san for months, but Chuuya-san always declined."

"Until now," Gin added quietly. "With his memories of you gone..."

"He had no reason to say no anymore," Dazai finished, his voice flat. Through the binoculars, he watched as Kazuki ordered wine, clearly familiar with Chuuya's preferences.

"Kazuki-san has been very persistent," Ryuunosuke continued reluctantly. "He's wealthy, cultured, appreciates fine wine... everything Chuuya-san enjoys. But Chuuya-san never showed any interest before because..."

"Because of me," Dazai said softly. "Because despite everything, he was still waiting."

The ADA members shifted uncomfortably, the personal drama unfolding before them at odds with their professional mission. Through the binoculars, they could see Kazuki presenting Chuuya with what appeared to be an expensive bottle of wine, clearly chosen with careful consideration.

"We should focus on the mission," Kunikida suggested, trying to redirect attention to their actual target. "The suspect could show up any minute."

But Dazai couldn't look away from the scene in the restaurant. Chuuya looked relaxed, more at ease than he'd been since waking up without his memories. Kazuki was clearly charming him, each gesture and smile carefully calculated to appeal to Chuuya's sophisticated tastes.

"How long?" Dazai asked suddenly. "How long has this Kazuki been trying to get close to Chuuya?"

"About a year," Gin answered. "He started showing interest shortly after that incident with the Russian ability users. When Chuuya-san was injured and you... weren't there."

The implication hung heavy in the air. Kazuki had made his move when Dazai's absence had been felt most keenly, when the wound of his betrayal had been freshest.

"He's smart," Ranpo observed, studying the scene through his own binoculars. "Cultured, wealthy, no direct Port Mafia ties but enough connection to understand the life. He's everything you're not, Dazai."

"Thank you for that analysis, Ranpo-san," Dazai replied dryly, but his knuckles were white where he gripped the binoculars.

Through the lens, they watched as Kazuki's hand covered Chuuya's on the table, the gesture somehow both tentative and possessive. Chuuya didn't pull away.

"Target spotted," Atsushi suddenly announced, drawing attention to a figure entering the restaurant. "Should we move in?"

"No," Dazai said immediately. "We can't risk a confrontation with civilians present. Especially not with Chuuya there - he doesn't know about the memory ability user. He'd just see us attacking someone during his lunch date."

The words seemed to physically pain him to say, but his tactical assessment was sound. They watched helplessly as their target took a seat at the bar, perfectly positioned to observe Chuuya's table.

"This isn't a coincidence," Ranpo mused. "They're watching Chuuya-kun. Probably monitoring the effectiveness of whatever they did to his memories."

"Or making sure he doesn't start remembering," Gin suggested. "Chuuya-san is one of our strongest executives. Having him compromised like this weakens both organizations."

"And dating Kazuki would only further separate him from his old life," Ryuunosuke added. "From you."

Dazai finally lowered the binoculars, his expression unreadable. "We need to know more about this Kazuki. When he started showing interest, who he's connected to, everything."

"You think he's involved?" Kunikida asked, surprised.

"I think it's too convenient," Dazai replied. "A wealthy, cultured man who's been trying to get close to Chuuya for months, who just happens to make his move right when Chuuya loses all memory of me? When our enemy is watching their date? No, something's not right."

The twins exchanged worried glances. "Kazuki-san has been vetted by the Port Mafia," Gin pointed out. "His background is clean."

"Too clean, maybe," Dazai mused. "Ryuu, I need you to get me everything you have on him. Every interaction with the Port Mafia, every business deal, every time he's been near Chuuya. Something doesn't add up."

"And what if you're wrong?" Atsushi asked quietly. "What if he's just a man who's interested in Chuuya-san, and this is just bad timing?"

Dazai's smile was sharp enough to cut. "Then I'll deal with that too. But right now, someone is targeting my partner, and I want to know why."

"He's not your partner anymore," Kunikida reminded him gently. "Not as far as he remembers."

"No," Dazai agreed, watching as Kazuki helped Chuuya into his coat, their target at the bar paying their bill shortly after. "But that doesn't mean I'll let anyone hurt him."

As they watched the various players leave the restaurant, each heading in different directions, the complexity of their situation became clear. They weren't just dealing with enemy ability users anymore - they were facing something more intricate, more personal.

And somewhere in the middle of it all was Chuuya, who had no idea he was at the center of a web that stretched far beyond a simple lunch date.

"We'll find out what's really going on," Ryuunosuke promised, seeing the carefully controlled pain in his former mentor's eyes. "And we'll get Chuuya-san's memories back."

Dazai nodded, but his eyes remained fixed on the now-empty restaurant window. The game had changed, and the stakes were higher than ever. Someone was manipulating his family, using Chuuya's missing memories to their advantage.

They would regret making it personal.

Chapter Text

Complicated Truths

The evening air was crisp as Chuuya emerged from the restaurant, adjusting his hat with a slight smile still lingering on his lips. He'd barely taken three steps when he spotted a familiar pair of dark-haired siblings trying (and failing) to look casual near a street vendor.

"What are you two doing here?" he asked, his tone caught between amusement and suspicion. His eyes narrowed as he noticed the group behind them - members of that detective agency he kept running into lately.

Gin and Ryuunosuke exchanged quick glances, a silent conversation passing between them. "We were just passing through," Gin offered, her voice carefully neutral.

"All of you?" Chuuya's gaze swept over the ADA members - the weretiger, the glasses guy, and that annoying detective with the candy addiction. "That's quite a coincidence."

"The business district is neutral territory," Kunikida stated, adjusting his glasses. "We have as much right to be here as anyone."

Something in their collective demeanor made Chuuya's executive instincts tingle. "You're hiding something," he declared, looking directly at his kids. "And you're working with them somehow, aren't you?"

"It's... complicated," Ryuunosuke admitted, shifting uncomfortably.

"Complicated?" Chuuya's voice took on a dangerous edge. "Since when do Port Mafia executives find anything complicated about dealing with the ADA? We have protocols for this."

"Things change," Ranpo commented, unwrapping another candy. "Sometimes necessity creates strange bedfellows."

Chuuya's eyes narrowed further. "What necessity?"

"There are matters that require... cooperation," Gin tried, choosing her words carefully. "Temporary arrangements that benefit both sides."

"Both sides?" Chuuya's laugh was sharp. "Since when do we trust them enough for that? And why wasn't I informed?"

The twins shared another look, this one tinged with guilt. They'd known this conversation would come eventually, but they'd hoped to have more time - and preferably their father's memories intact - before having to explain the alliance.

"You seemed to be enjoying your lunch," Ryuunosuke said, attempting to change the subject. "Kazuki-san appeared quite attentive."

The shift in topic caught Chuuya off guard, his suspicion momentarily derailed by confusion at their interest in his personal life. "He's... yes, lunch was pleasant. Why?"

"Are you planning to see him again?" Gin asked, trying to keep her tone casual but unable to completely hide her concern.

"Probably," Chuuya answered slowly, studying their reactions. "He's interesting company. But why do you two look so worried? I'm not going to start neglecting my responsibilities or you kids just because I had lunch with someone."

"We know that," Ryuunosuke assured him quickly. "You've always put us first. It's just..."

"Just what?"

The twins fell silent, the weight of everything they couldn't say pressing down on them. How could they explain that watching their father start dating someone new felt like a betrayal of the complicated, messy, but real love they'd watched him maintain for years? How could they tell him that the man he'd sworn off dating for - the man he'd loved enough to raise his children with - was the same one whose very existence had been erased from his mind?

Atsushi watched the family drama unfold with growing discomfort. He'd known intellectually about Dazai and Chuuya's past, but seeing the reality of it - seeing how it affected not just them but the children they'd raised together - made everything more complicated.

"We just want you to be happy," Gin finally said, her voice soft. "But we also don't want you to get hurt."

Chuuya's expression softened as he misinterpreted their concern. "Hey," he said gently, pulling both twins into a quick hug. "No one's going to replace you two, okay? You're my kids. That doesn't change no matter who I might or might not date."

The sincere declaration only made the twins feel worse. They knew their father's heart belonged to someone else - someone he couldn't even remember right now.

"Besides," Chuuya continued, ruffling Ryuunosuke's hair despite his protests, "it was just lunch. I'm not planning to run off and get married or anything."

Kunikida cleared his throat awkwardly. "We should probably go," he suggested, seeing how difficult this was becoming for everyone involved.

"Yes, you should," Chuuya agreed, his suspicion returning. "And I expect an explanation about why you're working with my kids soon."

"Of course," Atsushi agreed quickly, already backing away. "We'll just... go now."

As they retreated, leaving the small family to their discussion, Ranpo popped another candy in his mouth thoughtfully. "This is messier than we anticipated."

"How so?" Kunikida asked, though he had a feeling he knew.

"Chuuya-kun isn't doing anything wrong," Ranpo explained. "He has no memory of Dazai, no context for why dating someone else might be complicated. He's just a single parent having lunch with someone who interests him. But..."

"But it feels wrong anyway," Atsushi finished quietly. "Because we know what was stolen from him. From both of them."

Meanwhile, several blocks away, in an abandoned warehouse, Dazai's fist connected with another wall. The pain was grounding, familiar in a way that helped him focus through the storm of emotions threatening to overwhelm his carefully maintained control.

The image of Kazuki touching Chuuya's face played on repeat in his mind. Such a simple gesture, but it represented everything that had been taken from them. Every memory, every shared moment, every hard-won bit of trust - all gone in an instant, leaving space for someone else to step in.

Someone who, on paper, was probably better for Chuuya anyway. Someone who wouldn't push his buttons just to see him explode, wouldn't disappear for weeks on missions, wouldn't carry the weight of their complicated history into every interaction.

"Damn it," Dazai muttered, letting his forehead rest against the cool concrete. His knuckles were bleeding, but he barely noticed the pain.

He thought of the twins, how careful they'd been lately when mentioning Chuuya around him. They must have known about Kazuki's interest, must have been watching their father resist it for months out of loyalty to a relationship he wouldn't even admit existed.

And now that loyalty was gone, erased along with every other trace of Dazai in Chuuya's mind.

The worst part was that he couldn't even be angry at Chuuya. This wasn't betrayal - you can't betray someone you don't remember existing. This was just... life moving on without him, filling the void left by his forced absence with something new.

Something that might actually be good for Chuuya, if it weren't for the suspicious timing and the watching eyes in the restaurant.

Dazai straightened up, forcing his emotions back under control. He couldn't afford to be distracted by personal feelings right now. Someone was targeting Chuuya, using his missing memories as an opportunity to get close to him. Whether Kazuki was directly involved or just an unwitting pawn didn't matter - what mattered was protecting Chuuya while they figured out the truth.

Even if protecting him meant watching him build a new life with someone else.

Back in the business district, Chuuya was still trying to get straight answers from his children about their cooperation with the ADA.

"We can't tell you everything right now," Gin was saying, her usual composure strained. "But please trust that we're doing what's necessary."

"Necessary for what?" Chuuya demanded. "What could possibly make working with them necessary?"

"Sometimes the enemy of our enemy becomes our friend," Ryuunosuke offered cryptically.

"That's not an answer," Chuuya pointed out. "And since when do you two speak in riddles?"

The twins shared another loaded glance. "Since things got complicated," Gin finally said.

"Everything's complicated lately," Chuuya muttered, thinking of his persistent headaches and the strange gaps in his memory that no one seemed willing to explain. "Fine. Keep your secrets for now. But this conversation isn't over."

"We know," Ryuunosuke agreed softly. "And someday we'll explain everything."

"Someday soon," Gin added, though she couldn't meet his eyes as she said it.

Chuuya studied his children, noting their unusual tension and obvious discomfort. Whatever was going on, it was clearly weighing on them heavily. As much as he wanted answers, pushing them when they were already this distressed felt wrong.

"Alright," he sighed, pulling them both close again. "I trust you both. If you say this cooperation is necessary, I'll... try to accept that. For now."

The twins relaxed slightly at his words, though guilt still shadowed their expressions. They knew their father's trust was precious, and using it to hide such important truths from him felt wrong. But until they could restore his memories safely, they had no choice.

"Was lunch really good?" Gin asked after a moment, genuine curiosity mixing with her concern.

Chuuya smiled slightly. "It was nice. Kazuki is... different from what I expected. More interesting."

"Different how?" Ryuunosuke couldn't help asking.

"I don't know exactly," Chuuya admitted. "He's cultured, obviously wealthy, but there's something else. Something familiar about him that I can't quite place."

The twins exchanged worried glances. Was their father unconsciously responding to qualities that reminded him of Dazai? The thought that Kazuki might be unknowingly benefiting from ghost memories of their other father was uncomfortably complex.

"Just... be careful?" Gin requested softly.

Chuuya laughed. "Shouldn't I be the one saying that to you two? When did my kids get so protective of my love life?"

The phrase 'love life' made both twins wince internally, though they managed to keep their expressions neutral. The idea of their father building a new love life while his real one had been forcibly erased was almost too painful to contemplate.

"We just want you to be happy," Ryuunosuke repeated Gin's earlier words.

"I am happy," Chuuya assured them, though something flickered in his eyes - a shadow of uncertainty, like he wasn't quite sure why that statement felt incomplete. "I have my work, I have you two... anything else is just extra."

The twins nodded, unable to tell him that he had so much more - or used to, before it was stolen from him. They couldn't tell him about the family they'd really been, about the complex but unshakeable bond that had shaped all their lives.

They couldn't tell him that somewhere in the city, the other half of that bond was dealing with his own pain, fighting to protect him even now, even like this.

They couldn't tell him any of it. Not yet.

So instead, they walked home with their father, listening to him talk about his lunch date while pretending their hearts weren't breaking for the love story he couldn't remember living.

And somewhere in the shadows, watching eyes followed their movement, reporting back to those who had orchestrated this whole situation. The game was still in play, and every piece was moving exactly as planned.

For now.

Chapter Text

Breaking Points

The conference room was unusually tense as both organizations waited for their final member to arrive. Dazai sat near the window, apparently absorbed in a file but fooling no one - his attention kept drifting to the empty seat across the table.

"This isn't like Chuuya-san," Gin murmured, checking her phone again. "He's never late for official meetings."

As if summoned by her words, the window suddenly burst open, and Chuuya gracefully flipped through it, landing with his usual perfect balance despite his disheveled appearance. His hair was mussed, coat slightly askew, and his usual impeccable appearance was notably rushed.

"Sorry I'm late," he said, straightening his hat. "Had some... personal matters to handle this morning."

The words might have passed without notice if not for the telling marks visible along his neck - a trail of purpling bruises that disappeared beneath his collar, clearly visible due to his hastily arranged clothing. The ADA members collectively winced, their eyes darting to Dazai, whose grip on his file had turned white-knuckled.

"Personal matters?" Ryuunosuke's voice was carefully neutral, but his eyes were fixed on the hickeys. "Is that why you didn't come home last night?"

Chuuya froze in the act of taking his seat, a flush creeping up his neck. "That's... not relevant to this meeting."

"The date with Kazuki-san went well then?" Gin pressed, her concern evident. "Well enough to stay out all night?"

"I'm the parent here," Chuuya reminded them sharply, though his blush deepened. "My personal life isn't up for discussion, especially not in a professional setting."

"You're right," Dazai's voice cut through the tension, deceptively light. "Let's discuss professional matters. Like how an executive of the Port Mafia is making himself vulnerable by sleeping with someone he barely knows."

The temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees. Chuuya turned slowly to face Dazai, his eyes narrowing dangerously.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me," Dazai continued, his casual tone at odds with the intensity in his eyes. "It's reckless. You don't know anything about this man's true motives."

"My personal life is none of your business," Chuuya snapped. "You're not my keeper, and you're certainly not in any position to judge my choices."

"No?" Dazai's smile was sharp enough to cut. "Someone has to, since you seem determined to throw yourself at the first cultured man who shows interest."

The room collectively held its breath. The twins exchanged alarmed looks while the ADA members tried to decide if they should intervene or take cover.

"Throw myself?" Chuuya's voice was deadly quiet. "Who the hell do you think you are?"

"Someone who apparently has more concern for your safety than you do," Dazai shot back. "Or did you forget you're an executive? That people might target you through your... personal relationships?"

"I can take care of myself," Chuuya growled. "And Kazuki isn't-"

"Isn't what?" Dazai interrupted. "Isn't using you? Isn't taking advantage of your current... situation? Are you sure about that, Chuuya?"

Something in his tone made Chuuya pause, suspicion flickering across his features. "What do you mean, my 'current situation'? What do you know that I don't?"

The tension in the room ratcheted up another notch. The twins were making frantic 'stop talking' gestures at Dazai, who ignored them completely.

"Maybe I know that rushing into bed with someone when you can't even remember your own past isn't the smartest move," Dazai said coldly.

"That's enough," Kunikida started to intervene, but Dazai was already on his feet, moving around the table with purposeful strides.

"We need to talk," he declared, grabbing Chuuya's arm. "Privately."

"Like hell we do!" Chuuya tried to pull away, but Dazai's grip was surprisingly strong. "Let go of me, you bastard!"

Instead of releasing him, Dazai simply started dragging him toward the door. "Everyone stay here," he ordered over his shoulder. "This won't take long."

"Dazai-san," Atsushi called worriedly, "maybe we should-"

The door slammed behind them, cutting off whatever suggestion he was about to make. The sound of arguing voices faded down the hallway, leaving the room in stunned silence.

"Should... should we stop them?" Atsushi finally asked.

"No," the twins answered in unison, their voices tired.

"But they might kill each other," Kunikida pointed out reasonably.

Gin shook her head. "They won't. This has been building for days. They need to... work it out."

"Or destroy each other trying," Ryuunosuke added quietly.

Meanwhile, Dazai had dragged a struggling Chuuya into an empty office, finally releasing him with enough force to send him stumbling back against the wall.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Chuuya demanded, straightening his coat indignantly. "You have no right-"

"No right?" Dazai's laugh was harsh. "You want to talk about rights? What about your right to know what's really going on? Your right to make informed choices about who you let into your bed?"

"My choices are none of your business!" Chuuya shot back. "I don't even know you!"

The words hit Dazai like a physical blow, but his expression only hardened. "No, you don't. Because someone took that from you. They took everything from you, and now they're using that void to manipulate you."

"What are you talking about?" Confusion warred with anger in Chuuya's voice. "Nobody took anything from me. I just... I just can't remember some things clearly right now."

"Can't remember?" Dazai stepped closer, his voice dropping dangerously. "Can't remember what, Chuuya? The past few years? The important parts of your life? The people who matter most?"

Something flickered in Chuuya's eyes - uncertainty, maybe fear. "That's... that's just stress. The doctors said-"

"The doctors lied," Dazai cut him off. "Or they don't know the truth. Your memories weren't lost, Chuuya. They were taken. Stolen by someone who wanted to hurt you - to hurt us."

"Us?" Chuuya's laugh was bitter. "There is no 'us'. I don't even like you!"

"No?" Dazai moved closer still, backing Chuuya against the wall. "Then why does your body remember me even when your mind can't?"

"What are you-"

"Your reaction time changes when I'm near," Dazai continued relentlessly. "You adjust your stance to account for my presence without thinking. Your ability responds differently to me than anyone else. Your body knows me, Chuuya, even if your mind doesn't."

Chuuya's breath hitched, his eyes wide as he processed this. "That's... that's impossible."

"Is it?" Dazai's voice softened slightly. "Haven't you felt it? The gaps in your memory that don't make sense? The reactions you can't explain? The way certain things feel familiar even though you're sure you've never experienced them before?"

Chuuya's hand drifted unconsciously to his neck, to the marks left by another man's attention. "I... I don't..."

"You trusted him so easily," Dazai continued, something raw and painful in his voice now. "Let him touch you, mark you... was it because something in you recognized the pattern? Because your body remembered what it feels like to be touched by someone who knows you completely?"

"Stop it," Chuuya whispered, but there was uncertainty in his voice now. "Just stop."

"I can't," Dazai admitted. "Because watching you with him, seeing those marks on your skin... it's killing me, Chuuya. And you don't even know why."

The pain in his voice seemed to reach something in Chuuya, some deeply buried recognition that made his breath catch. "Who... who are you? Really?"

Dazai's laugh was soft and broken. "I'm the person you loved enough to raise children with. The person you waited for, even when I didn't deserve it. The person they tried to erase from your mind because they knew how much it would hurt us both."

Chuuya's eyes widened, his hand flying to his head as pain lanced through it. "That's... that's not possible. The twins... they're mine..."

