Work Text:
I
Kunikida woke up to the sound of birds chirping outside of his window.
The weather was still pleasant, considering the fact that it was, by far, the end of August, where summer ended and fall knocked on the door. The rustling leaves on the tree hadn’t turned their colors just yet, but the blonde-haired man believed that it wouldn’t take long before the first leaf started leaving its tree branch.
Going through his schedule again to ensure nothing would go amiss, Kunikida then got ready for the day, just like any other days in his life so far. Despite the fact that today was a significant day for him, he didn’t give it much thought.
Today was his birthday, yes, but he could let it wait for now. He still had things to do, after all.
II
Upon arriving at the Agency, Kunikida was greeted by Atsushi, who shyly handed him a small box wrapped neatly with a bashful smile. Despite how the boy had grown significantly throughout the year, overcoming challenges after challenges that life threw his way, he still had that touch of sincerity in his actions and words.
- Happy birthday, Kunikida-san. Thank you for everything you have done. I’m glad to have you as one of my mentors.
The gesture made Kunikida raise an eyebrow in surprise. He didn’t expect to receive any gifts for today as he had kept his birthday a secret, but the gentle sincerity in Atsushi’s eyes had pushed the question temporarily out of his mind.
- … Thank you, Atsushi. I appreciate it.
The white-haired boy gave him a new fountain pen as a gift, something simple yet went well with how much he wrote in his notebook everyday. He turned it over in his hands, feeling the weight of it, and then looked back at Atsushi, who was watching anxiously, waiting for his response to the gift.
And so Kunikida gave the boy a pat on his shoulder, his eyes softening significantly as he spoke.
- This is... very thoughtful of you. I'll use it well.
Atsushi's face lit up with a mixture of joy and relief, and the blonde-haired detective thanked him with another pat on his head. He had so many things to say at that moment, but for now, a pat was enough to convey his appreciation towards the younger boy in front of him.
III
Yosano was the next person that Kunikida saw in the office, and the female doctor gave him a pat on the back before pushing a bottle of wine into his hands.
- Happy birthday, Kunikida. I bought this bottle of wine just for you to celebrate it later, so don’t you dare be sulky and ruin the mood for today, got it?
The blonde-haired man surely was caught off guard by her enthusiastic gesture, but he managed to steady himself quickly, looking down at the bottle of wine in his hands.
- Yosano-sensei, I appreciate the thought, but…
He protested, but the doctor just grinned and halted him with a finger of her pretty hand.
- Ah, ah, ah! No ‘buts’, Kunikida. Today is your birthday, so you need to relax at least a little. Consider it doctor’s orders.
Knowing it was pointless to argue with her once she had made up her mind, the blonde-haired man had no other option but to sigh and accept the gift. He glanced at the label on the bottle, noting it was a fine, luxurious brand - clearly, Yosano had put thought into her choice. Despite his usual reservations about indulging in alcohol, he couldn’t help but appreciate her gesture.
- You went through the trouble of finding this, so... thank you, Yosano-sensei. If you don’t mind, I would like to try this wine with you sometimes.
Holding the bottle a little closer to his chest, he thanked her with a soft tone. In response, the doctor gave him another pat on his back and a wide smile.
- That’s more like it. Good job, and I’m glad to be your colleague.
With a final wave, Yosano turned and headed back to her side of the office, leaving Kunikida standing there with the bottle of wine in his hands. He shook his head slightly, a small smile still lingering as he placed the wine on his desk beside the pen from Atsushi.
IV
Kunikida was just about to settle into his desk after all the commotion when his phone buzzed, noticing Ranpo’s name flashing on the screen. He frowned slightly - the oldest member of the Agency rarely called unless there was something important, but then again, with him, it was hard to predict.
- Kunikida-kuuuuun! Happy birthday!
The cheerful words made him blink in surprise, his frown easing despite it all.
- Ranpo-san, how did you…?
- Please, did you really think you could hide something like that from the world's greatest detective? I knew it was your birthday before you did!
Kunikida sighed, a small smile creeping on his face. Of course he did, he was one of the best detectives in the Agency, after all. The black-haired detective, on the other hand, didn’t seem to mind the silence as he continued, his tone remaining lighthearted.
- I'm still out on a case, so I can’t be there to wish you a happy birthday in person. However, I expect a slice of cake waiting for me when I get back. Maybe two slices, actually, depending on how long this case takes!
Shaking his head in amusement, Kunikida leaned back in his chair as he assured the man on the other side of the phone that “I’ll make sure there’s cake for you when you come back, Ranpo-san”, which made his senior detective hum in satisfaction.
- Good, good. You’re the best, Kunikida-kun, and don’t work too hard today! Considering you still owe me a treat, I don’t want to see you exhausted when I come back, alright?
Before the blonde-haired man could say anything further, Ranpo had already hung up the phone with a faint echo of his playful laughter. The phone call might be unexpected, and even though he did feel a bit speechless and unsure of how to react, it surely left a warm feeling in his chest.
The world’s greatest detective had his quirks, but he was a valued colleague and, in moments like this, a friend to him.
V
The day had since calmed down quite a bit, and Kunikida was finally left alone with some documents that he needed to fill out and complete before work hours ended. Most of the Agency members were taking a short lunch break, leaving the office unusually quiet. The blonde-haired man took a moment to adjust his glasses, trying to ease the tension in his shoulders when he heard a soft voice behind him.
- Kunikida-san?
