Work Text:
“Sh–shouldn’t we be talking about the mission?” Atsushi stutters, all eyes in the agency now on him.
“Atsushi’s right. This conversation isn’t appropriate,” Kunikida says.
Naomi ignores him. “You’ve really never been on a date?”
Atsushi shakes his head. “I don’t see why it’s a big deal…”
The members of the agency—minus Kunikida, who wants the conversation to end almost as badly as Atsushi—seem to consider this. The silence is short-lived, Dazai's voice breaking through it.
“I’ll take you on a date,” Dazai declares.
All eyes are now on Dazai, who’s flashing an innocent smile. The agency knows the truth. Dazai is anything but innocent.
“I think you broke Atsushi,” Ranpo says, offering Atsushi’s shoulder a small poke.
“I’m not broken,” Atsushi says, stumbling over his words. “Dazai’s obviously joking,” he adds.
“No, I’m not,” Dazai says without missing a beat. “In fact, let’s go right now. How about it, Atsushi?”
“Uh—“
“You can’t go on a date in the middle of work,” Kunikida protests.
“It’s a valuable life experience!” Dazai exclaims as he jumps up from his chair and swoops Atsushi out of the office before anyone else can object.
Atsushi allows himself to be dragged along, his heart beating a little too fast. It’s not like this is going to be a real date. This is just Dazai being Dazai.
“Is this your way of getting out of work?” Atsushi asks when he finally regains the ability to form words.
“I would never purposefully avoid work,” Dazai says. And then, “Where do you want to go?”
“…”
“I know a place.”
⚘⚘⚘
Atsushi’s stomach flutters as they approach a garden, and Atsushi has to remind himself that this isn’t a real date. And even if it was, it’s not like he even likes Dazai that way!
He’s just…never had someone take him to a garden before. He’s never had someone act like they wanted to go on a date with him, and he’s definitely never had someone want to go on a date with him.
Atsushi internally groans. He didn’t realize he wanted to be liked until the possibility of it was dangled in front of him.
“What do you think?” Dazai asks with a beam that shakes Atsushi’s heart. Ahhh!
“It’s really beautiful,” Atsushi says, looking everywhere but Dazai.
“I thought you’d like it.” There’s a softness to his voice that warms Atsushi’s cheeks.
He stares at the flowers as they walk in silence, trying and failing to come up with something to fill the empty space. If this was a real first date, he’d probably get ghosted as soon as it ended. Maybe this was a good idea after all. It doesn’t hurt to have a practice date, does it?
“What do you usually talk about on your dates?” Atsushi asks, finally letting his gaze fall on Dazai.
Dazai shrugs. “I usually let them do most of the talking.”
Atsushi rolls his eyes, amusement filtering through his nerves. “How many second dates have you had?”
Dazai taps his chin for dramatic effect. “None, but it’s by choice,” Dazai insists.
Atsushi snorts. “Have you taken any of your dates here?”
Dazai shakes his head. “Just you.”
Atsushi’s heart falters as he averts his gaze. It’s annoying how easily Dazai can get to him without even trying.
“It’s your turn to ask the questions,” Atsushi mumbles, pretending to look at the flowers. He peeks at Dazai from the corner of his eye and catches a smile.
“Is there anyone you like right now?” Dazai asks.
Atsushi's palms sweat at his sides. He was expecting a question more along the lines of what’s your favorite color?
“U-Um…I don’t know. I haven’t really thought about it.”
And it’s true. Until now, it hasn’t been something that’s crossed his mind. Before the agency, even having friends seemed out of the question—the possibility of a relationship had never occurred to him.
But now he had friends, so maybe—maybe a relationship wasn’t out of the realm of possibility.
…One day! Not now. And definitely not with Dazai.
Wanting the attention away from him, Atsushi returns the question. “What about you? Do you like someone?”
Dazai nods. “There is someone I like.”
Atsushi rubs the sweat from his palms onto his pants. He forces the word who to stay inside his mind and instead stutters out a pathetic, “O-Oh.”
Dazai is quiet like he’s waiting for Atsushi to make the next mood, but he just lets the silence spread between them. He’s not sure why he was expecting Dazai to say no.
His brain malfunctions while the possibilities filter through. Could it be someone at the Agency? Or maybe it’s someone Dazai just happened to run into? What if it’s someone in the Port Mafia?
Finally, Dazai breaks the silence and pulls Atsushi from his thoughts. “Do you have a favorite flower, Atsushi?”
The question catches Atsushi off guard. Surrounded by flowers, his eyes dart around the garden, gravitating towards the bright yellow sunflowers.
“I like sunflowers too,” Dazai says, following Atsushi’s gaze.
⚘⚘⚘
They spend an hour walking around the garden before Dazai gets a call from Kunikida requesting them back in the office.
Atsushi can’t tell if he’s relieved or disappointed. His heart is slowly returning to a normal pace as they walk back to the Agency, only for Dazai to send it skyrocketing.
“A good first date should end with a kiss,” Dazai says casually, like it’s no big deal. Like he’s had a hundred first dates followed by a hundred kisses.
Something that feels a lot like jealousy twists inside Atsushi’s stomach. What right does he have to be jealous? This isn’t even a real date. He doesn’t even like Dazai. Not like that, at least.
Despite his strictly platonic feeling, Atsushi’s head is bobbing up and down in a small nod. “Okay,” he hears himself say.
His inner monologue starts freaking out.
Why did he agree to let Dazai kiss him?!
What if his breath smells bad?
What if Dazai is a horrible kisser?
What if Dazai is a good kisser?
Soft lips press against him, and for a moment, his panic skyrockets. He stands still, unmoving as Dazai’s lips move gently against his.
Dazai is a good kisser, Atsushi realizes quickly. It’s both terrifying and exciting, and Atsushi’s body kicks into action while his mind takes a second to catch up, lips moving in sync with Dazai’s.
The kiss ends too soon, leaving Atsushi with a flutter and a warmth that sinks deep inside his stomach and chest.
“Guess we should get back to work now,” Dazai says with a sigh, the ghost of a smile pulling at the corner of his lip.
⚘⚘⚘
One week later, a bouquet of sunflowers is delivered to the Armed Detective Agency. Atsushi’s name is written on the small card that comes with them.
“Those are pretty,” Dazai says with a knowing grin. “Who’re they from?”
Atsushi turns the card over looking for a name, but there isn’t one. “It doesn’t say…” he mumbles quietly. His heart does a little backflip in his chest as determination flares through him. If Dazai wants to play this game, Atsushi will play.
He’ll ask Dazai out on a second date. That’ll show him!