"They're ours," Dazai corrected gently. "We raised them together, even after everything else fell apart. Even after I left the mafia, even after we stopped being partners... we were still their parents."

"No," Chuuya shook his head, but the pain was getting worse. "No, I would remember something like that. I would remember..."

He broke off with a gasp as images started flashing through his mind - fragments of memories trying to break through whatever barrier had been placed around them. Dazai caught him as his knees buckled, holding him steady as the pain increased.

"Easy," Dazai murmured, his earlier anger forgotten in the face of Chuuya's distress. "Don't force it. The memories are there, but trying to access them too quickly could hurt you."

"Why?" Chuuya managed through gritted teeth. "Why would someone do this?"

"To weaken us both," Dazai answered softly. "To make you vulnerable to manipulation, to make me watch you build a new life without me in it. They knew exactly what they were doing."

The pain gradually subsided, leaving Chuuya slumped against Dazai's chest, breathing heavily. Neither of them moved to separate, the position feeling achingly familiar despite Chuuya's inability to remember why.

"The kids," Chuuya finally said. "They know about this? About... us?"

"Yes," Dazai confirmed. "They've been trying to protect you while we figure out how to safely restore your memories. It's been... hard on them, watching you not remember."

Chuuya closed his eyes, guilt washing over him. "That's why they were so worried about Kazuki. Why they kept looking at me like... like they were afraid of hurting me."

"They know how much we loved each other," Dazai said quietly. "Even when we pretended we didn't. They didn't want to watch you build something new with someone else while your real memories were locked away."

"And you?" Chuuya asked, finally pulling back enough to look at him. "Is that why you've been such an ass? Because I'm sleeping with someone else while not remembering... us?"

"I've been an ass because watching the person I love be manipulated by our enemies is torture," Dazai corrected. "The fact that it involved watching you fall into bed with someone else just made it worse."

Chuuya absorbed this, his hand unconsciously rising to touch the marks on his neck. "I... I need time to process this."

"I know," Dazai sighed, finally stepping back to give him space. "But please... be careful with Kazuki. Even if he's not directly involved, someone is using your memory loss to their advantage. Don't make yourself an easy target."

Chuuya nodded slowly, his world thoroughly shaken. "We should... probably get back to the meeting."

"Probably," Dazai agreed, though neither of them moved toward the door.

They stood there for a moment, the weight of everything said and unsaid hanging between them. Finally, Chuuya spoke again, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Did I... did I really love you that much? Enough to wait all this time?"

Dazai's smile was sad and gentle. "You'll remember soon enough. And then you can decide if you still do."

They returned to the conference room in silence, both aware that everything had changed - again - and neither quite sure what would happen next.

The game had just become considerably more complicated.

Chapter Text

Echoes of Memory

The meeting concluded with an uneasy tension hanging in the air. As everyone gathered their things to leave, Dazai caught Chuuya's arm once again, this time with a gentler but no less insistent grip.

"I need to confirm something," he said quietly, his eyes intense. Before Chuuya could protest, Dazai had guided him into an empty corridor.

"What are you-" Chuuya's words were cut off as Dazai pressed him against the wall, one hand cupping his face with surprising tenderness before claiming his lips in a fierce kiss.

For a moment, Chuuya froze, his mind reeling at the suddenness of it. But then something deeper than memory took over - muscle memory, body memory, something his mind might have forgotten but his very cells remembered. His hands moved of their own accord, gripping Dazai's coat to pull him closer instead of pushing him away.

Neither noticed the dark marks beginning to appear on Chuuya's skin, the telltale signs of Corruption manifesting unconsciously in response to intense emotion. The building began to tremble slightly, small objects rattling on shelves as Chuuya's power leaked out, completely beyond his awareness or control.

The kiss deepened, desperate and searching, both of them chasing echoes of memories - Dazai trying to remind, Chuuya trying to remember. The earthquake grew stronger, books tumbling from shelves, pictures tilting on walls.

In the conference room, the others felt the tremors growing.

"Is that-" Atsushi started, looking alarmed.

"Corruption," the twins confirmed simultaneously, already moving toward the door.

"They must be fighting," Kunikida said, adjusting his glasses as he hurried after them. "We need to stop them before they bring down the building."

They rushed down the corridor, following the epicenter of the tremors. Turning the corner, they all came to an abrupt halt, eyes widening at the scene before them.

Far from fighting, Dazai and Chuuya were locked in an intense embrace, completely oblivious to both their audience and the chaos Chuuya's powers were causing around them. Dark marks swirled across Chuuya's visible skin, his gravity manipulation affecting everything in the vicinity except Dazai, who remained untouched by the power as always.

"Oh my god," Gin squeaked, quickly covering her eyes.

"Dad!" Ryuunosuke exclaimed, his usual composure completely shattered.

The sound of their children's voices broke through Chuuya's haze. His eyes snapped open, finally registering both the situation and their audience. He shoved Dazai away, his face flushing bright red as the Corruption marks quickly receded and the tremors ceased.

"I... we weren't..." Chuuya stammered, straightening his clothing with trembling hands.

"Really?" Ranpo drawled, popping a candy in his mouth. "Because it looked like-"

"Not another word," Chuuya growled, though the effect was somewhat undermined by his disheveled appearance and the fresh marks now visible on his neck - distinctly different from the ones that had been there earlier.

Dazai, for his part, looked entirely too pleased with himself. "Just testing a theory," he said casually, though his eyes held a possessive satisfaction as they lingered on the new marks he'd left. "Seems muscle memory is quite reliable."

"You..." Chuuya's hand flew to his neck as realization dawned, his flush deepening. "You did that on purpose!"

"I needed to be sure," Dazai shrugged, though his expression was serious now. "Your body remembers me, Chuuya. Your power remembers me. Even Corruption responds to me differently than anyone else. That has to mean something."

"It means you're both going to give us trauma," Ryuunosuke muttered, still looking mortified.

"More trauma," Gin corrected, peeking through her fingers. "So much trauma."

"Perhaps we should all... go home," Kunikida suggested diplomatically. "And process this... development... separately."

"Excellent idea," Chuuya agreed quickly, already backing away. "I need to... think. About things. Alone."

"Chuuya," Dazai called softly as he turned to leave. "You felt it too, didn't you? The familiarity?"

Chuuya paused, not turning around. "I felt something," he admitted quietly. "I just don't know what it means yet."

"It means there's hope," Dazai replied. "Hope that we can get your memories back. Hope that what we had isn't completely lost."

"What we had," Chuuya repeated thoughtfully, finally glancing back. "Was it worth remembering?"

Dazai's smile was gentle but sad. "It was worth everything. Even the pain. Even the waiting. Even this."

The twins watched this exchange with mixed emotions - hope that their fathers might find their way back to each other, worry about what would happen when Chuuya's memories finally returned, fear about who was behind all of this and what their ultimate goal might be.

"We should go home," Gin finally said, moving to her father's side. "It's been... an eventful day."

"That's one way to put it," Ryuunosuke agreed, joining them. "Though I could have done without the visual trauma."

"Oh god," Chuuya groaned, covering his face. "Can we please never mention this again?"

"Mention what?" Ranpo asked innocently. "The kiss, the earthquake, or the fact that your powers activated automatically in response to-"

"ALL OF IT," Chuuya interrupted hastily. "None of it ever happened."

"The evidence suggests otherwise," Dazai commented, gesturing to Chuuya's neck where his earlier marks had been thoroughly replaced.

Chuuya's hand flew to his neck again, mortification warring with something else in his expression - something closer to wonder, or perhaps recognition. "I... we really were... weren't we?"

"We were everything," Dazai confirmed softly. "Partners, rivals, enemies, friends... parents. We were impossible and inevitable and completely ourselves. And somewhere in there, we loved each other enough to make it work anyway."

The twins shared a look, remembering all the years of watching their fathers dance around each other, fight with each other, protect each other, raise them together despite everything. It had never been simple, but it had always been real.

"Come on, Dad," Gin said gently, taking Chuuya's arm. "Let's go home. You need time to process all this."

Chuuya nodded, allowing himself to be led away. At the end of the corridor, he paused one final time, looking back at Dazai. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"Would you have believed me?" Dazai asked simply. "Would you have trusted the word of a stranger about something so important?"

"No," Chuuya admitted. "But my body apparently trusts you anyway."

"It remembers what your mind forgot," Dazai replied. "The question is, will you trust that memory enough to let us help you recover the rest?"

Chuuya touched his neck again, fingers tracing the new marks thoughtfully. "I don't know yet. But... maybe."

It wasn't much, but it was a start. As they all went their separate ways, the implications of what had happened hung in the air. Chuuya's powers responding to Dazai even without his conscious memory, the intensity of their connection surviving even this separation - it all pointed to something deeper than simple memory loss.

And somewhere in the city, watching eyes noted this development with growing concern. The game was changing, the pieces moving in unexpected ways.

The real question was: who would make the next move?

Chapter Text

Back at the ADA office, everyone gathered around as those who witnessed the corridor incident tried to process what they'd seen. Kunikida was still adjusting his glasses compulsively, a habit he displayed when particularly stressed.

"So," Yosano began, looking at their shell-shocked expressions. "What exactly happened that has you all looking like you've seen a ghost?"

"Not a ghost," Ranpo supplied cheerfully. "Just Dazai and Chuuya-kun making out against a wall while Corruption activated without Chuuya-kun even noticing."

"They were WHAT?" Tanizaki nearly choked on his coffee.

"Making out is putting it mildly," Atsushi muttered, still looking somewhat traumatized. "It was... intense."

"Intense enough to trigger Corruption unconsciously," Kunikida added, his professional tone betrayed by the slight flush on his face. "Which, from a scientific standpoint, is actually quite remarkable. The level of control Chuuya-san usually maintains over his ability..."

"Was completely gone because he was too busy trying to climb Dazai-san like a tree," Ranpo finished helpfully, earning several scandalized looks.

Dazai, lounging in his chair with an insufferably satisfied smile, merely hummed in agreement. "The body remembers what the mind forgets," he mused, touching his lips thoughtfully. "And Chuuya's body definitely remembers me."

"Please stop," Atsushi pleaded weakly. "I'm still trying to unsee what I saw."

"Which was what, exactly?" Yosano pressed, professional curiosity evident in her tone.

"Well," Ranpo began, clearly enjoying himself, "first Dazai dragged Chuuya-kun into the corridor-"

"To confirm a theory," Dazai interjected innocently.

"Right," Ranpo rolled his eyes. "A 'theory' that required pressing him against a wall and kissing him senseless. Then Corruption started activating - you could see the marks appearing on his skin - and things started floating and shaking-"

"The gravitational disturbance was quite significant," Kunikida noted, having apparently decided to focus on the scientific aspects to maintain his composure. "Books, furniture, even the building itself was affected. Except for Dazai-san, of course."

"Of course," Yosano echoed, raising an eyebrow. "And Chuuya-san didn't notice his ability activating?"

"He was a bit... distracted," Atsushi managed, his face red. "And, um, enthusiastically participating."

"Very enthusiastically," Ranpo agreed with a grin. "For someone who claimed not to know Dazai, he certainly wasn't opposed to-"

"The point is," Kunikida interrupted hastily, "the incident demonstrates both the depth of their connection and the superficial nature of the memory loss. His conscious mind may not remember Dazai-san, but his subconscious clearly does."

"Along with other parts of him," Ranpo added under his breath.

Dazai's smile widened. "He always was responsive to my touch," he mused, earning several groans from his colleagues. "But this was different. This was pure instinct, pure muscle memory. He didn't have time to think about it, to question it. His body just... knew me."

"And apparently wanted to get reacquainted right there in the hallway," Ranpo quipped.

"Can we please focus on the significant aspects?" Kunikida pleaded. "The activation of Corruption without conscious control is unprecedented. It suggests the memory loss might be affecting different parts of his brain differently."

"Or that some connections run too deep to be completely erased," Yosano suggested thoughtfully. "The ability to maintain control over Corruption was something Chuuya-san learned over years of practice. The fact that he lost that control in response to Dazai-san suggests their connection might be literally hardwired into his nervous system at this point."

"The twins mentioned something similar happened years ago," Dazai added, his expression growing more serious. "When I was injured on a mission. Chuuya was across the city but somehow knew something was wrong. His powers started acting up without his control then too."

"A psychic link?" Tanizaki suggested.

"More like muscle memory on a cellular level," Yosano corrected. "Years of fighting together, trusting each other with their lives, raising children together... that kind of connection leaves traces deeper than conscious memory."

"Speaking of traces," Ranpo grinned, "you certainly left plenty of those on his neck, Dazai-san. Quite thoroughly replaced the previous ones."

Dazai's satisfied smirk returned. "Well, I couldn't very well leave another man's marks on him, could I?"

"You realize he's going to be furious when he processes what happened," Kunikida pointed out.

"Probably," Dazai agreed cheerfully. "But he'll be furious while knowing his body remembers me, wants me, responds to me even without his conscious memory. That's worth whatever explosion follows."

"You're playing a dangerous game," Yosano warned. "If he feels manipulated..."

"I didn't manipulate anything," Dazai countered. "I just created an opportunity for his body to remember what his mind forgot. Everything else - the response, the power activation, the..." he smirked, "enthusiasm... that was all Chuuya."

"And the fact that it was getting rather heated before the kids interrupted?" Ranpo asked innocently.

"Proves that even without his memories, Chuuya is still Chuuya," Dazai replied simply. "Passionate, responsive, completely uninhibited once he stops thinking and just feels..."

"Please stop," Atsushi begged. "I already need therapy from what I saw."

"What you saw was just the beginning," Dazai mused, his eyes distant. "If the kids hadn't showed up when they did..."

"ANYWAY," Kunikida interrupted loudly, "we should focus on what this means for our investigation. The fact that such deep connections survived the memory alteration suggests the ability user might have limitations we can exploit."

"Or that some bonds are simply too strong to break completely," Yosano suggested. "Which could be useful information moving forward."

"It certainly proves Chuuya-kun isn't as indifferent to Dazai-san as he claims," Ranpo added. "Though watching him try to process making out with someone he thinks is a stranger should be entertaining."

"He knows I'm not really a stranger now," Dazai pointed out. "He might not remember our history, but his body certainly confirmed I'm someone important to him."

"Important enough to activate Corruption without realizing it," Kunikida agreed reluctantly. "Which is both impressive and slightly terrifying."

"That's Chuuya," Dazai said fondly. "Impressive and terrifying in equal measure. It's one of the things I love about him."

The sincerity in his voice made everyone pause. It was rare for Dazai to be so openly emotional about anything.

"You really do love him, don't you?" Atsushi asked softly.

Dazai's smile turned gentle. "More than he remembers. More than I usually admit. Enough to wait for him to remember too."

"Even if he's angry about the hallway incident?" Yosano asked.

"Oh, he'll definitely be angry," Dazai laughed. "But angry Chuuya is familiar territory. I can work with angry. It's indifferent Chuuya that I can't handle."

"Well, after that display in the hallway, I don't think 'indifferent' is a word anyone would use to describe his feelings toward you," Ranpo observed.

"No," Dazai agreed, touching his lips again with a satisfied smile. "Definitely not indifferent. And now he knows it too."

The others exchanged glances, equal parts exasperated and amused by their colleague's obvious satisfaction. The game had changed indeed, but whether this new development would help or complicate their mission remained to be seen.

One thing was certain though - no one who had witnessed that hallway scene would ever doubt the depth of connection between Dazai and Chuuya again. Memory loss or not, some bonds truly were unbreakable.

Even if they did cause property damage and traumatize innocent bystanders in the process.

Chapter Text

Chuuya paced his room, trying to regain his composure and control over his abilities. Various objects kept lifting off surfaces at random intervals, a visible manifestation of his unsettled state. The memory of the hallway incident kept replaying in his mind, along with fragments of something deeper, older, just out of reach.

Frustrated and confused, he grabbed his phone, dialing before he could think better of it.

"Having trouble settling down?" Dazai's amused voice came through immediately.

"What did you do to me?" Chuuya demanded, watching as a set of knives floated past his head. "My powers haven't been this unstable since I was a teenager."

"I didn't do anything except trigger what was already there," Dazai replied calmly. "Your body remembers me, Chuuya. Everything else is just... natural reaction."

"Natural? There's nothing natural about this!" A book went flying across the room. "I can't get my abilities under control!"

"Ah, that takes me back," Dazai mused, his voice carrying a hint of nostalgia. "Remember that time on the cruise ship? When you-"

"I don't remember anything!" Chuuya interrupted, though something flickered at the edge of his consciousness. "And I don't want to hear about-"

"Three hundred kilometers away," Dazai continued thoughtfully. "Split right down the middle. The Port Mafia had quite a time explaining that one..."

"You're making that up," Chuuya insisted, though his mind was traitorously trying to construct the scene. "That's impossible."

"Is it?" Dazai's voice held a knowing smile. "More impossible than your powers activating from just a kiss?"

Back at the ADA office, where Dazai had put the call on speaker, his colleagues were trying to find ways to exit the room without being obvious about it.

"I hate you," Chuuya growled as another object went floating past.

"No, you don't," Dazai replied confidently. "Your body made that very clear earlier. Before we were so rudely interrupted..."

"Don't," Chuuya warned, his voice strained. "Don't talk about that."

"Why not? Afraid you'll remember more? Afraid you'll have to admit that somewhere deep down, you know exactly who I am to you?"

A glass shattered somewhere in Chuuya's room. "This isn't- you can't just-"

"Can't just what?" Dazai pressed. "Can't remind you of what we were? What we still are, apparently, given how eagerly you-"

"I'm hanging up now," Chuuya announced desperately.

"Sweet dreams, Chuuya," Dazai purred. "Try not to destroy any ships while you're thinking about me."

The call ended abruptly, leaving Dazai grinning at his mortified colleagues.

"That might have been a bit much," Kunikida managed, his face red.

"Maybe," Dazai agreed cheerfully. "But worth it."

Across town, Chuuya stared at his phone in disbelief, surrounded by floating objects and fragments of memories he couldn't quite grasp. This was going to be a very long night.

And somewhere in the city, watching eyes noted with growing concern how quickly the carefully constructed walls around Chuuya's memories were beginning to crack.

The game was changing faster than anyone had anticipated.

Chapter Text

Morning After

The twins stumbled into the ADA office looking like they'd been through a war zone. Their usually impeccable appearance was disheveled, dark circles under their eyes as they clutched their coffee cups like lifelines.

"Good mor- oh my," Kunikida broke off, taking in their appearance. "Are you two alright?"

"No," Ryuunosuke stated flatly, dropping into a chair. "We are not alright."

"Dad's powers have been..." Gin paused, searching for an appropriate word, "unstable all night."

"Unstable how?" Atsushi asked, though judging by their expressions, he wasn't sure he wanted to know.

"You know how teenagers get when they have their first crush?" Ryuunosuke asked, taking a long drink of coffee. "How their powers sometimes go haywire with the emotions?"

The ADA members nodded, several of them wincing in remembered sympathy.

"Well, imagine that," Gin continued, "but with the power to manipulate gravity, and absolutely no conscious control because someone," she shot a pointed look at Dazai, who was looking entirely too pleased with himself, "decided to trigger all sorts of muscle memory yesterday."

"It couldn't have been that bad," Ranpo suggested, though his grin suggested he knew exactly how bad it had been.

Both twins fixed him with identical deadpan stares.

"We had to dodge flying furniture all night," Ryuunosuke stated.

"The knives kept floating," Gin added.

"The gravity in the house kept shifting."

"Random objects would suddenly launch themselves across rooms."

"The floor wouldn't stay steady under our feet."

"And every time we thought it was settling down..."

"Something else would set it off again."

"Usually accompanied by Dad muttering about 'that bastard' and 'impossible' and 'not remembering' while more things started floating," Gin finished.

Dazai's smile widened. "He was thinking about me all night? How sweet."

"Sweet?" Ryuunosuke's eye twitched. "Do you know how many times we nearly died by floating kitchenware?"

"At least it wasn't as bad as the cruise ship incident," Gin sighed, then immediately regretted her words as the ADA's attention sharpened.

"The cruise ship incident?" Yosano prompted, intrigued.

The twins exchanged uncomfortable looks.

"We don't really talk about that," Ryuunosuke muttered.

"But since you brought it up..." Ranpo grinned.

Gin sighed again, taking a fortifying sip of coffee. "It was about two years ago. Dad and Dazai-san had been... apart for a while due to some mission complications."

"They were both being stubborn idiots," Ryuunosuke clarified.

"Right. So when they finally... reconciled..."

"Is that what we're calling it?" Ranpo asked innocently.

"ANYWAY," Gin continued firmly, "Dad's powers got a bit... intense."

"Intense enough to split a cruise ship in half from three hundred kilometers away," Ryuunosuke added. "And crack the city in several places."

"Along with causing various other gravitational anomalies that the Port Mafia spent weeks trying to explain away," Gin finished.

The ADA members stared in stunned silence for a moment.

"That was them?" Kunikida finally managed. "I remember reading reports about mysterious structural damage across the city, but..."

"The official story was unusual seismic activity," Ryuunosuke confirmed. "Which wasn't entirely untrue, considering..."

"Please stop," Atsushi begged, looking slightly green.

"The point is," Gin pressed on, "last night wasn't quite that bad, but it was bad enough. We couldn't sleep because we kept having to dodge random flying objects every time Dad apparently remembered something about yesterday's... incident."

"My apologies," Dazai said, not sounding sorry at all. "But you have to admit, it's encouraging that his powers are responding so strongly. It suggests the memory blocks aren't as solid as our enemies might have hoped."

"Encouraging for you maybe," Ryuunosuke grumbled. "You weren't the one nearly impaled by floating chopsticks at 3 AM."

"Or having to explain to Dad why his powers keep acting up every time he thinks about you," Gin added.

"Oh?" Dazai leaned forward, interested. "And what did you tell him?"

"That it's probably just stress," Gin replied. "What were we supposed to say? 'Actually Dad, your powers are going haywire because your body remembers being intimately involved with this man even though your mind doesn't'?"

"That might have been entertaining," Dazai mused.

"For you maybe," Ryuunosuke muttered. "We're the ones who have to live with him while he processes all this."

"Speaking of processing," Ranpo interjected, "how is Chuuya-kun this morning?"

The twins exchanged another look.

"Still in his room," Gin answered. "Muttering about impossible memories and trying to get his powers back under control."

"The last time we checked, everything in his room was still floating," Ryuunosuke added. "He said he's not coming out until he can keep things on the ground where they belong."

"Could be a while," Dazai commented cheerfully. "Especially if he keeps thinking about yesterday."

"You're enjoying this way too much," Kunikida accused.

"Of course I am," Dazai replied easily. "My partner, who was forced to forget me, is currently unable to control his powers because his body remembers exactly who I am to him. Why wouldn't I enjoy that?"

"Because some of us would like to sleep without fear of death by floating household objects?" Ryuunosuke suggested dryly.

"Consider it training," Dazai advised. "Dodging random projectiles is an important skill for Port Mafia executives."

"We're fifteen," Gin reminded him flatly.

"Never too young to start," Dazai grinned.

"I hate you so much right now," Ryuunosuke declared, downing the rest of his coffee.

"No you don't," Dazai replied confidently. "You're just sleep deprived. Besides, aren't you happy your fathers might be finding their way back to each other?"

"We'd be happier if that process didn't involve potential death by levitating cutlery," Gin muttered.

"Such ungrateful children," Dazai sighed dramatically. "Here I am, working hard to restore your family..."

"By traumatizing us?" Ryuunosuke asked incredulously.

"By reminding your father's body what his mind forgot," Dazai corrected. "The trauma is just an unfortunate side effect."

"Speaking of side effects," Yosano interjected, "should we be concerned about more cruise ships being split in half if this continues?"

The twins groaned in unison.

"Please don't give him ideas," Gin pleaded.

"Too late," Dazai smiled, pulling out his phone. "I think Chuuya might need another reminder..."

"NO!" the twins shouted, lunging for the phone.

As chaos erupted in the office, with the twins trying to prevent another potentially ship-splitting phone call while their sleep-deprived state made their usual grace somewhat less reliable, the other ADA members watched with varying degrees of amusement and concern.

"Should we... help them?" Atsushi asked uncertainly.

"Definitely not," Ranpo replied, pulling out a bag of candy to enjoy the show. "This is much more entertaining."

And somewhere in the city, watching eyes were beginning to realize that their carefully laid plans might be unraveling faster than anticipated, all because they'd underestimated one simple truth:

Some bonds really were impossible to break, no matter how many memories you stole.

Even if they did result in floating furniture and traumatized teenagers in the process.

Chapter Text

The ADA office doors burst open as Gin stumbled in, her usual grace gone, clothes spattered with blood that wasn't her own. "They took him," she gasped out, barely keeping herself upright. "They took Dad."

The room erupted into motion, but Dazai reached her first, steadying her with careful hands. "What happened?" His voice was deadly calm, but his eyes held a dangerous glint.

"Ambush," Gin managed, her composure cracking. "They... they did something to his powers. He just collapsed and they..." She took a shuddering breath. "Ryuu tried to stop them. He... there was so much blood..."

"Where's Ryuunosuke?" Dazai's grip tightened slightly.

"Hospital. He's unconscious but stable." Gin's voice wavered. "He fought... he fought so hard, but..."

"But they still got Chuuya," Dazai finished, his tone flat.

The ADA was already mobilizing, gathering weapons and equipment with practiced efficiency. "Location?" Kunikida demanded, his notebook ready.

"The warehouse district," Gin replied, straightening slightly though she still leaned on Dazai for support. "Section E, near the old fishing docks."

"Atsushi, Tanizaki - secure the perimeter," Kunikida ordered. "Ranpo, Yosano - with me. We need to process the scene before any evidence is compromised."

"I'm going with you," Dazai stated, his tone brooking no argument.

"I know." Kunikida adjusted his glasses. "Just... try to maintain objectivity."

Dazai's laugh was cold enough to make several people flinch. "Objectivity went out the window the moment they touched my family."

The scene that greeted them at the warehouse district made even hardened ADA agents pause. Bodies littered the ground in varying states of dismemberment, blood painting the concrete in grotesque patterns. The carnage spread across nearly a block, telling a story of desperate, violent combat.

"A hundred and fifty bodies," Ranpo reported after a quick survey. "Give or take a few pieces."

"Ryuunosuke did this?" Atsushi asked softly, looking at the devastation with wide eyes.

"They threatened his father," Gin said simply, as if that explained everything. In their world, perhaps it did.

Dazai moved through the carnage with focused intensity, reading the scene with practiced eyes. "They came prepared," he noted, examining a strange device near one of the bodies. "Equipment to neutralize Chuuya's powers, enough men to overwhelm even Ryuunosuke..."

"They knew exactly who they were dealing with," Kunikida agreed, photographing key evidence. "This wasn't opportunistic. It was planned."

"Five escaped," Ranpo added, popping a candy in his mouth as he studied the blood patterns. "Carrying an unconscious Chuuya-kun. They had a vehicle waiting - large, probably military grade based on the tire tracks."

"They were the ones who took his memories," Gin said quietly. "I recognized one of them, from security footage of the original incident. They... they did something to him. Made him collapse just by looking at him."

Dazai's expression darkened further. "Ability user," he concluded. "Probably the same one who erased his memories. They must have maintained some kind of connection, a way to influence him even after the initial attack."

"But why take him now?" Atsushi wondered, carefully documenting the scene. "Why not during the first attack?"

"Because their control was breaking," Dazai realized, his fists clenching. "His memories were starting to resurface. They couldn't risk losing their hold on him."

"So they came to collect their asset," Kunikida concluded grimly.

"They came to steal my partner," Dazai corrected, his voice carrying a deadly edge. "Again."

Gin watched him carefully, noting the barely contained rage in his stance. She'd seen that look before, years ago when someone had threatened the twins. It hadn't ended well for the threats.

"Ryuunosuke almost stopped them," she said softly. "He... he wouldn't let them take Dad without a fight."

"I can see that," Dazai replied, surveying the carnage his son had left behind. Pride and worry warred in his expression. "A hundred and fifty armed men... he's definitely improved his technique."

"He's definitely your son," Ranpo commented, earning a sharp look from Gin.

"The surviving attackers left heading east," Kunikida reported, consulting his notes. "Based on the tire tracks and traffic patterns, they likely-"

"Used the coastal highway," Dazai finished. "It's the only route that would let them transport an unconscious ability user without attracting attention."

"There are only so many facilities in that direction capable of containing someone of Chuuya-san's power level," Gin added, her professional training asserting itself through her worry.

"Assuming they can maintain whatever they used to suppress his abilities," Atsushi pointed out.

"They can," Dazai said grimly. "The ability user who took his memories - they must have left some kind of... connection, a way to access and control his power directly. That's why they had to take him physically this time. The connection was weakening as his memories started to return."

"So they'll need somewhere to hold him while they strengthen their control," Kunikida reasoned. "Somewhere secure, isolated..."

"The old military research facility," Gin suggested. "The one that was supposedly decommissioned last year."

"Perfect cover for illegal ability research," Ranpo agreed. "And it's already set up to contain powerful ability users."

"Then that's where we start," Dazai declared, already moving toward their vehicles. "Gin, stay with your brother. Keep me updated on his condition."

"But I can help-"

"You can help by protecting what family we still have in reach," Dazai cut her off, his tone gentler than his words. "Ryuunosuke fought to protect his father. Now it's your turn to protect your brother."

Gin hesitated, then nodded sharply. "Bring him back," she requested simply.

"I will," Dazai promised, his eyes hard. "And anyone who touched him is going to regret ever hearing the name Dazai."

As the ADA mobilized for rescue operations, Gin headed back to the hospital where her brother lay unconscious, his body pushed beyond its limits in defense of their father. She didn't tell Dazai about Ryuunosuke's previous injuries, about how he wasn't fully recovered from the explosion eight months ago. He didn't need that guilt right now.

Besides, she thought grimly, watching the ADA vehicles speed away, Dazai would have enough to feel guilty about once he caught up with the people who took Chuuya.

The real question was: would there be enough left of them to feel anything at all?

Chapter Text

Consciousness returned slowly, fragments of awareness filtering through the haze. Cold metal against his wrists. The bitter taste of copper in his mouth. Pain throbbing dully through his skull. Chuuya forced his eyes open, blinking against harsh fluorescent lights.

He was secured to some kind of reinforced chair, thick restraints binding his limbs. Medical equipment hummed nearby, monitoring his vitals. But it wasn't the restraints or the clinical setting that made his blood run cold.

It was the memory.

_Ryuunosuke, blood pouring from his mouth as he staggered forward, refusing to fall. His son's ability working overtime, pushing a body that hadn't fully healed from previous injuries. The doctors' warnings echoing in his head:_

_"His internal organs are still fragile from the explosion. If he overexerts himself, the damage could become fatal. He needs time to heal completely."_

_But Ryuunosuke hadn't stopped. Even as his body betrayed him, even as blood stained his teeth crimson, he'd kept fighting. Kept trying to protect his father._

_Until he couldn't anymore._

The memory of his son collapsing, drowning in his own blood, sparked something deep within Chuuya. Something ancient and terrible stirred, a presence he usually kept carefully contained.

*They hurt our child.*

Arahabaki's voice resonated through his consciousness, divine fury made manifest. For once, Chuuya didn't fight the god's influence. Their rage merged, became one overwhelming force.

The restraints disintegrated. The monitoring equipment crumpled like paper. Gravity itself warped and buckled around him as he rose, corruption spreading across his skin in familiar patterns.

The first guard through the door died instantly, his body crushed by forces no human was meant to withstand. The second managed to activate some kind of device - presumably meant to suppress Chuuya's ability.

It shattered in his hand as Arahabaki's power surged through their shared vessel. They had forgotten, these arrogant humans. Forgotten that while they might suppress an ability user, they could never hope to contain a god.

Chuuya moved through the facility like an avenging spirit, leaving devastation in his wake. Walls crumbled. Floors buckled. Human bodies broke with sickening ease under the weight of divine wrath. Those who tried to flee were dragged back by invisible forces, their desperate pleas cut short by merciless gravity.

Some tried to fight back with their own abilities. A man who could generate force fields. A woman who manipulated electricity. Their powers meant nothing against Arahabaki's might. Their barriers shattered. Their attacks dissipated harmlessly. Their bodies joined the growing collection of broken things littering the halls.

Through it all, one thought burned in Chuuya's mind: *Get to Ryuunosuke. Need to reach my son.*

The facility's main building collapsed behind him as he emerged into open air, corruption spreading further across his skin. In the distance, he could sense familiar presences approaching. The ADA. Dazai.

But it didn't matter. Nothing mattered except getting to his child.

The ADA vehicles screeched to a halt at the edge of the destruction. Agents poured out, weapons ready, only to freeze at the sight before them.

Chuuya - or what Chuuya had become - hovered above the rubble. Gravity distorted around him like heat waves, debris orbiting his form like a twisted solar system. His eyes glowed with inhuman light, corruption marks pulsing with deadly power.

"Dear god," Kunikida breathed, watching another section of the facility implode.

"Not quite," Ranpo remarked grimly. "But close enough."

Atsushi took an involuntary step back, tiger features manifesting in response to the overwhelming pressure. "Is... is that really Chuuya-san?"

"Part of him," Dazai answered, moving forward while others retreated. "Along with something much older and much more dangerous."

The corrupted figure turned toward them, gravity intensifying until the ground began to crack. "*Where is my son?*" The voice was Chuuya's, but layered with something ancient and terrible.

"He's at the Port Mafia medical facility," Dazai called out, continuing his careful approach. "But you can't help him like this, Chuuya. The corruption will kill you before you reach him."

"*He needs me.*" The words carried both desperation and divine authority. Another building crumbled in the background.

"He needs you alive," Dazai countered, close enough now to see the pain behind the power in those glowing eyes. "Please, partner. Let me help you."

For a moment, the pressure increased. The ADA agents braced themselves, expecting annihilation. Then Chuuya's expression cracked, showing the father beneath the fury. "*Save him,*" he pleaded, just before Dazai's hand made contact.

The corruption marks faded instantly as No Longer Human took effect. Chuuya collapsed into Dazai's arms, his body trembling from exhaustion and strain.

"Ryuu," he gasped out, fingers clutching weakly at Dazai's coat. "Please... need to see..."

"I know," Dazai soothed, lifting his partner's depleted form. "We're going there now. Just hold on."

The drive to Port Mafia headquarters was tense, Chuuya drifting in and out of consciousness in the back seat. Dazai held him steady, monitoring his breathing while Kunikida broke every traffic law in existence.

Armed guards met them at the entrance, weapons trained on the ADA vehicles until they recognized their cargo. Their hostile expressions shifted to concern when they saw Chuuya's condition.

"Let them through," a senior guard ordered, already radioing ahead. "Boss's orders. They have full access to the medical wing."

The ADA members couldn't help looking around as they entered the infamous Port Mafia headquarters. The building's interior was a study in elegant efficiency, all clean lines and subtle luxury. Armed personnel moved with precise purpose, their attention split between their duties and the unprecedented presence of ADA agents in their sanctuary.

They found Mori in the medical wing's waiting area, one arm around Gin's shoulders as she stared through a viewing window. The Port Mafia boss looked up as they approached, his usual mask of pleasant amusement nowhere in sight.

"How is he?" Dazai asked, still carrying Chuuya's unconscious form.

"Stable, for now," Mori answered, his voice carefully controlled. "The damage was... extensive. But he's young and strong. Room three is prepared for Chuuya-kun."

Medical staff hurried forward with a gurney, efficiently transferring Chuuya from Dazai's arms. They worked around him as if the ADA executive's presence was completely normal, checking vitals and starting IVs with practiced ease.

"He activated corruption," Dazai informed Mori quietly. "And something else. Something stronger."

"Arahabaki," Mori nodded, unsurprised. "The god is... protective of its host's offspring. The facility?"

"Completely destroyed. Along with everyone inside."

"Good." Mori's smile was sharp enough to draw blood. "Saves us the trouble of hunting them down ourselves."

Through the viewing window, machines beeped steadily, monitoring Ryuunosuke's vital signs. The young ability user looked impossibly small among all the medical equipment, his skin nearly as pale as the sheets beneath him.

Gin hadn't moved from her vigil, her composure cracking only when Dazai placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "He's going to be alright," she said, voice rough with suppressed emotion. "He has to be."

"Of course he will," Dazai assured her, though his eyes never left his son's still form. "He's too stubborn not to be. Just like his father."

"Both of them," Gin managed a weak smile.

In the next room, medical staff worked efficiently to stabilize Chuuya, their movements reflecting years of experience dealing with ability-related injuries. They knew better than to try separating the two patients further - not after what happened to the last facility that came between Chuuya and his child.

The ADA agents watched it all with varying degrees of discomfort and fascination, this glimpse into the inner workings of their supposed enemies. They saw the worry in the guards' eyes when they looked at Chuuya. The gentle way the medical staff handled both father and son. The raw concern in Mori's expression as he watched over his subordinates.

It wasn't what they expected from the feared Port Mafia. But then, family rarely was what others expected it to be.

Hours passed in tense waiting. Chuuya stabilized but remained unconscious, his body recovering from the strain of channeling both corruption and divine power. Ryuunosuke's condition improved marginally, though he showed no signs of waking.

Through it all, Dazai remained, moving between his partner's room and his son's viewing window. No one suggested he leave. Not even Kunikida, who simply arranged for ADA paperwork to be delivered to the waiting area.

Some things, after all, were more important than the usual divisions between light and dark. Some bonds transcended the arbitrary lines drawn between organizations.

And some families, forged in blood and loss and desperate love, were stronger than any power meant to break them apart.

Chapter Text

Breaking Point

The silence in the waiting area shattered when the lead physician emerged, his face grave as he approached Mori. Everyone tensed, recognizing the weight in his expression.

"How bad?" Mori asked quietly, though his tone suggested he already knew.

The doctor glanced at his charts, buying time before delivering the devastating news. "Complete systemic organ failure. His body... his body can't sustain itself without life support. There is brain activity, which is promising, but his powers keep trying to activate instinctively to heal him. However, since the-" He broke off, suddenly noticing Dazai's presence.

The unfinished sentence hung heavy in the air. Those who had seen the security footage from that night years ago - the night Dazai left - understood the reference. The explosion that had nearly killed Ryuunosuke as he threw himself between Chuuya and certain death. The injuries that had never fully healed, even years later.

Injuries that his recent fight had brutally aggravated.

Gin, who had been holding herself together through sheer force of will, finally broke. She turned and buried her face in Mori's chest, her shoulders shaking with silent sobs. "I can't lose him," she choked out, fingers clutching at Mori's coat. "Please, I can't- he's all I have left-"

Mori wrapped his arms around her, his usual calculated demeanor cracking to show genuine pain as he held his sobbing agent. His daughter in all but blood, now facing the loss of her only remaining family.

"You won't lose him," Mori promised, his voice hard with determination. "I won't allow it."

The doctor shifted uncomfortably. "Boss, with the extent of the damage-"

"Find a way," Mori cut him off, steel entering his tone. "Whatever it takes. Whatever resources you need. He is not dying in that bed."

"Sir, even with our best ability users-"

"Then we'll find better ones." Mori's eyes blazed with barely contained fury. "Search every database. Call in every favor. I want a list of every healing ability user in Japan on my desk within the hour."

"Yes, sir." The doctor bowed slightly and hurried away, already barking orders into his phone.

Dazai watched the exchange silently, his expression unreadable. He had seen that look in Mori's eyes before - the one that promised mountains would move, governments would fall, whatever it took to achieve his goal.

"The Church of the New Light," he said suddenly, drawing everyone's attention. "They have a healer. More powerful than any currently registered with either of our organizations."

Mori's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "The isolationist cult? They don't work with outsiders."

"They might for the right incentive." Dazai's smile held no warmth. "Or the right pressure."

"Their compound is heavily fortified," Kunikida pointed out, already pulling out his notebook. "And their ability users are well-trained."

"Good thing they'll have both the ADA and Port Mafia knocking on their door then," Dazai replied mildly.

Mori studied his former protégé for a long moment. "You're proposing a joint operation?"

"I'm proposing we save my son." Dazai's voice was soft but carried an edge sharp enough to cut. "The method is negotiable. The outcome is not."

The Port Mafia boss glanced down at Gin, still trembling in his arms, then through the window at Ryuunosuke's too-still form. His decision was visible in the slight straightening of his shoulders, the dangerous glint entering his eyes.

"Kunikida-kun," he said smoothly, "I believe we have some operational details to discuss. Shall we use my office? The view of the harbor is quite lovely this time of night."

"I'll need to contact Director Fukuzawa," Kunikida replied, adjusting his glasses.

"Of course. Please extend my personal invitation. I believe this situation warrants breaking our usual protocols regarding territory and jurisdiction."

As the two men moved to leave, Atsushi stepped forward hesitantly. "I want to help too," he offered. "Ryuunosuke-kun... he's family."

Dazai smiled slightly at his former student's declaration. "Yes, he is. And family protects their own."

"Even if it means storming a fortress full of religious zealots?" Ranpo asked, though his usual playful tone was subdued.

"Especially then," Gin answered, finally lifting her tear-stained face from Mori's coat. Her eyes held the same deadly focus often seen in her brother's. "They just don't know it yet."

Through the viewing window, machines continued their steady rhythm, supporting the failing body of a young man who had given everything to protect his father. In the next room, Chuuya remained unconscious, unaware that his partner and his boss were about to tear apart anyone standing between them and saving his child.

But then, that was what family did in their world. They fought. They bled. They moved heaven and earth for each other.

And God help anyone who got in their way.

Mori turned to leave, pausing only briefly at the door. "Dazai-kun," he said quietly, "stay with them. Both of them. The Church will have visitors soon enough."

Dazai nodded, returning to his vigil between the two rooms. He couldn't hold both their hands - couldn't offer physical comfort to either his partner or his son. But he could stand guard. Could ensure that nothing and no one else would harm them while the wheels of vengeance began to turn.

In the hallway, Mori and Kunikida were already deep in tactical discussion, their usual antagonism set aside in favor of operational efficiency. Atsushi trailed after them, occasionally offering insights about the Church's defenses based on his previous encounters with their members.

Ranpo lounged against a wall, appearing casual while his sharp eyes cataloged every detail of the Port Mafia's medical wing. Information that might prove useful later, though for now, his considerable intellect was focused on the problem of breaching an isolationist cult's defenses.

Gin remained by the window, her tears dried but her determination hardened into something dangerous. She had lost too much already - her parents, her childhood, nearly her brother multiple times. She wouldn't lose him now.

Not when they had finally found their way to being a real family.

In his office, Mori was already making calls, mobilizing resources and gathering intelligence. The Church of the New Light was about to learn why even other criminal organizations feared crossing the Port Mafia.

Especially when it came to family.

Because that's what they were, this strange collection of killers and agents, ability users and strategists. A family forged in violence and loyalty, in shared pain and fierce protection.

And they would burn down heaven itself to keep their own safe.

Through it all, machines beeped steadily, marking each precious moment Ryuunosuke continued breathing. Each second bought with technology and determination while forces gathered to save him.

Time was running out.

But then, some of their best work had always been done under pressure.

The night stretched ahead, full of possibilities and dangers. But for now, in this moment, they waited. Planned. Prepared.

And prayed, each in their own way, that it would be enough.

Chapter Text

The God Within

The first sign something was different came from the monitors - a sudden spike in vital signs, followed by a complete disruption of the readings. Medical equipment sparked and died as gravity distorted around Chuuya's bed.

But this wasn't the violent eruption of power they'd seen before. This was controlled, precise - and somehow more terrifying for its restraint.

When Chuuya's eyes opened, they glowed with an ancient light. His movements as he sat up were strange, almost experimental, like someone learning to operate unfamiliar machinery.

"*This vessel...*" The voice that emerged was layered with otherworldly resonance, echoing with power that made the air itself vibrate. "*It has been long since I walked freely in it.*"

Every person in the vicinity took an instinctive step back. Even the hardened Port Mafia guards felt their hands drift toward weapons, though they knew such things would be useless against a god.

"Arahabaki," Dazai said quietly, maintaining his position near the door. His ability wasn't active - they all noticed that immediately. This wasn't a situation that called for nullification. Not yet.

The being wearing Chuuya's face turned toward him, head tilting at an unnatural angle. "*The Nullifier. You who bind my vessel's power.*" There was no hostility in the statement, merely observation. "*You have kept him stable through many storms.*"

"I try," Dazai replied carefully. "Though he usually manages that himself."

"*Yes. He is... strong. Stubborn.*" Something like pride colored the otherworldly voice. "*Few mortals could contain me as he does.*"

The ADA agents watched the exchange with barely concealed tension. They had all heard stories of Arahabaki's destructive potential, had seen footage of cities leveled by its power. But this controlled manifestation was something entirely new - and possibly more dangerous.

Gin shifted forward instinctively, wanting to go to the being who wore her father's face. Mori's hand on her shoulder stopped her, his grip gentle but firm.

"Wait," he murmured. "We don't know if he recognizes you the same way Chuuya does."

Arahabaki's gaze shifted to them, ancient eyes studying the pair. "*The child who shares my vessel's heart,*" he observed. "*And the one who guides this dark empire.*" His head tilted again, considering. "*You fear I will harm her.*"

"Can you blame me?" Mori's tone remained perfectly pleasant, though his grip on Gin's shoulder tightened slightly. "Your reputation for destruction precedes you."

"*Destruction is but one aspect of divinity.*" Arahabaki rose from the bed with unnatural grace, gravity rippling around him like water. "*The girl is safe. My vessel's love marks her as protected.*"

Some of the tension eased from Gin's shoulders, though Mori didn't release his grip. They all watched as Arahabaki moved toward the viewing window, drawn to Ryuunosuke's still form.

"*My vessel's offspring grows weak,*" the god observed, pressing one hand against the glass. The window creaked ominously but held. "*His power consumes him, much as mine once consumed others.*"

"Can you help him?" Gin asked before anyone could stop her.

Arahabaki turned that ancient gaze on her. "*Divine power is not meant for healing. I bring ruin, child. Creation lies in other domains.*"

"Then why are you here?" Dazai asked quietly. "Why emerge now, when Chuuya's consciousness would be more useful?"

"*Because my vessel's pain threatens to break him,*" Arahabaki replied. "*The fear of losing his child... it creates cracks I have not seen since the day of your departure, Nullifier.*"

The words struck Dazai like physical blows, though his expression remained carefully neutral. "So you're protecting him."

"*As he has protected me. Contained me. Given me purpose beyond mere destruction.*" Arahabaki's hand remained on the glass, eyes fixed on Ryuunosuke. "*He gave me family, though he knew not he did so.*"

The concept of a god claiming family ties should have been absurd. But there was something in Arahabaki's tone - something ancient and lonely and wondering - that made it feel true.

"*The boy has my blessing,*" Arahabaki continued. "*Has had it since he first drew breath. His power is not unlike my own - destruction given form and purpose.*"

"Is that why he's dying?" Atsushi asked, earning sharp looks from several others. "Because his power is like yours?"

"*No, tiger child. He dies because he is mortal, and mortals break when they channel too much power.*" Arahabaki's expression shifted into something almost sorrowful. "*As my vessel would have broken long ago, had the Nullifier not been there to catch him.*"

Understanding dawned in several faces. Chuuya's dependency on Dazai's ability had never been fully explained - but if he had been constantly fighting to contain a god...

"*I sleep now, most days,*" Arahabaki continued. "*Dream in the depths of my vessel's consciousness. But this pain... this fear... it echoes too deeply to ignore.*"

"Will Chuuya wake up?" Dazai asked the question they'd all been wondering.

"*When I return to my slumber. But not yet.*" Arahabaki's eyes glowed brighter. "*First, I would understand something.*"

Before anyone could react, gravity shifted. Not violently, but with precise control, creating a bubble of altered space around the god. Within it, small objects began to orbit like planets around a star - pens, paper clips, loose change.

"*You plan to raid the holy ones,*" Arahabaki observed. "*To take their healer by force.*"

"We do," Mori confirmed, watching the display of power with careful attention.

"*Their barriers are strong. Their faith shields them from many powers.*" The orbiting objects moved faster. "*But they have never faced a god.*"

Understanding bloomed across several faces. Kunikida was the first to voice it: "You're offering to help."

"*I offer nothing. I state fact.*" Arahabaki's expression was terrible in its intensity. "*They will yield their healer, or they will learn why ancient peoples built temples to appease me.*"

The casual way he discussed potential devastation sent chills through everyone present. This wasn't Chuuya's corruption-fueled rage or even his considerable normal abilities. This was power on a completely different scale, wielded with the casual confidence of divinity.

"*My vessel contains me by choice,*" Arahabaki continued. "*Limits my influence on his world. But for the boy...*" The orbiting objects suddenly crushed themselves into tiny spheres of compressed matter. "*For family, even gods may break their chains.*"

Gin finally pulled free of Mori's grip, approaching the divine being who wore her father's face. "Thank you," she said simply.

Arahabaki regarded her with those ancient eyes. "*Thank me when your brother wakes, child of my vessel's heart. Thank me when your family is whole again.*"

The god turned back to the window, watching Ryuunosuke's still form with an expression that mixed divine authority with very human concern. "*Now, death-doctor,*" he addressed Mori without looking away from the glass, "*tell me of these holy ones who think their faith shields them from divine wrath.*"

As Mori began outlining their intelligence on the Church, the others exchanged glances. They had expected to face formidable defenses with conventional forces, however elite. Instead, they were planning an assault alongside a god who had leveled cities.

A god who, it seemed, considered their strange family his own.

The Church of the New Light was about to discover the difference between faith and divinity. Between human power and something far older and more terrible.

Between those who claimed divine authority and one who had actually walked as a god since time immemorial.

Through the window, machines continued their vigil over Ryuunosuke. But now they had something beyond technology and determination on their side.

They had a god who called him family.

Heaven help anyone who stood in their way.

Chapter Text

Divine Intervention

The silence that followed Arahabaki's pronouncement was shattered by a sudden, impossible movement. Before anyone could process what was happening, the heavily guarded chamber's reinforced doors simply... dissolved.

Where solid steel and advanced security systems had stood moments before, there was now nothing but an open pathway. And floating in the center of that pathway was a terrified healer, suspended in a gravity bubble that seemed to pulse with ancient, barely contained power.

Mori's eyes went wide. The ADA agents tensed. Even the Port Mafia guards took an involuntary step back.

Arahabaki, still inhabiting Chuuya's body, looked supremely unimpressed. "*Barriers are merely suggestions to a god,*" he said casually, as if he hadn't just obliterated what was supposed to be an impenetrable security system.

The healer - a thin, trembling man with haunted eyes - seemed more terrified of the divine being than anything else. "P-please," he stammered, "just keep that... monster away from me."

"*I heard that,*" Arahabaki remarked dryly. "*And I am significantly more than a mere monster.*"

Dazai couldn't help a slight smirk. The god sounded so much like Chuuya in that moment that it was almost comical.

With precise, controlled movements, Arahabaki brought the healer closer. "*You will heal the boy,*" he stated. It wasn't a request. "*His life matters.*"

The healer nodded frantically, his ability already reaching out toward Ryuunosuke's prone form. Mori watched with clinical precision, while Gin stood trembling near the bed.

The healing was unlike anything they'd seen before. Pure energy flowed from the healer, guided by Arahabaki's gravitational control. Ryuunosuke's body seemed to knit itself back together - broken systems repairing, damaged organs regenerating, his depleted life force slowly rebuilding.

When it was done, the healer collapsed, utterly spent. Arahabaki caught him with a gravitational field, setting him gently aside.

Ryuunosuke's eyes flickered open.

"Where...?" he mumbled, then suddenly tensed. Memories of the battle rushed back, his powers sparking erratically around him.

"*Peace, child,*" Arahabaki's voice was a command and a comfort. "*Your father is safe.*"

Dazai's ability was already active, dampening Ryuunosuke's chaotic power. But it was Arahabaki's presence that truly calmed the boy, holding him steady with an ancient, parental authority.

Gin launched herself onto the bed, wrapping her arms around her twin. "*I'm sorry,*" Ryuunosuke whispered. "*I didn't mean to scare you.*"

Mori approached, placing a gentle hand on Ryuunosuke's head. "You gave us quite a scare," he said softly, though his eyes gleamed with something between pride and relief.

Arahabaki watched the scene, something almost like a smile crossing his divine features. Then, abruptly, he swayed.

"*Interesting,*" he muttered. And then promptly collapsed.

Dazai, moving with reflexive speed, caught the falling body. The divine markings faded, leaving only Chuuya - unconscious but breathing normally.

The ADA members exchanged stunned looks. Atsushi was the first to break the silence. "Did... did that just happen?"

Kunikida adjusted his glasses. "I'm not entirely sure I believe what I just saw."

Mori chuckled, a sound both amused and slightly unsettled. "Fascinating," he murmured, looking at the sleeping Chuuya. "Absolutely fascinating."

Ryuunosuke, still holding Gin's hand, looked around the room. "Everyone okay?" he asked weakly.

"Better than okay," Dazai said, settling Chuuya into a more comfortable position. "We just had a god solve our problems."

Outside the room, the world continued its mundane existence. But inside, something extraordinary had occurred - a divine intervention that would become legend among the Port Mafia and Armed Detective Agency.

A god had walked among them. And then taken a nap.

Chapter Text

The hospital room buzzed with quiet activity. A stern-faced Port Mafia doctor moved methodically around Ryuunosuke's bed, checking vitals and making notes on a digital chart. The man's posture remained rigid even as he worked, a testament to the gravity of his position within the organization. Few physicians earned the privilege of treating the Mafia's elite, and fewer still managed to keep their composure in the presence of both the Boss and a roomful of ADA agents.

"Blood pressure stabilizing," the doctor murmured, more to himself than anyone else. "Remarkable recovery, considering the state you were in just hours ago."

Gin hovered anxiously at her brother's side, her fingers constantly adjusting his blankets, smoothing his hair, or checking the IV line. Though her face remained partially concealed behind her customary mask, her eyes betrayed her concern.

"I'm fine, Gin," Ryuunosuke insisted weakly, though he made no move to stop her fussing. "Really."

"You flatlined." Her voice was barely audible, trembling slightly. "Twice."

Ryuunosuke's eyes widened momentarily before he offered a hesitant smile. "But I'm back now." He clasped her hand gently. "Thanks to... whatever happened."

Across the room, Dazai leaned against the wall, his posture deceptively casual. Anyone who knew him well enough could see the tension in his shoulders, the calculated distance he maintained. His eyes flickered between the twins and the still-unconscious form of Chuuya on the adjacent bed.

Mori approached the twins with the easy confidence of someone utterly comfortable in his authority. "The doctor tells me you're showing remarkable improvement, Ryuunosuke-kun," he said, his voice carrying that peculiar blend of clinical detachment and genuine warmth that had always been so disquieting to Dazai. "How are you feeling?"

Ryuunosuke straightened slightly at his boss's approach. "Better, sir. Thank you."

Mori nodded, briefly touching Gin's shoulder in a gesture of reassurance that made Dazai's brow furrow. The Mori he remembered had always maintained professional distance with his subordinates, particularly the younger ones. This casual familiarity was... unexpected.

"Good," Mori said. "Rest is essential now. Your ability will need time to stabilize after such an ordeal."

"Yes, sir," Ryuunosuke replied, then hesitated. "Is... is Papa going to be okay?"

The question hung in the air. Several ADA members exchanged glances at the unfamiliar term of endearment coming from the notorious Mafia assassin.

Mori's expression softened marginally. "Chuuya-kun's vitality readings are strong. He's simply exhausted. Arahabaki's manifestation always takes a toll."

From his position against the wall, Dazai observed the interaction with careful neutrality. The twins' easy rapport with Mori was jarring. In his day, young Mafia recruits approached the Boss with a mixture of terror and reverence—not this comfortable familiarity. Gin had even relaxed her defensive posture when Mori approached.

"The last time was worse," Gin commented quietly. "He was unconscious for three days."

"The last time?" Kunikida asked from where the ADA members had clustered near the door.

Mori glanced toward them, a subtle reminder of the unusual circumstances that had brought rival organizations into the same space. "Chuuya-kun has only fully manifested Arahabaki's consciousness a handful of times since joining us. Each instance has been... significant."

Atsushi stepped forward hesitantly. "But that wasn't normal Corruption, was it? That was something else entirely."

"Correct," Mori confirmed. "What you witnessed was extraordinarily rare. Arahabaki taking direct control rather than simply lending power through Corruption."

Ryuunosuke's gaze drifted to the still form of his adoptive father. "He came for me," he said softly. "Arahabaki, I mean. He said... he said my life matters."

A heavy silence filled the room.

"Interesting that a god would intervene so directly," Ranpo mused, unwrapping a lollipop. "Particularly for a human life."

"Perhaps gods have their favorites," Dazai suggested, speaking for the first time since the doctor had arrived. His tone was deliberately light, but his eyes remained sharp and calculating.

Ryuunosuke looked up at Dazai's words, their gazes meeting briefly before the younger man looked away. The awkwardness between them was palpable, a tension that everyone in the room could feel.

The doctor cleared his throat. "I'd like to run a few more tests on the patient, if possible. Nothing invasive, just some ability measurements."

"Of course," Mori agreed. "Gin, perhaps you should get some rest yourself."

"I'm staying," she replied flatly.

Mori didn't argue, merely nodded as if he'd expected nothing less. "Very well."

The doctor produced a small device and held it near Ryuunosuke's hand. "Please activate your ability at minimum capacity. Just enough to register."

Ryuunosuke complied, a faint shimmer of darkness materializing around his fingers. The device emitted a soft beep.

"Excellent," the doctor muttered. "No destabilization. Now, slightly more power."

As Ryuunosuke's ability intensified, Dazai watched with professional interest. The boy's control was impressive—far more precise than Dazai remembered from their limited interactions years ago. The darkness responded to Ryuunosuke's will with delicate precision, coalescing into intricate patterns before dissolving at his command.

"Remarkable recovery," the doctor commented. "Your ability shows no signs of the trauma it endured."

"Credit to our mysterious healer," Mori remarked. "Wherever Arahabaki found him."

From his bed, Ryuunosuke glanced toward Dazai again, this time holding his gaze longer. "Did you know?" he asked quietly. "About Arahabaki being able to do... that?"

Dazai straightened slightly. "No," he admitted. "In all my time working with your father, I never witnessed anything like what happened today."

The word 'father' felt strange on his tongue when referring to Chuuya, though technically accurate in the context of their unusual family dynamic. The twins' continued wariness around him stung more than he cared to admit. Once, they had called him 'Dad' with easy affection. Now, they regarded him with the cautious distance of subordinates addressing a former enemy.

"He protected me," Ryuunosuke said, his voice stronger now. "Not just Chuuya-san, but Arahabaki itself."

"You've always been special to him," Mori observed. "Both of you have."

Gin stiffened slightly at this, and Dazai caught the subtle change in her posture. There was history there—something he'd missed during his years with the ADA.

Before he could pursue that thought, a low groan came from the adjacent bed. All eyes turned to Chuuya, whose face had contorted in apparent discomfort.

"Fucking hell," Chuuya muttered, one hand rising to his forehead. "What the hell hit me?"

"A god, technically," Ranpo supplied helpfully. "Your god, to be specific."

Chuuya's eyes snapped open, instantly alert despite the pain evident in his expression. "Arahabaki?" He bolted upright, then immediately winced, swaying slightly. "Shit. Headache's a bitch."

Mori moved to Chuuya's bedside with practiced efficiency. "Easy, Chuuya-kun. You've been unconscious for several hours."

"Hours?" Chuuya's eyes darted around the room, landing first on the twins, then registering the presence of the ADA members. His gaze lingered briefly on Dazai before returning to Ryuunosuke. "You're alive," he breathed, relief evident in his voice.

"Thanks to you," Gin said. "Or rather, your resident deity."

Chuuya's brow furrowed. "I don't... remember much. There was the fight, and then..." He trailed off, frustration flickering across his features. "It's all fragmented. I remember feeling Ryuu's life force fading, and then... nothing concrete."

"Arahabaki took control," Dazai explained. "Full manifestation. It brought a healer here and forced him to save Ryuunosuke-kun's life."

Chuuya's eyes widened. "That's... unusual."

"Unprecedented," Mori corrected. "At least in my experience."

Chuuya attempted to swing his legs over the side of the bed, only to be halted by Mori's restraining hand. "Not yet, Chuuya-kun. Your body needs time to recover."

"I'm fine," Chuuya insisted, though the pallor of his skin suggested otherwise. "Just the usual post-Corruption hangover."

"This wasn't usual Corruption," Kyouka spoke up from where she stood beside Atsushi. "This was something else entirely."

Chuuya's gaze settled on her. "Kyouka-chan," he acknowledged with a nod. His eyes then swept the room, taking in the assembled ADA members. "So the truce is holding, then?"

"For now," Kunikida confirmed stiffly.

An uncomfortable silence descended as the reality of their situation reasserted itself. The Port Mafia and the Armed Detective Agency remained fundamentally opposed organizations, their current cooperation born of necessity rather than choice.

"How much do you remember?" Dazai asked Chuuya quietly.

Chuuya's eyes narrowed slightly. "About what, specifically?"

"About what Arahabaki said. About why it intervened."

Chuuya leaned back against his pillows, wincing slightly. "Fragments. Images. It's like... like remembering parts of a dream. I know it was concerned about Ryuu, but beyond that..." He shook his head carefully. "Nothing concrete."

Ryuunosuke shifted in his bed. "It called me 'child,'" he said. "And it said my life matters."

Chuuya's expression softened. "Well, it got that right, at least."

The doctor, who had been quietly monitoring the situation, stepped forward. "Executive Nakahara, I'd like to run some standard post-Corruption tests if you're feeling up to it."

"Fine," Chuuya agreed tersely. "Let's get it over with."

As the doctor began his examination, Mori turned to address both organizations. "I believe some refreshments are in order. This has been a trying day for everyone."

At his signal, several black-suited Mafia subordinates appeared with trays of coffee, tea, and simple food items. The gesture was practical rather than hospitable—everyone needed sustenance—but it served to break some of the tension in the room.

Atsushi accepted a cup of coffee gratefully. "So what happens now?" he asked, addressing no one in particular.

"Now," Mori replied, "we reassess our situation. The immediate crisis has passed, but questions remain."

"Like who was behind the attack," Kunikida suggested.

"And what they wanted with Chuuya-san's memories," Atsushi added.

Dazai watched as Chuuya submitted to the doctor's examination, noting the executive's irritation at being the center of attention. Some things hadn't changed, at least. Chuuya had always hated medical checkups.

"I should remember you," Chuuya said abruptly, his gaze finding Dazai again. "That's what everyone keeps telling me. That we were... partners."

The room went still. Even the doctor paused momentarily in his work.

Dazai met Chuuya's gaze steadily. "That's correct."

"More than partners," Gin murmured, her voice barely audible.

Chuuya's eyes flickered to her, then back to Dazai. "But I don't. I remember Mori recruiting me. I remember training. I remember the twins coming to live with me. But you're just... a blank space."

The clinical way he described it made something twist painfully in Dazai's chest. "The targeted memory removal was very precise," he said, keeping his voice professionally detached. "Whoever did this knew exactly what they were doing."

"But why?" Chuuya demanded. "What's so important about you specifically that someone would go to these lengths?"

"Perhaps because Dazai-san was the one who defected," Tanizaki suggested cautiously. "Taking valuable information to the ADA."

"That was years ago," Chuuya countered. "Why target those memories now?"

"Perhaps it's not about what happened then," Ranpo mused, "but about what might happen now."

All eyes turned to him.

"Someone wanted to ensure that particular connection was severed," Ranpo continued, unwrapping another candy. "Which suggests they feared what might happen if it remained intact."

"Or they wanted to use Chuuya against Dazai," Kunikida suggested grimly.

"Either way," Mori interjected smoothly, "it points to someone with intimate knowledge of both the Port Mafia and the ADA. Someone who understands the significance of your former partnership."

"That narrows it down to about three people," Chuuya muttered sarcastically. He winced as the doctor tested his reflexes. "And one of them is in this room."

Dazai's eyebrows rose slightly. "Are you accusing me, hachibi?"

The nickname slipped out automatically, and Dazai saw Chuuya's momentary confusion at the unfamiliar term of endearment.

"No," Chuuya replied after a pause. "Even I know that's not your style. You're too straightforward when you want to be an asshole."

Several ADA members stifled surprised laughter, while Gin made a small sound that might have been amusement.

"I'll take that as a compliment," Dazai said lightly.

"Don't," Chuuya shot back, but there was less hostility in his tone than before.

The doctor finally completed his examination and stepped back. "Physical parameters are returning to normal. Ability readings are stable, though depleted. I recommend at least 48 hours of rest before any use of your ability, Executive Nakahara."

"Noted," Chuuya said dismissively.

"And you'll comply," Mori added, his tone making it clear this was an order rather than a suggestion.

Chuuya looked like he wanted to argue but relented with a brief nod. "Fine. 48 hours."

Ryuunosuke shifted in his bed, drawing attention back to himself. "What about the people who did this? They're still out there."

"And they now know their plan failed," Mori agreed. "Which makes them unpredictable."

"We need to consolidate what we know," Kunikida said, adjusting his glasses. "Pool our information."

"Agreed," Mori replied. "Though perhaps not all at once. I suggest we allow our injured members time to recover while our respective intelligence teams compare notes."

Dazai watched the interaction with interest. The ease with which Mori and the ADA leadership were cooperating was unusual, to say the least. The attack on Chuuya and the twins had clearly shaken both organizations more than they were willing to admit.

"I want to know what happened," Chuuya insisted. "All of it. Not just the parts everyone thinks I should know."

His gaze swept the room, challenging anyone to contradict him. When no one did, he continued, "I'm missing pieces of my own life. Significant pieces, apparently. I have a right to know what they are."

"You do," Dazai agreed quietly. "But rushing might do more harm than good."

"That's not your decision to make," Chuuya snapped.

"No," Dazai conceded. "It's not."

Gin suddenly stepped forward. "Perhaps we should give Papa some space," she suggested, her use of the affectionate term drawing another round of surprised looks from the ADA members. "The doctor said rest was important."

Chuuya's expression softened instantly. "I'm fine, Gin. Don't worry about me."

"Too late," she replied simply.

Ryuunosuke reached across the space between their beds, extending his hand toward Chuuya. After a moment's hesitation, Chuuya took it, squeezing gently.

"We're going to figure this out," Ryuunosuke promised. "All of it."

Dazai watched the exchange with a complex mixture of emotions. The family he had once been part of had evolved in his absence, forming new bonds and patterns that excluded him entirely. It was a stark reminder of what his defection had cost him personally, beyond the professional ramifications.

"Perhaps we should allow our patients some rest," Mori suggested smoothly. "The day has been eventful for everyone."

"Agreed," Kunikida said. "We can reconvene when everyone has had time to recover."

As the ADA members began filing out, Dazai remained where he was, his gaze meeting Chuuya's across the room.

"You're staying?" Chuuya asked, an edge of wariness in his voice.

"If you'll permit it," Dazai replied.

Chuuya considered this for a moment, then nodded slightly. "Fine. But no cryptic bullshit. If you know something about what's happening to me, I want to hear it."

"Fair enough," Dazai agreed.

As the others left, Gin moved a chair between the two beds, positioning herself as both guardian and mediator. Mori lingered by the door, his calculating gaze moving between Dazai and Chuuya.

"I'll have guards posted outside," he informed them. "Ring if you need anything."

With that, he departed, leaving an awkward silence in his wake.

"So," Chuuya said finally, his voice tight with controlled frustration. "Tell me what I've forgotten. Who were you to me, Dazai?"

Dazai took a deep breath, weighing his words carefully. The twins watched him with guarded expressions, their posture tense.

"We were partners," he began simply. "The best the Port Mafia had. They called us Double Black."

Chuuya's brow furrowed slightly. "That term... it sounds familiar."

"It should," Dazai confirmed. "We worked together for years. My ability to nullify supernatural powers complemented your gravity manipulation perfectly."

"Professional partners," Chuuya clarified. "That's it?"

Dazai glanced at the twins, who were watching the exchange with carefully neutral expressions. "No," he admitted. "That wasn't it."

Chuuya waited, his blue eyes intent.

"We were married," Dazai said simply. "And together, we raised Gin and Ryuunosuke after they came to the Mafia."

Chuuya's eyes widened, his gaze darting to the twins for confirmation. When they nodded slightly, he exhaled slowly. "Married," he repeated, testing the word. "To you."

"Yes," Dazai confirmed.

"And then you left," Chuuya stated flatly. "Defected to the ADA."

Dazai nodded, pain briefly flickering across his features before he controlled it. "Yes."

"Why?" The question was direct, uncompromising.

"That," Dazai replied softly, "is a much longer conversation."

Chuuya stared at him for a long moment, then leaned back against his pillows, suddenly looking exhausted. "Fine. Not now, then."

The tension in the room eased slightly. Gin relaxed marginally in her chair, while Ryuunosuke's gaze moved between the two men with cautious hope.

"Get some rest," Dazai suggested gently. "We can talk more when you're feeling stronger."

Chuuya's eyes were already drifting closed, the day's exertions finally catching up with him. "Don't think this means I trust you," he muttered.

"I wouldn't dream of it, hachibi," Dazai replied with a faint smile.

As Chuuya's breathing evened out in sleep, Dazai found himself the focus of the twins' attention.

"You hurt him," Gin said quietly. "When you left."

It wasn't an accusation so much as a statement of fact.

"I know," Dazai acknowledged. "I hurt all of you."

"Why did you come back now?" Ryuunosuke asked.

Dazai considered the question carefully. "Because someone is targeting your family," he said finally. "And despite everything that's happened, that still matters to me."

The twins exchanged glances, some unspoken communication passing between them.

"He doesn't remember you," Gin pointed out. "Any of it."

"No," Dazai agreed. "But I remember all of you."

For the first time since their reunion, something like understanding passed between them. Not forgiveness—that would take much longer—but a recognition of shared purpose.

Outside the room, the world continued its relentless motion. Somewhere, the people responsible for Chuuya's condition were regrouping, planning their next move. But for now, in this quiet hospital room, a fractured family had taken the first tentative step toward healing.

Whether that healing would last remained to be seen.

Chapter Text

The Port Mafia headquarters had always been a study in contrasts—imposing architecture softened by unexpected touches of luxury, brutal efficiency tempered with occasional artistic flourishes. Dazai had once known every corner of this building, every secret passage and hidden alcove. But returning now, he found himself navigating an environment that was both familiar and strangely altered, like revisiting a childhood home to find the furniture rearranged.

Chuuya's office was a perfect example. The basic layout remained the same: large desk positioned near floor-to-ceiling windows, bookshelves lining one wall, a comfortable seating area for meetings, and the ever-present wine rack. But the details had changed in ways Dazai found both fascinating and disquieting.

"Are we sure this is a good idea?" Atsushi whispered, hovering nervously near the door. "Being in Executive Nakahara's office without him?"

"Mori-san gave us clearance," Kunikida replied, though he too looked somewhat uncomfortable. "And this is where the secure files are kept."

"Still feels like we're trespassing," Atsushi muttered.

Dazai moved through the space with practiced casualness, but his eyes were cataloging everything—especially the photographs. In his day, Chuuya had kept few personal items in his office. Now, framed pictures occupied prime real estate on his desk and shelves.

A recent photo showed Chuuya with his arm thrown casually around Ryuunosuke's shoulders, both smiling—Chuuya broadly, Ryuunosuke more reservedly. Another captured Gin during what appeared to be a training session, her expression intense as she executed a perfect high kick. A third showed all three of them at what looked like a festival, with street food and paper lanterns in the background.

Most surprising was a group photo that included Mori and several other executives. Everyone wore ridiculous party hats—even Mori, whose dignified features were somewhat undermined by a sparkly cone perched atop his head. A banner visible in the background read "Happy Birthday, Chuuya!"

"This is... unexpected," Ranpo commented, peering at the pictures with undisguised curiosity.

"Indeed," Yosano agreed, examining a selfie that showed the twins pulling silly faces. "Not exactly what one pictures when thinking of the fearsome Port Mafia."

Dazai picked up a frame from Chuuya's desk—a candid shot of Ryuunosuke and Gin laughing together in what appeared to be an arcade. "They've built a life," he said quietly, more to himself than the others.

"A life that doesn't include you," Kunikida observed bluntly, then winced at his own tactlessness. "Sorry. That was unnecessarily harsh."

"But accurate," Dazai replied with a shrug that didn't quite hide his feelings on the matter. "I made my choice when I left."

"Still," Atsushi said gently, "it must be difficult."

Before Dazai could respond, the door to the office burst open. Ryuunosuke slipped inside, moving with surprising agility for someone still attached to an IV pole. His hospital gown had been replaced by loose-fitting casual clothes, but the IV line snaked out from beneath his sleeve, connected to a portable unit.

Without acknowledging the ADA members, he crossed the room in quick, purposeful strides, heading directly for a large wardrobe against the far wall. He wrenched the door open, stepped inside, and pulled it closed behind him.

The ADA members exchanged baffled looks.

"Did that just..." Tanizaki began.

"Yes," Ranpo confirmed, unwrapping a lollipop with deliberate nonchalance. "The feared Mafia assassin just hid in a wardrobe."

"Should we... check on him?" Atsushi suggested hesitantly.

Before anyone could move, the office door flew open again. This time it was Chuuya who entered, his movements betraying similar urgency. He slammed the door behind him and leaned against it, breathing heavily.

"Damn it," he muttered, then froze as he registered the presence of the ADA members. His eyes widened briefly before he composed his features into a mask of casual indifference.

"Oh," he said, straightening his clothing with exaggerated nonchalance. "You're all... here. In my office."

"With permission," Kunikida hastened to clarify. "Boss Mori authorized—"

"Yeah, sure, whatever," Chuuya interrupted, his attention clearly elsewhere. His eyes darted around the room, lingering on potential hiding spots.

Dazai watched with growing amusement as Chuuya edged away from the door, trying to appear casual while clearly planning his next move.

"Is everything all right, Chuuya?" Dazai asked innocently. "You seem... distracted."

"Fine. Everything's fine," Chuuya replied, inching toward the wardrobe. "Just needed to grab something from my office."

"Something in your wardrobe, perhaps?" Dazai suggested, his lips twitching.

Chuuya shot him a venomous glare before lunging for the wardrobe and yanking the door open. He let out a startled yelp upon finding Ryuunosuke already inside, then quickly stepped in himself, pulling the door mostly closed behind him.

"What the hell are you doing in here?" Chuuya's muffled voice demanded from within the wardrobe.

"Same as you," came Ryuunosuke's equally muffled reply. "Hiding."

"Hiding? From whom exactly are Port Mafia executives hiding?" Yosano wondered aloud, a smile playing at her lips.

The answer arrived moments later when the office door opened once more. Kouyou Ozaki entered with the deliberate grace that characterized her every movement, elegant kimono rustling softly. Behind her came Gin, her usual stoic expression replaced by something disturbingly similar to a smirk.

"Pardon the interruption," Kouyou said smoothly to the assembled ADA members. "We're looking for Chuuya and Ryuunosuke. You haven't seen them, by any chance?"

The ADA members exchanged glances. Dazai opened his mouth—presumably to reveal the hiding spot—but Atsushi stepped on his foot, hard.

"No, we haven't," Kunikida replied stiffly, adjusting his glasses. "We've been reviewing case files."

Kouyou's lips curved into a knowing smile. "How curious. We were informed they were heading this way."

"Big brother is supposed to be resting," Gin added, her voice deceptively soft. "And taking his medication." She held up a small paper cup containing several pills.

"And Chuuya-kun has been avoiding his post-Corruption treatment," Kouyou continued, producing a similar cup from her sleeve. "Most unwise for his recovery."

A muffled sneeze emanated from the wardrobe.

Kouyou's smile widened fractionally. "As I suspected." She glided across the room, Gin following in her wake.

Dazai watched with undisguised fascination as the fearsome Port Mafia ladies approached the wardrobe. There was something almost predatory in their movements, a blend of maternal concern and deadly intent that he found both amusing and slightly terrifying.

"Chuuya," Kouyou called sweetly, her tone at odds with her expression. "Ryuunosuke-kun. We know you're in there."

Silence.

"You can come out voluntarily," Gin suggested, "or we can make you come out."

More silence.

Kouyou sighed dramatically. "Very well. Gin-chan, if you would?"

Gin nodded and placed her hand on the wardrobe door. "Last chance, big brother."

From within the wardrobe came hurried whispers, too low to make out clearly. Then, reluctantly, the door creaked open to reveal Chuuya and Ryuunosuke crowded together among hanging coats and stored items.

"This isn't what it looks like," Chuuya began, attempting dignity despite his ridiculous position.

"It looks like two grown men hiding in a wardrobe to avoid taking medication," Kouyou observed dryly. "Is that incorrect?"

Chuuya winced. "Okay, so it's exactly what it looks like."

"The doctor said I need to rest," Ryuunosuke protested weakly. "That's what I was doing. Resting."

"In a wardrobe?" Gin challenged, eyebrows raised.

"It's... very restful in there," her twin insisted without conviction.

Kouyou extended her hand, the paper cup balanced delicately on her palm. "Your medication, Chuuya."

Chuuya eyed it with poorly concealed distaste. "I'm feeling much better, Ane-san. I don't think I need—"

"It wasn't a request," Kouyou interrupted, her smile unwavering but her eyes hardening slightly.

Dazai bit back a laugh. The mighty Chuuya Nakahara, Port Mafia executive and vessel of a capricious god, reduced to a recalcitrant child by maternal authority. It was a side of his former partner he'd rarely seen—and never quite like this.

With a defeated sigh, Chuuya accepted the cup and downed its contents in one swift motion, grimacing dramatically. "Happy now?"

"Ecstatic," Kouyou replied dryly. "Ryuunosuke-kun, your turn."

Ryuunosuke looked toward Gin with something close to pleading in his eyes, but found no mercy there. Reluctantly, he took his own cup of pills.

"These make me sleepy," he complained. "And fuzzy-headed."

"They're helping your body heal," Gin countered. "And you won't be sleepy if you're already resting like you're supposed to be."

With a resigned expression, Ryuunosuke swallowed his pills. "There. Done."

Kouyou nodded approvingly. "Excellent. Now, Ryuunosuke-kun, back to bed. The doctor was quite displeased to find you missing."

"And very vocal about it," Gin added meaningfully.

Ryuunosuke sighed but complied, carefully extracting himself from the wardrobe. "Fine."

As he moved toward the door, still trailing his IV pole, he paused beside Dazai. "They're always like this," he stage-whispered. "Relentless."

"I heard that," Gin called without turning around.

A fleeting smile crossed Ryuunosuke's face—small but genuine—before he continued toward the door, Gin falling into step beside him.

"And where do you think you're going?" Kouyou asked Chuuya, who had begun edging toward his desk.

"This is my office," Chuuya protested. "I have work to do."

"You have resting to do," Kouyou corrected firmly. "Doctor's orders. 48 hours, remember?"

"Ane-san, with all due respect—"

"Oh? Are we discussing respect now?" Kouyou's tone remained pleasant, but something in it made Chuuya flinch slightly. "Should we perhaps discuss the respect due to medical professionals? Or to those who worry about your wellbeing?"

Chuuya's resistance crumbled visibly. "Okay, okay. I'll go back to my room. But I'm taking these files with me," he added, gathering several folders from his desk.

"Acceptable," Kouyou conceded. "But no ability use. None whatsoever."

"Yes, Ane-san," Chuuya replied, sounding remarkably like an obedient schoolboy.

As the small procession prepared to depart, Dazai found himself struck by the domesticity of the scene. This wasn't the Port Mafia as he remembered it—coldly efficient, rigidly hierarchical, devoid of genuine personal connections. This was something warmer, more human.

"Have they always been like this?" he found himself asking. "Since I left, I mean."

Chuuya paused at the door, his expression unreadable. "I wouldn't know, would I? Since someone took those memories."

An awkward silence followed his words.

"But yes," Kouyou answered in his stead. "Some things changed after your departure, Dazai-san. Not all of them for the worse."

There was no hostility in her statement, merely a statement of fact. Dazai nodded, accepting the gentle rebuke for what it was.

"We'll continue this later," Chuuya said to the ADA members, gesturing vaguely toward the files they'd been reviewing. "Once I've satisfied the medical tyrants."

"We'll be here," Kunikida assured him.

As the Port Mafia members filed out, Dazai caught a glimpse of Chuuya placing a casual hand on Ryuunosuke's shoulder, the gesture automatic and comfortable. The boy leaned slightly into the touch, a wordless acknowledgment of their bond.

The door closed behind them, leaving the ADA members alone once more.

"Well," Ranpo said into the ensuing silence, "that was illuminating."

"Indeed," Yosano agreed. "I've never seen that side of the Port Mafia before."

"It's almost... domestic," Atsushi remarked, sounding both surprised and oddly pleased by the discovery.

Dazai returned to the photographs, picking up one he hadn't examined before. It showed Chuuya and the twins at what appeared to be a beach, all three dressed in casual summer clothing. They were laughing at something off-camera, completely at ease with one another.

"They became a real family," he murmured.

"They were always a family, weren't they?" Atsushi asked. "From what you've told us?"

Dazai shook his head slightly. "Not like this. Back then, we were all Port Mafia first, family second. It was... different."

"Less hiding in wardrobes to avoid medication?" Tanizaki suggested with a small smile.

"Definitely less of that," Dazai agreed, returning the photo to its place.

Kunikida cleared his throat. "While this familial drama is fascinating, we should focus on the task at hand. The files Mori-san provided contain information on all known ability users who might have the capability to target specific memories."

"Of course," Dazai replied, turning his attention to the documents spread across Chuuya's desk. "Let's see what we're dealing with."

The ADA members gathered around the desk, falling into their familiar investigative patterns. But as they worked, Dazai found his thoughts returning repeatedly to what he'd just witnessed—a version of his former family that had evolved without him, finding happiness he hadn't thought possible within the confines of the Port Mafia.

"These reports indicate three known ability users with memory manipulation capabilities," Kunikida was saying, organizing documents with his usual precision. "One is currently imprisoned in America. Another died two years ago."

"Leaving us with just one active suspect," Ranpo concluded, picking up a file. "Interesting."

"Too interesting," Dazai remarked, frowning slightly. "It's rarely this straightforward."

"You think it could be someone new?" Atsushi asked. "An ability user who wasn't on our radar?"

"Possibly," Dazai acknowledged. "Or someone using technology rather than an ability."

"Is that even possible?" Tanizaki wondered. "Targeting specific memories with that level of precision?"

"The government has been researching memory manipulation for decades," Yosano said grimly. "It's not outside the realm of possibility."

As they continued discussing possibilities, Dazai's attention was drawn to a small notebook partially hidden beneath other papers on Chuuya's desk. Unlike the official Port Mafia files, this appeared personal—bound in worn leather, its edges softened with use.

Carefully, he extracted it from the pile.

"Dazai," Kunikida warned, "that looks personal. We should stick to the official files."

"This could be relevant," Dazai countered, already opening the notebook. "Chuuya sometimes kept unofficial notes."

Inside, he found pages of Chuuya's distinctive handwriting—neat but with a characteristic flourish to certain letters. The entries appeared to be a mix of work observations and personal thoughts, dating back several years.

Dazai flipped through until a familiar name caught his eye: his own.

> *Had another dream about Dazai last night. Don't remember the details, just woke up feeling angry. The twins were quiet at breakfast. I think they notice these episodes more than they let on. Gin asked if I was okay. I lied and said yes.*

The date on the entry was from three years ago—long after Dazai had left the Mafia.

He turned another page.

> *Ryuu mastered a new technique today. Found myself thinking Dazai would be proud, then got angry at myself for thinking it. The bastard gave up the right to be proud when he walked out on us. Mori suggested I consider therapy. Told him to mind his own business. He just smiled that creepy smile of his.*

Dazai closed the notebook, something tight and painful constricting his chest. These were Chuuya's private thoughts—thoughts he no longer remembered having.

"Find something?" Ranpo asked, his perceptive gaze missing nothing.

"Just confirmation that Chuuya's memories of me weren't simply erased," Dazai replied quietly. "They were specifically targeted."

"Which means whoever did this had intimate knowledge of your relationship," Yosano concluded. "And considered it a threat."

Dazai replaced the notebook carefully among the papers. "Yes," he agreed. "But why now? Why after all this time?"

Before anyone could offer theories, the office door opened again. This time it was Mori who entered, his elegant appearance as impeccable as ever.

"I see our patients have been found and returned to medical supervision," he observed, smiling slightly. "Kouyou-chan has always had a gift for managing the unmanageable."

"It was quite a show," Ranpo commented, grinning around his lollipop.

Mori's smile widened fractionally. "I imagine so. Chuuya-kun has always been a terrible patient."

His gaze settled on Dazai. "And how are you finding our updated files, Dazai-kun? Illuminating?"

"Somewhat," Dazai replied cautiously. "Though there seem to be more questions than answers at this point."

"Indeed." Mori moved to the window, gazing out at the city below. "We've identified three potential suspects with the necessary ability, but only one remains both alive and at large."

"Too convenient," Dazai and Ranpo said simultaneously.

Mori nodded. "My thoughts exactly. Which suggests either an unknown ability user or non-ability means."

"There's something else," Dazai said, choosing his words carefully. "The targeting of Chuuya's memories was extremely specific. Not just removing me, but preserving everything else—including his relationship with the twins."

"Surgical precision," Mori agreed. "And considerable knowledge of Chuuya-kun's mental landscape."

"Someone who knows him well," Kunikida suggested.

"Or someone who had access to detailed information about him," Mori countered. "Information that both our organizations are supposed to keep secure."

The implication hung in the air—a security breach, potentially in either or both organizations.

"We need to check our systems," Kunikida said immediately. "And personnel."

"Already underway," Mori assured him. "But I suggest we proceed with the assumption that our communications and systems may be compromised."

Dazai's mind was already racing ahead, considering possibilities and angles. "We should also reexamine everyone who's had contact with Chuuya in the weeks before the attack."

"The Port Mafia keeps detailed logs," Mori confirmed. "I'll have them made available to your team."

The easy cooperation between former enemies was still somewhat surreal to Dazai. This was not the Mori he remembered—or perhaps it was simply that the stakes had changed.

"There's something else we should consider," Dazai said slowly. "Arahabaki's intervention."

All eyes turned to him.

"The timing is significant," he continued. "Arahabaki chose to manifest fully not just to save Ryuunosuke, but immediately after Chuuya's memories had been targeted. That can't be coincidence."

"You think the god was protecting something?" Ranpo asked, his analytical mind clearly engaged.

"Or someone," Dazai suggested. "Arahabaki has always been protective of its vessel, but this level of direct intervention is unprecedented."

"The deity called the boy 'child' and said his life mattered," Mori recalled thoughtfully. "Suggesting a personal connection beyond mere concern for Chuuya-kun's emotional wellbeing."

"Could Arahabaki know something about why Chuuya's memories were targeted?" Atsushi wondered.

"If it does, it's not sharing that information with Chuuya," Dazai replied. "At least not consciously."

The implications were troubling. A god with its own agenda, potentially withholding crucial information from its human host. And someone with the ability to target specific memories with surgical precision, focusing exclusively on Dazai's relationship with Chuuya.

"We're missing something," Dazai muttered, more to himself than the others. "Something important."

As if in response to his words, a light knock sounded at the door. It opened to reveal Gin, her expression somber.

"Excuse the interruption," she said formally. "But there's something you should know. Ryuunosuke remembers something from when he was captured—before the attack that injured him."

Mori gestured for her to continue.

"The person who held him captive," Gin said, her voice steady despite the obvious emotional weight of the memory, "mentioned Dazai specifically. Said that 'breaking the connection' was essential before 'the cycle could begin anew.'"

Dazai felt a chill run down his spine. "Those were the exact words?"

Gin nodded. "Ryuunosuke just remembered it. The medication sometimes brings back fragments of memory as he falls asleep."

"The cycle?" Kunikida repeated, frowning. "What cycle?"

"And why would my connection to Chuuya need to be broken for it to begin?" Dazai added, his mind already racing through possibilities.

"There's one more thing," Gin said, her dark eyes meeting Dazai's directly. "The captor told Ryuunosuke that you were the reason it all went wrong last time. That you 'interfered with the natural order.'"

A heavy silence filled the room as everyone processed this new information.

"Last time?" Ranpo mused. "Implying this has happened before."

"Or will happen again," Dazai suggested quietly.

Mori's expression had grown calculating. "Gin-chan, please ask Ryuunosuke-kun if he remembers anything else about this captor. Any detail, no matter how small."

Gin nodded. "He's trying to remember more, but the drugs make it difficult. I'll let you know if anything else surfaces."

As she turned to leave, her eyes met Dazai's once more. There was something almost like concern in her gaze—concern for him, not just for her family.

"Be careful," she said softly. "Whoever did this... they hate you most of all."

With that cryptic warning, she departed, leaving the investigators to contemplate the increasingly complex puzzle before them.

"Well," Dazai said into the silence that followed, attempting to lighten the mood, "at least I'm still popular enough to inspire strong emotions."

No one laughed. Instead, Mori regarded him with an unnervingly perceptive stare.

"I think, Dazai-kun," he said carefully, "that you may be at the center of this mystery without even realizing it. The question is: what did you do that someone considers interference with the 'natural order'?"

"And what cycle," Kunikida added grimly, "are they trying to begin anew?"

Dazai had no answer. But as he looked around at the photographs decorating Chuuya's office—images of a family he had once been part of and then abandoned—he couldn't shake the feeling that the answer lay somewhere in the past he and Chuuya had shared.

A past that only he now remembered.

Chapter Text

# Chapter: Unexpected Visitor

The sun had just begun its descent toward the horizon, casting long shadows across the Port Mafia headquarters. Dazai stood by the window in Chuuya's office, idly tracing patterns on the glass as the investigation continued around him. The ADA members had spread out, each tackling different aspects of the case—Kunikida meticulously organizing intelligence reports, Ranpo analyzing patterns that others might miss, Atsushi and Tanizaki cross-referencing witness statements.

For his part, Dazai found his thoughts continually circling back to Gin's warning. Someone considered his connection to Chuuya an interference with the "natural order." Someone believed there was a "cycle" that needed to begin anew.

The cryptic phrases nagged at him, familiar yet elusive, like a half-remembered dream. He was so deep in thought that he barely registered the office door opening until Mori's smooth voice broke the silence.

"Ah, Kazuki-san. What a pleasant surprise."

Dazai turned, his training instantly masking the jolt of recognition that shot through him at the name. Standing in the doorway was a man he'd never expected to see here—tall, impeccably dressed in a charcoal suit that screamed expensive tailoring, with features that wouldn't look out of place on a fashion magazine cover. Kazuki Sato, prominent businessman with ties to various underworld organizations, including the Port Mafia.

And, apparently, someone who knew Chuuya well enough to be dropping by unannounced.

"Boss Mori," Kazuki greeted with a respectful inclination of his head. "I apologize for the unexpected visit. I tried calling, but..."

"No apology necessary," Mori assured him, the perfect host despite the tension that had suddenly materialized in the room. "What brings you to our humble establishment today?"

Kazuki's eyes swept the room, taking in the ADA members with mild curiosity before settling on Dazai. Something flickered in his expression—not quite recognition, but a calculating assessment that reminded Dazai why this man had prospered in such dangerous waters.

"Business, primarily," Kazuki replied smoothly. "But I was also hoping to catch Chuuya. He missed our dinner engagement last night."

Dazai kept his expression carefully neutral, but inside, something cold and sharp had lodged itself beneath his ribs. Dinner engagement?

"Ah, yes," Mori nodded. "I'm afraid Chuuya-kun has been somewhat indisposed due to recent events. I'm sure he meant to contact you."

"Indisposed?" Kazuki's brow furrowed with what appeared to be genuine concern. "Is he alright?"

"He's recovering," Mori said vaguely. "Nothing to worry about."

Kazuki nodded, though he didn't appear entirely convinced. His attention returned to Dazai, curiosity evident in his gaze. "I don't believe we've met..."

"No, we haven't," Dazai confirmed, stepping forward with practiced ease. "Osamu Dazai, Armed Detective Agency."

Recognition dawned in Kazuki's eyes. "Dazai? The former Port Mafia executive?"

"The very same," Dazai acknowledged with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Dazai-san is Chuuya-kun's former partner," Mori explained smoothly. "They worked together quite extensively before Dazai-kun's... career change."

Kazuki's eyes widened slightly. "Oh, so you're *that* partner." His tone shifted subtly, a new edge entering his voice. "The one who blew up a kid. Brutal."

The room temperature seemed to drop several degrees. The ADA members froze in their various activities, attention now fully focused on the exchange.

Dazai's smile remained fixed in place, though something dangerous flickered behind his eyes. "My reputation precedes me, I see."

"Chuuya mentioned it once," Kazuki replied with a casual shrug that couldn't quite disguise the deliberate nature of his comment. "Said it was one of the worst days of his life."

Before Dazai could respond, the office door opened again. Ryuunosuke and Gin entered, then immediately tensed upon seeing the tableau before them.

"Kazuki-san," Ryuunosuke acknowledged stiffly. "We didn't know you were visiting today."

"A spontaneous decision," Kazuki replied, his demeanor warming considerably. "Good to see you both. You're looking well, Ryuunosuke. Chuuya mentioned you'd been ill."

"Something like that," Ryuunosuke murmured evasively.

Gin moved subtly, positioning herself between Dazai and Kazuki. The movement was so natural it might have seemed coincidental to an untrained eye, but Dazai recognized it for what it was—an intervention.

"Chuuya's still resting," she said to Kazuki. "Doctor's orders. Maybe you could come back tomorrow?"

Kazuki smiled apologetically. "Unfortunately, my schedule is rather packed. I was hoping to see him briefly before my meeting with Boss Mori."

The twins exchanged a quick glance that spoke volumes. Dazai watched with growing fascination as they executed a silent communication that reminded him painfully of his own wordless exchanges with Chuuya during their partnership.

"We can check if he's awake," Ryuunosuke offered, already moving toward the door. "He might be up for a short visit."

"That would be appreciated," Kazuki replied with a smile that was all charm.

As Ryuunosuke slipped out, Gin remained, her posture relaxed but her eyes watchful. Dazai recognized the protective stance of someone expecting trouble and preparing to intervene if necessary.

"So, Kazuki-san," Mori interjected smoothly, "how is your expansion into the technology sector progressing?"

"Quite well," Kazuki replied, easily sliding into business discussion. "The new quantum computing division is particularly promising..."

Dazai tuned out the conversation, his mind working rapidly. Kazuki Sato. Of course. The pieces were falling into place—Chuuya's missing memories, specifically targeted to erase Dazai from his life, creating a void that someone else could conveniently fill.

But was Kazuki the mastermind, or merely an opportunistic player in a larger game?

Before he could pursue that thought further, raised voices in the hallway drew everyone's attention. The office door swung open again to reveal Chuuya and Kouyou engaged in what appeared to be a heated debate.

"—unnecessary and you know it," Chuuya was saying, his expression frustrated. "I've been through Corruption dozens of times—"

"Not like this," Kouyou countered firmly. "Full manifestation changes everything, and until we understand—"

"Chuuya."

Kazuki's voice cut through their argument like a knife. Both Chuuya and Kouyou stopped mid-sentence, turning toward the unexpected visitor.

Chuuya blinked, genuine surprise crossing his features. "Kazuki? What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you," Kazuki replied warmly, crossing the room with purposeful strides. "You missed our dinner last night."

Before anyone could intervene, Kazuki reached Chuuya and leaned down, pressing a kiss to his lips—brief but unmistakably intimate. Chuuya froze momentarily before stepping back, a flush rising to his cheeks.

"Right," he said, looking flustered. "Dinner. I... something came up."

"So I gathered," Kazuki replied, his gaze flickering over the assembled company before returning to Chuuya. "You look tired. Are you ill?"

"Work complications," Chuuya answered vaguely. "Nothing serious."

Dazai watched the exchange with a carefully blank expression, though his hands had clenched into fists at his sides. The casual intimacy of the kiss, the easy familiarity with which Kazuki touched Chuuya's shoulder—these were like physical blows.

Across the room, the twins were watching with identical expressions of discomfort. Gin had moved closer to Dazai, ostensibly examining some papers on a nearby desk but positioned to intervene if necessary.

"Well, I'm glad to see you're on your feet," Kazuki said to Chuuya. "I was worried when you didn't answer my calls."

"My phone was... damaged," Chuuya replied, which wasn't entirely untrue. His previous phone had been destroyed during the attack that had led to his memory loss.

"Hazards of the job," Kazuki nodded understandingly. His hand remained on Chuuya's shoulder, the gesture both possessive and affectionate. "Actually, my visit isn't purely personal. I have some business to discuss with Boss Mori that might interest you as well."

"Oh?" Chuuya looked intrigued, and relieved at the change of subject.

"Information about certain shipments through Yokohama port," Kazuki explained. "Specifically, some unusual technological equipment."

Mori stepped forward smoothly. "Perhaps we should discuss this in my office, Kazuki-san. The relevant files are there."

"Of course," Kazuki agreed readily. To Chuuya, he added, "Join us? Your expertise would be valuable."

Chuuya hesitated, glancing briefly at the ADA members and then, almost unwillingly, at Dazai. Their eyes met for a fraction of a second—long enough for Dazai to see the confusion lurking behind Chuuya's professional mask.

"Sure," Chuuya agreed finally. "I could use a change of scenery from hospital rooms and medical lectures."

Kouyou sighed dramatically. "I suppose a business meeting counts as resting, provided you remain seated and don't use your ability."

"Yes, Ane-san," Chuuya replied with exaggerated patience, then turned to Kazuki. "Lead the way."

As they prepared to leave, Kazuki's gaze settled on Dazai once more. "A pleasure to finally meet you, Dazai-san. Chuuya's mentioned you occasionally—his former work partner, I believe?"

The deliberate emphasis on "work" wasn't lost on anyone in the room.

"That's one way to describe it," Dazai replied evenly. "We shared many... experiences."

Something like suspicion flickered across Kazuki's features before his smooth businessman's smile returned. "I'm sure you did. The Port Mafia creates strong bonds between colleagues."

"Indeed it does," Dazai agreed, his smile not reaching his eyes. "Some bonds are impossible to break... no matter how hard someone might try."

The subtle challenge hung in the air between them. For a moment, Kazuki's polished veneer seemed to waver, revealing something harder and colder beneath. Then it was gone, replaced by a genial nod.

"Well, we shouldn't keep Boss Mori waiting. Chuuya?" He extended his arm in a courtly gesture.

Chuuya rolled his eyes at the formality but moved to join him. "I'll catch up with you later," he said to the room at large, though his gaze lingered briefly on the twins. "Try not to solve the entire case without me."

As the trio departed—Mori leading, Kazuki and Chuuya following closely behind—an awkward silence descended upon the office.

Ryuunosuke was the first to break it. "So... that happened."

"Indeed," Kunikida commented, adjusting his glasses. "A most unexpected development."

"Not that unexpected," Gin muttered, then seemed to regret speaking when all eyes turned to her.

"Care to elaborate?" Dazai asked, his tone deliberately casual despite the tension evident in his posture.

The twins exchanged another of their silent communications. Finally, Ryuunosuke sighed and turned to face Dazai directly.

"Kazuki-san and Papa have been... seeing each other for about three months," he explained reluctantly. "Since shortly after the incident that took his memories."

"I see." Dazai's voice was perfectly neutral. "And how did they meet?"

"Business connection," Gin supplied. "He provides certain specialized equipment to the Port Mafia. They met at some function Mori hosted."

"Three months," Dazai repeated thoughtfully. "Convenient timing."

Atsushi shifted uncomfortably. "You think it's connected to Chuuya-san's memory loss? That this Kazuki person might be involved?"

"It's certainly worth investigating," Ranpo interjected, unwrapping yet another candy. "The timeline aligns too perfectly to be mere coincidence."

"He seemed quite... familiar with Executive Nakahara," Kunikida observed diplomatically.

Dazai's expression remained carefully blank, but Ryuunosuke winced slightly. "Yeah, they're... close," he confirmed awkwardly. "It happened pretty fast."

"Too fast," Gin added, her voice lowered. "We thought so at the time, but..."

"But what?" Dazai prompted when she trailed off.

Gin's shoulders tensed. "Papa seemed happy," she said simply. "After everything... we didn't want to ruin that."

The unspoken accusation hung in the air between them. After Dazai had left. After Chuuya had been left to raise the twins alone. After years of struggle and loneliness.

"Understandable," Dazai acknowledged softly. "You were protecting your family."

"Trying to," Ryuunosuke corrected, a hint of bitterness creeping into his voice. "Not that we did a very good job, considering what happened."

"You nearly died protecting your father," Dazai reminded him. "I'd call that a pretty good job."

Ryuunosuke looked startled by the praise, then oddly pleased before schooling his features back to neutrality. "Thanks," he said awkwardly. "But it wasn't enough."

"What do we know about this Kazuki?" Yosano asked, bringing the conversation back to the investigation. "Beyond his business connections to the Port Mafia?"

"Not much," Gin admitted. "He's wealthy, well-connected, seems legitimate on paper. No criminal record, no known ability. He's been in Yokohama for about a year."

"Only a year?" Dazai's eyes narrowed. "Where was he before that?"

"Tokyo, I think," Ryuunosuke replied. "Or maybe Osaka? I'm not sure."

Dazai nodded thoughtfully. "Interesting. And has he been around during any of the incidents involving Chuuya recently? The attack that took his memories, for instance?"

The twins exchanged another glance.

"No," Gin said slowly. "He was traveling when it happened. Business in Europe, I think. He came back right after—seemed genuinely concerned about Papa."

"And the recent attack?" Dazai pressed. "Where was he then?"

"Also away," Ryuunosuke confirmed. "Shanghai, for some tech conference. He called when he heard what happened, offered to cut his trip short, but Papa told him not to bother."

"Convenient alibis," Ranpo remarked, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "Almost too convenient."

"Or simply coincidental," Kunikida countered reasonably. "Many business executives travel frequently."

Dazai moved to the window, gazing out at the darkening sky. "What was Chuuya like with him? Before all this happened, I mean."

The question seemed to catch the twins off guard. They exchanged another of their silent communications before Ryuunosuke answered.

"Happy, I guess? Relaxed. They get along well. Kazuki-san is... attentive."

"He brings expensive wine," Gin added with a slight eye-roll. "Papa appreciates that."

"I'll bet he does," Dazai murmured, a ghost of a smile crossing his features. Some things never changed.

Atsushi approached Dazai cautiously. "Are you... okay with this?" he asked quietly.

Dazai turned, his expression perfectly composed. "Why wouldn't I be? Chuuya's personal life is his own business."

No one in the room appeared convinced by this statement, least of all the twins.

"Right," Ryuunosuke said skeptically. "That's why you looked like you wanted to throw Kazuki-san out the window when he kissed Papa."

"Windows are terribly useful for that sort of thing," Dazai agreed cheerfully. "So convenient. So high up."

"Dazai-san," Kunikida warned.

"I'm joking," Dazai assured him, though his smile didn't quite reach his eyes. "Mostly."

Gin moved closer, lowering her voice. "For what it's worth," she said quietly, "it's not the same."

Dazai glanced at her, startled by the unexpected comment.

"The way Papa is with him," she clarified. "It's... different. Not bad, just... different."

Before Dazai could ask her to elaborate, the office door opened once more. Kouyou entered, her elegant appearance at odds with the clinical setting.

"The meeting will take some time," she informed them. "Chuuya asked me to tell you all to continue without him."

"Of course he did," Dazai muttered. "Always putting work first."

Kouyou's perceptive gaze settled on him. "Not always," she corrected mildly. "That has changed in recent years."

"So I've gathered," Dazai replied, gesturing to the photographs scattered around the office.

Kouyou approached him, her movement graceful despite the underlying steel in her posture. "Things changed after you left, Dazai-kun," she said, her voice low enough that only he could hear. "Some for the better, some for the worse. But they did change."

"I'm beginning to understand that," Dazai acknowledged.

"Are you?" Kouyou studied him carefully. "Or are you merely observing the superficial differences?"

Before Dazai could respond, she continued, "Chuuya became a father in truth after you left—not just a guardian or a caretaker, but a parent these children could rely on completely. He built something precious from the wreckage you left behind."

The words stung, but Dazai didn't flinch. "I never doubted he would," he said softly. "Chuuya was always stronger than I gave him credit for."

Something in Kouyou's expression softened marginally. "Yes, he was. But strength doesn't preclude pain, Dazai-kun. Remember that."

With that cryptic comment, she turned to address the room at large. "I suggest we break for the evening. It's been a long day, and fresh perspectives in the morning may prove valuable."

Kunikida checked his watch and nodded. "A reasonable suggestion. We can reconvene tomorrow morning."

As the ADA members gathered their notes and prepared to depart, Dazai found himself lingering. His gaze returned to the photographs on Chuuya's desk—tangible evidence of the life that had continued in his absence.

Gin approached him quietly. "We have rooms prepared for your team at the safe house on the east side," she informed him. "Secure and comfortable."

"Thank you," Dazai replied, genuinely appreciative of the hospitality despite the circumstances.

Gin hesitated, then added, "There's something you should know about Kazuki-san."

Dazai's attention sharpened immediately. "What's that?"

"Before the attack—the one that injured Ryuu—we saw Papa with him. They were arguing about something."

"What about?"

Gin shook her head. "We couldn't hear. But afterward, Papa was upset. Really upset. And then..."

"Then what?" Dazai prompted when she trailed off.

"Then you kissed him," Ryuunosuke supplied, joining them. "The day before he was captured. We saw that too."

Dazai froze. "You saw that?"

The twins nodded in unison.

"We were tracking you both," Gin admitted without a trace of remorse. "We knew something was wrong with Papa, and you were back in town, so..."

"So naturally, you spied on us," Dazai concluded, finding himself oddly impressed despite the circumstances. "And you saw the kiss."

"And Papa's reaction to it," Ryuunosuke added meaningfully. "He was... confused. But not angry. Not like we expected."

"And the next day, he was taken," Gin finished. "And when we found him, he had no memory of you beyond being his former work partner."

The implications hung heavily in the air between them.

"Did you tell anyone else about this?" Dazai asked carefully. "About what you saw?"

The twins shook their heads.

"Not even Mori or Kouyou?"

"No," Gin confirmed. "We weren't sure what it meant."

Dazai considered this new information carefully. "And Kazuki? When did he next see Chuuya after the memory loss?"

"Almost immediately," Ryuunosuke replied. "He came to visit as soon as Papa was cleared for visitors. Brought a ridiculous amount of flowers and that wine Papa likes from France."

"Perfect timing," Dazai murmured, the pieces beginning to align in his mind.

"You think he's involved?" Gin asked bluntly.

"I think," Dazai replied carefully, "that the timing is too convenient to ignore. But we need evidence, not just suspicion."

The twins nodded, their expressions serious.

"We want Papa's memories back," Ryuunosuke said quietly. "The real ones. Not whatever story someone decided he should have instead."

"We'll get them back," Dazai promised, surprising himself with the fierce certainty in his voice. "One way or another."

As the twins led him toward the exit, Dazai found himself casting one last glance at the photos on Chuuya's desk. Among them was one he hadn't noticed before—Chuuya smiling at someone outside the frame, his expression soft and genuine in a way Dazai hadn't seen in years.

The pain that lanced through him at the sight was as unexpected as it was powerful. But alongside it came something else—a fierce, protective determination that he hadn't felt in a very long time.

Someone had tampered with what was his. And regardless of the years and choices that separated them, Chuuya Nakahara was still—would always be—his.

The game was just beginning.

Chapter Text

# Chapter: Confrontation

The meeting with Mori had dragged on longer than expected, the discussion of unusual technology shipments evolving into a broader strategic conversation about Port Mafia interests. By the time they finished, evening had fully descended, casting the executive offices in pools of shadow broken only by carefully positioned lamps.

Chuuya stretched, feeling the lingering stiffness in his muscles from his recent Corruption episode. Despite the doctor's warnings and medications, the familiar post-ability ache persisted—a dull throb that radiated from his core to his extremities.

"You look tired," Kazuki observed, his voice gentle as Mori excused himself with practiced discretion. "Should I call for a car to take you home?"

"I'm fine," Chuuya replied automatically. Then, catching himself, he offered a slight smile. "But thanks for asking."

As the door closed behind Mori, leaving them alone in the elegant conference room, an awkward silence descended. Chuuya found himself uncharacteristically hesitant, unsure how to navigate a relationship he couldn't fully remember establishing.

"About last night," he began finally. "I'm sorry I missed our dinner. Things got... complicated."

Kazuki waved a dismissive hand. "Don't worry about it. From what I've gathered, you had more pressing concerns." He moved closer, his expression softening. "I was worried when I couldn't reach you, that's all."

"My phone was destroyed during the... incident," Chuuya explained vaguely. He hadn't yet determined how much Kazuki knew about his work with the Port Mafia. Business connections were one thing; intimate knowledge of operations was another entirely.

"So Mori-san mentioned," Kazuki nodded. "He was uncharacteristically vague about what happened, though."

Chuuya shrugged. "Work hazards. Nothing unusual."

"Nothing unusual that required medical supervision and bed rest?" Kazuki challenged gently, close enough now that Chuuya could detect the subtle notes of his expensive cologne. "You're a terrible liar, Chuuya."

"I'm an excellent liar," Chuuya protested with a hint of his normal fire. "Just not with people who know me well."

The words emerged before he could consider their implications. Did Kazuki know him well? According to the twins, they'd been seeing each other for months, but to Chuuya, it felt like meeting a charming stranger who somehow had permission to invade his personal space.

Kazuki smiled, apparently pleased by the inadvertent acknowledgment. He moved closer still, one hand coming up to brush Chuuya's hair away from his face in a gesture of casual intimacy. "I've missed you," he said softly.

Before Chuuya could formulate a response, Kazuki drew him into a loose embrace, one arm circling his waist while the other hand tilted his chin upward. The movement was practiced, familiar—the gesture of a lover accustomed to such liberties.

"Kazuki, I—" Chuuya began, but the remainder of his protest was cut short as Kazuki lowered his head, pressing his lips to the sensitive spot just below Chuuya's ear.

The sensation was not unpleasant. Objectively, Chuuya could appreciate Kazuki's attractiveness and evident skill. But something felt off—a dissonance he couldn't quite identify. As Kazuki's lips traced a path down his neck, Chuuya found himself tensing rather than relaxing into the embrace.

"You're still stressed," Kazuki murmured against his skin. "Let me help with that." His mouth found Chuuya's in a kiss that was both confident and possessive.

Chuuya responded automatically, his body remembering what his mind could not. For a moment, he allowed himself to be swept along, seeking any hint of genuine emotional connection in the physical contact.

Instead, unbidden and unwelcome, another face flashed in his mind. Dazai's face, his dark eyes intent as he'd said those impossible words: *"We were married. And together, we raised Gin and Ryuunosuke after they came to the Mafia."*

The memory fractured Chuuya's concentration. He pulled back abruptly, breaking the kiss.

"Wait," he said, breathing more heavily than the brief kiss should have warranted. "I need—I need a minute."

Kazuki didn't immediately release him. Instead, his arms tightened slightly, his expression flickering between concern and something less easily defined. "What's wrong? Are you in pain?"

"No, it's not that," Chuuya replied, gently but firmly extracting himself from the embrace. "It's just... there's something you should know."

Kazuki released him reluctantly, his brow furrowing. "That sounds ominous."

Chuuya ran a hand through his hair, a nervous gesture he'd never quite managed to overcome. "During the recent incident, I sustained certain... injuries. Not physical, exactly."

"What do you mean?"

"Memory loss," Chuuya said plainly. "Targeted memory loss. Someone deliberately removed specific memories from my mind."

Kazuki stared at him, his expression cycling rapidly through surprise, concern, and something that might have been calculation before settling on appropriate distress. "That's—that's horrible. What did they take? Do you remember me?"

"Yes, I remember you," Chuuya assured him quickly. "The targeting was very specific. They erased my memories of my former partner, Dazai. Apparently, we were... closer than I recall."

Something hardened in Kazuki's eyes. "Closer? In what way?"

Chuuya hesitated, uncertain how to explain a relationship he himself couldn't remember. "According to him, we were more than professional partners. We were... involved."

"Involved," Kazuki repeated flatly. "And you believe him?"

"The twins confirmed it," Chuuya replied. "And there's other evidence as well. Photos, records..."

"I see." Kazuki's voice had cooled considerably. "And this changes things between us how, exactly?"

The question caught Chuuya off guard. "I'm not saying it changes anything. I just thought you should know that I'm dealing with this... complication."

"A complication named Dazai," Kazuki observed, moving closer once more. "Who conveniently appears just as our relationship is progressing, claiming a prior connection that you can't verify from your own memories."

Put that way, it did sound suspicious. Chuuya frowned. "The twins wouldn't lie about something like this."

"I'm not suggesting they're lying," Kazuki said smoothly. "But they were very young when Dazai left. Memory is malleable, especially childhood memory. Perhaps they've romanticized the past."

"Perhaps," Chuuya conceded, though something in him rebelled against the suggestion. "Either way, I need time to sort this out. I think we should—"

His words were cut off as Kazuki closed the distance between them once more, capturing his lips in a kiss that was considerably more forceful than before. One hand gripped the back of Chuuya's neck, the other sliding around his waist to pull him flush against Kazuki's body.

Startled, Chuuya instinctively began to respond before his conscious mind caught up. He placed his hands against Kazuki's chest, intending to push him away, but before he could exert any pressure, the conference room door burst open.

The next few seconds unfolded with the surreal quality of a dream. Kazuki was suddenly wrenched backward, torn away from Chuuya with such force that he stumbled. Then came the unmistakable sound of fist meeting flesh—a solid impact followed by the crash of a body hitting the floor.

Chuuya blinked, his tactical mind struggling to catch up with the abrupt shift in circumstances. Dazai stood before him, right hand curled into a fist, left hand already reaching for the gun holstered beneath his coat. His expression was terrifying in its cold fury—a look Chuuya hadn't seen since their Port Mafia days together.

On the floor, Kazuki touched his split lip, eyes widening as his fingers came away bloody. "What the hell?" he demanded, looking between Dazai and Chuuya in shock.

"Next time," Dazai said, his voice eerily calm despite the rage evident in his posture, "when someone tells you to wait, you wait."

Kazuki's shock transformed into anger. He pushed himself up from the floor, his composed businessman's persona cracking to reveal something harder beneath. "You have no right to interfere," he snarled. "This is between Chuuya and me."

"Is it?" Dazai's smile was terrifying in its emptiness. "Because from where I was standing, it looked like you weren't particularly interested in Chuuya's opinion on the matter."

"This is assault," Kazuki said, rising to his feet. "I have connections in this organization—"

The metallic click of a safety being disengaged silenced him mid-threat. Dazai had drawn his gun with the swift precision that had once made him the Port Mafia's most feared executive.

"Dazai!" Chuuya's voice cracked like a whip. "Put that away. Now."

For one terrible moment, Dazai's expression remained fixed in that cold, deadly mask—the face of a man who had killed without hesitation or remorse. Then his eyes shifted to Chuuya, and something in them changed.

"He wasn't stopping," Dazai said quietly. "You tried to pull away, and he didn't stop."

"That doesn't justify shooting him," Chuuya replied, moving slowly toward Dazai with his hands raised placatingly. "Put the gun down, Dazai. This isn't worth it."

"Isn't it?" Dazai's eyes flickered back to Kazuki, who had gone very still. "Ask him if he knew about your memory loss before you told him just now. Ask him why he was so quick to dismiss what the twins confirmed."

A flicker of something—guilt? alarm?—crossed Kazuki's face. It was gone almost instantly, but Chuuya caught it. His instincts, honed by years in the Mafia, suddenly blared a warning.

"Kazuki?" he asked quietly. "Did you know?"

Kazuki's expression smoothed into professional concern. "Of course not. How could I? This is the first I'm hearing of it."

The denial was perfect—reasonable, appropriately emotional. But something in the delivery struck Chuuya as rehearsed.

"You told me we were seeing each other for three months," Chuuya pressed. "That would mean we started dating shortly after the incident when I lost these memories."

"That's right," Kazuki confirmed, relaxing slightly as the conversation moved away from immediate violence. "We met at a business function Mori-san hosted."

"And you never noticed anything... off about me? No gaps in my knowledge, no confusion about our shared history?"

A flicker of uncertainty crossed Kazuki's features. "You were somewhat reserved at first," he admitted. "I assumed it was just the natural caution of someone in your position."

Dazai made a small, contemptuous sound. "Convenient."

Before the situation could escalate further, Chuuya made a decision. In one swift movement, he closed the remaining distance to Dazai and grasped his wrist, forcing the gun downward.

"We're leaving," he said firmly. "Both of us. Right now."

Dazai resisted for a moment, his gaze still locked on Kazuki. Then, with visible effort, he allowed Chuuya to guide his hand until the gun was pointed at the floor.

"This isn't over," he told Kazuki softly.

"I believe it is," Kazuki replied, his composure regained. "Chuuya, we should talk—"

"Not now," Chuuya cut him off. "Not until I sort this out. And Kazuki?" He paused, meeting the other man's eyes directly. "Until I can trust that you'll stop when I say stop, we're not dating. We're not anything."

Kazuki's expression hardened. "You're making a mistake."

"Probably," Chuuya agreed, tightening his grip on Dazai's wrist. "But it's my mistake to make."

Without waiting for a response, he pulled Dazai toward the door, keeping a firm hold on his arm. To his relief, Dazai allowed himself to be led, though his eyes never left Kazuki until they were out of the room.

Chuuya didn't stop until they had navigated several hallways and entered an empty conference room. Only then did he release Dazai's wrist and round on him.

"What the hell were you thinking?" he demanded, anger bubbling up now that the immediate crisis had passed. "You pulled a gun on a civilian. In Port Mafia headquarters."

"He's not just a civilian," Dazai replied, his tone oddly flat. "And you know it."

"What I know," Chuuya countered, "is that you nearly shot a man for kissing me. A man I was apparently dating before all this happened."

"Before someone conveniently erased your memories of our relationship," Dazai pointed out. "Leaving a nice, Dazai-shaped hole in your life for someone like Kazuki to fill."

Chuuya ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "You can't just—you can't just burst in and attack people because you're jealous."

"Jealous?" Dazai's laugh held no humor. "This isn't about jealousy, Chuuya. This is about someone manipulating you. Using you."

"And how would you know that?" Chuuya challenged. "You've been gone for years. You don't know anything about my life now."

"I know you," Dazai replied simply. "Better than you currently know yourself, thanks to whoever took your memories."

The statement, so calmly delivered, struck Chuuya like a physical blow. Because it was true, wasn't it? Someone had stolen pieces of his past—important pieces, if everyone was to be believed. He was operating with an incomplete understanding of his own life.

"That doesn't give you the right to make decisions for me," he said finally, his voice quieter but no less intense. "Or to assault people I'm involved with."

"He wasn't listening to you," Dazai insisted, a flash of the earlier anger returning to his eyes. "You tried to pull away, and he kept going. That's not acceptable, Chuuya. Not from anyone."

Chuuya wanted to argue, to defend Kazuki out of sheer stubbornness if nothing else. But the truth was, Dazai was right. Kazuki hadn't stopped when he should have.

"Fine," he conceded reluctantly. "His behavior was inappropriate. But so was yours. You don't solve problems by shooting people, Dazai."

"Debatable," Dazai muttered.

Despite everything, Chuuya felt the corner of his mouth twitch upward. The response was so quintessentially Dazai—the same dark, inappropriate humor he remembered from their Mafia days together.

"Just... promise me you won't do anything like that again," Chuuya said, attempting to steer the conversation toward resolution. "No matter how justified you think you are."

Dazai's expression turned serious. "I can't promise that," he said quietly. "Not when it comes to protecting you."

"I don't need protection," Chuuya countered automatically. "I'm perfectly capable of handling myself."

"Normally, yes," Dazai agreed. "But these aren't normal circumstances. Someone has deliberately targeted you, Chuuya. They've altered your perception of reality by removing specific memories. Until we understand who did this and why, you're vulnerable in ways you don't even realize."

The blunt assessment was infuriating, primarily because Chuuya couldn't deny its accuracy. He was operating at a disadvantage, navigating relationships and situations without the full context of his own history.

"So what do you suggest?" he asked, resignation coloring his tone. "That I treat everyone as a potential threat until we solve this mystery?"

"Not everyone," Dazai replied. "Just those who appeared in your life suspiciously close to when your memories were taken."

"Like Kazuki," Chuuya concluded.

"Like Kazuki," Dazai confirmed. "Who, by remarkable coincidence, was traveling when both attacks occurred. Who entered your life precisely when your memories of me were erased. Who becomes physically forceful when you mention our past connection."

Put that way, the pattern did seem suspicious. Chuuya leaned against the conference table, suddenly exhausted. "This is all just... a lot to process."

"I know," Dazai said, his tone gentler than before. "And I'm sorry for adding to the chaos."

Chuuya looked up, startled by the unexpected apology. "You're sorry? That's new."

A small, genuine smile flickered across Dazai's features. "I've changed too, you know. It hasn't been all cute family photos and birthday parties for me either."

The reference to the photos in his office reminded Chuuya of something that had been nagging at him. "Why did you leave?" he asked abruptly. "If we were really married, if we were raising the twins together... why did you go?"

Dazai's expression shuttered, the brief glimpse of vulnerability disappearing behind a carefully neutral mask. "That's a long conversation," he said, echoing his earlier evasion. "And not one we should have when you're exhausted from Corruption and I'm still contemplating violence against your... whatever Kazuki is."

"Boyfriend?" Chuuya suggested, more to gauge Dazai's reaction than anything else.

"Ex-boyfriend," Dazai corrected firmly. "As of about five minutes ago, if I understood your parting words correctly."

Chuuya couldn't help a small snort of laughter. "Fair enough. Ex-boyfriend, then."

An awkward silence fell between them, heavy with unspoken history—history that only one of them could remember.

"You should rest," Dazai said finally. "Doctor's orders, right? Kouyou-san will have my hide if I keep you from your prescribed recuperation."

"Probably," Chuuya agreed, relieved at the change of subject. "She's gotten very... maternal over the years."

"I've noticed," Dazai replied dryly. "The twins seem to have an entire squad of overprotective parental figures."

"They do," Chuuya confirmed, a genuine smile warming his features. "It drives them crazy sometimes, but I think they secretly appreciate it."

Something wistful crossed Dazai's expression. "They've grown up well," he said softly. "You did a good job with them."

The simple praise, delivered without pretense or calculation, caught Chuuya off guard. "I... thank you," he said awkwardly. "They're good kids. Young adults now, I suppose, though it's hard to see them that way sometimes."

"I can imagine," Dazai nodded. "It seems like just yesterday they were hiding under desks in headquarters and asking impossible questions at the most inconvenient times."

The casual reference to shared memories—memories Chuuya couldn't access—created an odd sensation in his chest, a hollow ache that was neither physical nor entirely emotional.

"Tell me something," he requested impulsively. "Something about us. Something from before."

Dazai looked surprised by the request. "Like what?"

"Anything," Chuuya shrugged. "Something ordinary. Not dramatic or life-changing. Just... normal."

Dazai considered for a moment, his gaze growing distant as he searched his memories. "You used to make lunches for all of us," he said finally. "Every morning, without fail. Even when you had early missions or late nights, there would be four bento boxes lined up on the kitchen counter."

The detail was so mundane, so domestic, that Chuuya found himself momentarily speechless.

"You were terrible at it at first," Dazai continued, a small smile playing at his lips. "The twins were too polite to complain, but I wasn't. I told you your onigiri looked like they'd been sat on by a sumo wrestler."

"I bet that went over well," Chuuya remarked dryly.

"You threw one at my head," Dazai confirmed cheerfully. "But then you got better. Started watching cooking shows, practiced when everyone was asleep. By the time I left, your bentos were the envy of the entire organization."

The story painted a picture of domestic life so at odds with Chuuya's self-image as a Port Mafia executive that he found it difficult to reconcile. And yet, something about it resonated—a faint echo of familiarity, like déjà vu.

"I still make them," he said quietly. "For the twins. Not every day, but often."

Dazai nodded, unsurprised. "Some habits are deeply ingrained."

Another silence descended, though this one felt less tense than before.

"I should go check on Ryuunosuke," Chuuya said eventually. "Make sure he's actually resting and not trying to sneak back to active duty."

"And I should update the ADA team on... recent developments," Dazai replied, tactfully avoiding direct mention of the confrontation with Kazuki.

They moved toward the door together, an old synchronicity momentarily reasserting itself in their movements. At the threshold, Chuuya paused.

"Thank you," he said, not quite meeting Dazai's eyes. "For telling me that story. About the bentos."

"You're welcome," Dazai replied simply. Then, with a hint of his old mischievous smile, he added, "I have plenty more where that came from. Whenever you're ready to hear them."

Chuuya nodded, not quite trusting himself to speak. As they parted ways in the corridor, he found himself wondering what other pieces of his life lay hidden in the void where his memories of Dazai should be—and whether recovering those memories would heal or hurt more in the end.

Only time would tell. But for now, at least, he had taken a small step toward reclaiming his past.

Chapter Text

The mission briefing had been concise, delivered by Kouyou with her customary precision. An upstart organization had been siphoning Port Mafia resources through a series of shell companies, laundering both money and influence. After weeks of investigation, they'd traced the operation to an abandoned textile factory on the outskirts of Yokohama.

"Our intelligence suggests their leader will be on-site tonight," Kouyou had explained, sliding a dossier across the table to Chuuya. "Takeda Hiroshi. Former military, dishonorable discharge. The usual story of talent corrupted by ambition."

Chuuya had studied the photograph with interest—a hard-faced man in his forties with a distinctive scar bisecting his right eyebrow. "And our objective?"

"Information retrieval, primarily," Kouyou had replied. "Secondary objective is a clear message that such encroachments on our territory will not be tolerated."

Now, crouched in the shadows outside the factory complex, Chuuya felt the familiar pre-mission tension coiling pleasantly through his body. Despite Mori's reservations about deploying him so soon after his Corruption episode, Chuuya had insisted. He needed this—the clarity of purpose, the physical exertion, the momentary escape from the maze of personal complications that had consumed his life lately.

"Surveillance in position," Gin's voice came through his earpiece, calm and professional. "I have visual on the main entrance and loading dock."

"Secondary exits covered," Ryuunosuke confirmed. "Six guards identified so far. Two at each major entrance, two patrolling the perimeter."

Chuuya smiled at their efficiency. Whatever complications existed in their personal relationships, in the field, they remained the flawlessly trained operatives he'd helped shape. "Copy that. Status on the target?"

"Confirmed inside," Gin replied. "Upper floor office, northwestern corner of the building. Two additional guards posted outside the door."

"Any sign of unusual security measures?" Chuuya asked, scanning the building's exterior with practiced eyes.

"Nothing beyond standard surveillance cameras and alarm systems," Ryuunosuke reported. "They're confident or careless."

"Either works in our favor," Chuuya noted. "I'm moving in. Maintain perimeter control and alert me to any changes."

"Understood," the twins responded in unison.

Chuuya moved swiftly through the shadows, his dark coat blending with the night. Despite his powers' flashier aspects, stealth had always been among his strengths—a lightweight frame combined with precise control made him nearly silent when needed.

He approached the building from the east, where a partially collapsed wall offered entry away from the posted guards. One quick application of his ability neutralized the weight of a fallen beam, allowing him to slip through the gap without disturbance.

Inside, the factory retained the melancholy of abandoned industrial spaces—high ceilings lost to darkness, machinery standing like silent sentinels, the air thick with dust and disuse. Chuuya moved purposefully through the gloom, orienting himself toward the northwestern corner.

"Update on guard positions," he murmured into his communicator.

"Perimeter patrol approaching your quadrant," Gin warned. "ETA forty seconds."

Chuuya glanced around, spotting a rusted catwalk above. With a subtle flick of his wrist, gravity released its hold, allowing him to leap upward in a controlled ascent. He landed noiselessly on the metal walkway just as the beam of a flashlight swept beneath him.

The guard passed without looking up, his attention focused on the ground-level shadows. Once the footsteps faded, Chuuya continued along the catwalk, gaining advantageous positioning as he approached the office area.

"Two guards still posted at office entrance," Ryuunosuke confirmed. "Armed with standard handguns, possibly knives. No evidence of ability users."

"Copy that," Chuuya replied, surveying the scene below. The office was visible now—a glass-walled space overlooking the factory floor, light spilling from within to illuminate the two guards stationed outside its door.

He considered his options. Direct confrontation would be efficient but noisy, potentially alerting their target. A stealthier approach would preserve the element of surprise for the primary objective.

Decision made, Chuuya extracted a small device from his pocket—a specialized Port Mafia tool that emitted a focused electromagnetic pulse. He aimed carefully and activated it, watching with satisfaction as the corridor lights flickered and died, plunging the area into darkness.

The guards reacted predictably, one reaching for his radio while the other drew his weapon. Before either could complete their action, Chuuya dropped from the catwalk, manipulating gravity to control his descent.

He landed between them, a dark whisper in the sudden darkness. The first guard received a precise strike to the vagus nerve, dropping unconscious before he could process the threat. The second managed to turn, gun half-raised, before Chuuya's boot connected with his temple in a gravity-enhanced kick.

Both men collapsed without raising the alarm.

"Guards neutralized," Chuuya reported quietly. "Proceeding to primary target."

He could hear voices from within the office—Takeda and at least one other person, their conversation muted but tense. Drawing his own weapon, Chuuya positioned himself beside the door, listening intently.

"...already paid for the shipment," a voice insisted—presumably Takeda. "Your master's hesitation is costing us valuable time."

"My master ensures quality," came the reply, smoother and more cultured. "The merchandise must be tested thoroughly before full delivery."

Chuuya frowned. This wasn't the straightforward resource theft they'd anticipated. It sounded more like a business negotiation—albeit for something clearly illicit.

"I'm hearing two individuals inside," he murmured into his communicator. "Possible change to mission parameters. Takeda appears to be purchasing something unusual."

"Orders remain unchanged," Kouyou's voice came through, having monitored the communication from headquarters. "Information retrieval is priority. Determine what they're trading."

"Understood," Chuuya confirmed.

He took a breath, centered himself, then kicked the door open, entering low with his gun leveled.

"Port Mafia," he announced coolly. "Nobody move."

The scene inside crystallized in an instant: Takeda behind a desk, halfway risen from his chair, expression contorted with shock. Across from him, a slender man in an expensive suit, looking more annoyed than frightened by the interruption.

"Nakahara Chuuya," the suited man observed with disturbing recognition. "How unexpected."

"Hands where I can see them," Chuuya ordered, keeping his weapon trained between the two men. "Both of you."

Takeda complied immediately, raising his hands with the instinctive response of someone familiar with firearms. The other man moved more leisurely, an amused smile playing at his lips.

"We were just concluding our business," he said smoothly. "Perhaps we could reach an arrangement beneficial to all parties?"

"I don't make arrangements with people whose names I don't know," Chuuya replied coldly.

"Ishida Kenji," the man offered with a slight bow. "Though the name will mean nothing to you."

"It might mean something to our intelligence division," Chuuya countered. "Now, what exactly is this merchandise you're so concerned about testing?"

A flicker of something—alarm, perhaps—crossed Ishida's composed features. "Merely pharmaceutical supplies. Nothing that would interest the Port Mafia."

"Pharmaceutical supplies that require extensive testing and command premium prices?" Chuuya raised an eyebrow. "Try again."

Before either man could respond, Chuuya's earpiece crackled with urgent communication.

"We have company," Gin reported tersely. "Armed Ability Users approaching from the south. Not our people."

"How many?" Chuuya demanded, keeping his gun steady.

"At least six," Ryuunosuke supplied. "They appear to be—" He paused. "Chuuya-san, it's the Armed Detective Agency."

Chuuya barely suppressed a curse. Of all the complications to encounter tonight, the ADA was among the least welcome—particularly given recent events.

"Hold positions," he instructed the twins. "I'll complete the primary objective quickly. Be prepared for extraction."

Turning his attention back to the two men, Chuuya noted with annoyance that Ishida seemed unconcerned by the gun pointed at him.

"The ADA's arrival is unfortunate timing," Ishida remarked casually. "Though perhaps not entirely unexpected."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Chuuya demanded.

"Simply that our business has attracted various interested parties," Ishida replied with a shrug. "The Port Mafia is merely the first to catch up."

"Speaking of your business," Chuuya pressed, "I'll need access to all documentation regarding these 'pharmaceuticals' you're trading."

Takeda, visibly sweating now, glanced nervously between Chuuya and Ishida. "The files are on the computer," he offered, clearly hoping to escape the situation alive. "Password is Mikasa1982."

Ishida shot his partner a disgusted look. "So quick to capitulate, Takeda-san? How disappointing."

"Shut up," Chuuya ordered, moving to the computer while keeping his weapon trained on the men. "Both of you, against the wall. Hands on your heads."

As they complied, Chuuya used his free hand to access the computer, quickly navigating to the files. What he found made his blood run cold—detailed specifications for a modified version of an ability-enhancement drug, similar to but more sophisticated than the black market versions that occasionally surfaced in Yokohama's underworld.

"This isn't just pharmaceuticals," he said coldly. "It's weaponized ability enhancement. Who's your supplier, Ishida?"

Ishida's composed smile never wavered. "That information wasn't included in our transaction with Takeda-san, and it certainly won't be shared with the Port Mafia."

Before Chuuya could pursue the questioning further, his earpiece activated again.

"They're inside the building," Ryuunosuke reported. "We've made contact, but they're insisting on proceeding. Dazai is with them."

That last piece of information sent an unwelcome spike of tension through Chuuya's body. Dazai's presence complicated matters exponentially—both professionally and personally.

"Copy that," he responded. "I'm securing the data now. Be prepared to intercept them if necessary."

Working quickly, Chuuya inserted a small drive into the computer, initiating a specialized Port Mafia program designed to extract and copy encrypted data. As the progress bar advanced, he kept his attention divided between the two men and the door, anticipating further interruptions.

"This is quite the interesting evening," Ishida commented, seemingly unbothered by his predicament. "The Port Mafia and ADA converging on our humble operation. One might almost think we've become important."

"Important enough to earn Mori-san's personal attention," Chuuya replied coldly. "Which rarely ends well for those involved."

The data transfer completed with a soft beep. Chuuya pocketed the drive and was considering his next move when voices echoed from the corridor outside—unmistakably the ADA team approaching.

"We have jurisdiction here," a female voice insisted—Yosano, Chuuya recognized. "This falls under public safety concerns."

"We arrived first," came Gin's cool response. "Port Mafia operation in progress. Your interference is unwelcome and unnecessary."

"It's not interference when we're pursuing an active investigation," countered Kunikida's distinctive voice. "Step aside."

Chuuya grimaced. The situation was deteriorating rapidly from clean operation to interagency standoff. He needed to conclude matters quickly.

"Don't move," he instructed his captives, then raised his voice. "Gin, Ryuunosuke, stand down. Let them approach."

There was a moment of silence, then footsteps resumed, moving toward the office. Moments later, the doorway filled with ADA personnel—Kunikida in front, flanked by Yosano and Tanizaki, with Dazai lingering slightly behind them.

Chuuya met Dazai's eyes briefly before deliberately shifting his attention to Kunikida. "Detective Agency," he acknowledged coolly. "Your timing is impeccable, as always."

"Nakahara," Kunikida replied with equal frost. "This is an Agency investigation. We'll be taking custody of these suspects."

"Port Mafia arrived first," Chuuya countered. "We've already secured the necessary intelligence. Your services aren't required."

Kunikida adjusted his glasses, a gesture Chuuya had learned indicated mounting frustration. "This isn't a matter of criminal territory disputes. These men are trafficking in dangerous ability-enhancing substances that pose a public threat."

"A threat we're well equipped to neutralize," Chuuya responded. "Just as we have been handling Yokohama's unseen threats for decades."

Throughout this exchange, Chuuya was aware of Dazai's unwavering gaze upon him, though the former Port Mafia executive remained uncharacteristically silent. The scrutiny made Chuuya uncomfortably conscious of his still-healing injuries from the Corruption episode, wondering if they were visible to Dazai's perceptive eyes.

The twins had moved to flank Chuuya, their postures alert but controlled. The years of shared field operations had forged them into a seamless unit, capable of communicating intent with minimal signals.

"Perhaps we should all calm down," Dazai finally spoke, his tone deliberately light. "I'm sure we can reach a compromise that satisfies both organizations."

Chuuya snorted. "Since when do you advocate compromise, Dazai?"

"Since standing around arguing benefits no one but our suspects," Dazai replied, nodding toward Ishida, who was observing the proceedings with undisguised interest.

Chuuya had to acknowledge the point. This extended confrontation was providing opportunities for the very men they sought to apprehend.

"Fine," he conceded reluctantly. "What do you propose?"

Dazai stepped forward, positioning himself at the midpoint between the two groups. "The Port Mafia retains the intelligence they've gathered. The ADA takes custody of the suspects for questioning regarding public safety concerns. Both organizations share findings through designated channels."

Kunikida frowned, clearly displeased with any arrangement that involved Port Mafia participation. "That's not standard protocol."

"Neither is this situation," Dazai pointed out. "Unless you prefer we waste time fighting each other while the real threats escape?"

The logic was sound, much as Chuuya hated to admit it. He glanced at the twins, who gave subtle nods of acceptance.

"Acceptable," Chuuya agreed tersely. "With one condition: Takeda remains in Port Mafia custody. He was operating on our territory, using our resources. That makes him ours by right."

"And Ishida?" Yosano asked.

"All yours," Chuuya replied. Something about the man made him uneasy—a confidence that bordered on arrogance, even with guns pointed at him. "Though I'd suggest caution. He's not what he appears."

Throughout this negotiation, Ishida had maintained his composed demeanor, watching the proceedings with almost academic interest. Only once did his expression change—a fleeting look of calculation when Dazai had stepped forward.

"How diplomatic," Ishida commented as Tanizaki moved to secure him. "The fearsome Port Mafia and righteous Agency, working together so smoothly. One might almost suspect prior arrangements."

The insinuation hung in the air, drawing momentary tensions tighter. Chuuya refused to rise to the bait, focusing instead on completing the mission parameters.

"Ryuunosuke, secure Takeda for transport," he instructed. "Gin, sweep the office for any additional physical evidence."

As the twins executed these orders with practiced efficiency, Chuuya turned his attention back to the ADA team. "The data indicates this is merely a distribution point, not the source. Whoever is manufacturing this substance remains at large."

"That's why information sharing will be critical," Dazai noted, his tone professional despite the underlying personal complications between them. "Either organization might possess pieces the other lacks."

Chuuya nodded curtly. "Kouyou will coordinate from our side."

With Takeda secured and Gin's sweep complete, the immediate objectives had been achieved. What remained was to extract cleanly without further escalation of the interagency tensions.

"We're finished here," Chuuya announced. "The Port Mafia will withdraw and leave you to your public service."

The mild sarcasm in his tone was reflexive, a professional habit when dealing with the ADA rather than any genuine animosity. After recent revelations, his feelings toward the opposing organization—and particularly toward Dazai—had become considerably more complicated.

As the Port Mafia team moved to depart, Dazai stepped slightly closer to Chuuya, lowering his voice. "You shouldn't be in the field yet. You're still recovering."

The concern in his tone, however genuine, provoked an instinctive flash of irritation. "I don't need your medical assessment, Dazai."

"Not as a doctor," Dazai replied quietly. "As someone who knows exactly what Corruption takes from you."

The simple truth of the statement—and the shared experience it referenced—momentarily silenced Chuuya's reflexive defenses. Before he could formulate a response, Gin appeared at his side.

"Transport is ready," she reported professionally, though her narrowed eyes as she regarded Dazai conveyed volumes about her protectiveness.

"We'll be in touch regarding the investigation," Chuuya told Dazai, retreating to safer, professional territory.

Dazai nodded, his expression unreadable. "Take care of yourself, Chuuya."

The use of his given name without honorifics—an intimacy that felt both foreign and oddly familiar—left Chuuya momentarily disoriented. He turned away without responding, leading his team toward the exit.

As they moved through the darkened factory, Ryuunosuke fell into step beside him. "Was that wise?" he asked quietly. "Cooperating with the Agency?"

"Pragmatic," Chuuya replied. "We achieved our objectives without unnecessary conflict."

"And Dazai?" Gin inquired from his other side, her tone carefully neutral.

Chuuya sighed. "Is behaving exactly as one would expect Dazai to behave—inserting himself into situations and manipulating outcomes to suit his purposes."

The twins exchanged glances over his head—a silent communication that Chuuya pretended not to notice.

"His concern seemed genuine," Ryuunosuke observed cautiously.

"Dazai excels at seeming genuine," Chuuya replied, more sharply than intended. Recognizing the twins' concern, he softened his tone. "But yes, in this instance, perhaps it was."

As they emerged into the night air, Chuuya felt the familiar post-mission mix of satisfaction and weariness settling into his bones. The operation had been successful, despite unexpected complications—intelligence secured, target acquired, minimal confrontation.

Yet as they approached their waiting vehicle, Chuuya found himself glancing back at the factory, where Dazai and the ADA team remained. The mission might be complete, but the larger mysteries—both professional and personal—were only beginning to unfold.

For now, though, he would focus on the immediate: delivering Takeda and the intelligence to headquarters, debriefing with Mori, and finally getting some rest. Tomorrow would bring new challenges—and perhaps new revelations about the past he couldn't remember and the future he had yet to determine.