Kyouka was standing a few feet away from him, holding something small in her hands. The young girl seemed hesitant and a little bit… shy, even, like she wasn’t sure whether to approach him or not.
- Kyouka. Is something the matter?
He acknowledged her with a softer tone than how he normally would talk to other people, which prompted her to get a bit closer to him.
- No, nothing is wrong. I just… wanted to thank you, and I have this for you as a… gift.
The blonde-haired man raised an eyebrow at this statement, surprised by the unexpected gratitude. The younger girl wanted to thank him? But for what? He didn’t recall any specific instances where he seemed to be extremely helpful or caring towards her, often keeping her at arms’ lengths while still treating her with as much respect as possible, so it was very out of character for her to…
- Here, this is for you, Kunikida-san.
In the palm of her hands were two elastic hair bands, both of them carried a shade of blue that sparkled under the sunlight. The kimono girl shuffled on her feet anxiously before explaining herself to him.
- I noticed that you only had one ribbon to tie your hair, and it does bother you sometimes when the ribbon couldn’t secure your hair. I thought… maybe these would help you a bit.
- … Thank you, Kyouka.
Kunikida breathed out a quiet sigh as he gingerly took those hair bands in his hands, and the young, composed girl gave him a shy, yet gentle, smile.
- And… Happy birthday to you, Kunikida-san… I’m honored to have you as someone I can look up to.
Those words touched him deeply, more than he could express. He wasn’t used to receiving such heartfelt compliments, especially from someone as quiet and reserved as Kyouka. He was left momentarily speechless, so all he could do was to give Kyouka a gentle pat on her head, because he was afraid that if he said anything, he might burst into tears on the spot. The young girl didn’t seem to mind that, though, and he was glad about that.
VI
- Kunikida-san, happy birthday!
Kunikida didn’t have a chance to react before Kenji pushed a basket of fresh fruit that he had probably harvested since the wee hour of the morning into his hands, followed by Tanizaki tucking an envelope into it. The gift really surprised him (especially when it suddenly appeared), but the blonde-haired detective quickly schooled himself as he held the basket firmly in his arms.
- Thank you, Kenji and Tanizaki.
The blonde-haired man adjusted the basket in his hands, feeling the weight of these items settled somewhere in his rib cage. The farmer teenager beamed as he cradled it in his arms carefully.
- I woke up early to pick the best fruits I could find! They’re from my family’s farm, so they’re really fresh! I hope you like it, Kunikida-san.
- It must take a lot of effort for you to do so, Kenji. Thank you.
Kenji’s smile widened, and he nodded enthusiastically, while Tanizaki shyly chimed in, gesturing to the envelope that he tucked into the basket.
- And the envelope… it’s just a little something from Naomi and me. We aren’t sure what you want to do for your birthday, but hopefully the voucher to an onsen is a good choice for you?
- That is… perfect. I really appreciate it. Thank you, and thanks to Naomi for me as well.
Both of his coworkers smiled at those words, clearly pleased with how well-perceived their gifts were. They didn’t have much time to talk more than that and had to bid farewell to him before going on their own mission, but Kunikida was happy nonetheless.
VII
Fukuzawa was the next person who came up to his desk today.
- Kunikida, I would like you to join me for tea and some… conversations.
The blonde-haired man blinked in surprise. This was a bit… unexpected given how busy the President normally was, though he couldn’t deny that a brief break might do both of them some good. He quickly finished signing off on the document he was working on the whole time before standing up and nodding to the suggestion.
- Of course I would be happy to accompany you, President.
The two of them walked in silence to Fukuzawa's private office, where a simple tea set had already been laid out on the table, the warm fragrance from the teapot seeping into his soul. Once they were inside, the President motioned for him to sit down, and the younger man complied, his hands resting in his lap, trying not to fidget.
- You have been working hard, Kunikida… Too hard, perhaps.
Fukuzawa gently handed a tea cup to him as he said so. His voice was calm and steady as always, but there was a certain weight to it that made the blonde-haired detective be a bit more attentive to those words.
- It’s my duty, President. I’m just merely giving my best…
- I know, and you have always done that. That’s why I called you here.
Kunikida’s heart skipped a beat at those words. Praise from the head of the Agency was rare, and… the sincerity in them made it even more significant to him. He wished he could say something to respond, but no matter how much he tried, all the words he could think of failed to do so.
- The Agency wouldn’t be what it is without your dedication, Kunikida. You’ve done well - better than what you normally give yourself credit for.
Fukuzawa leaned back slightly, his eyes softening as he regarded the younger man, and Kunikida was nearly brought to tears as his master quietly added.
- You’ve done well, son. I’m proud to have you as my comrade.
VIII
After an eventful day (with lots of gifts and wishes), Kunikida was finally home.
Truth be told, he hadn’t seen Dazai for the whole day today. The man was currently out on a solo mission (according to their text exchanges), and he couldn’t help but feel a little bit disappointed. It wasn’t like he expected anything from Dazai - after all, the brunette was unpredictable, to say the least. Still, a small part of him had hoped to see his partner at least once on his birthday.
“He was unusually quiet today” , Kunikida thought as his fingers hovered above the buttons of his phone, “I wonder if he’s alright…”
At the moment that he was about to type something, the blonde-haired man heard the faint noises of his front door unlocking. His heart skipped a beat at this sound, and he quickly rushed toward the entrance just in time to see Dazai stepping into their shared apartment, a little worse for wear but otherwise unharmed.
- Sorry, Kunikida-kun. I didn’t mean to keep you waiting…
The brunette didn’t have a chance to complete his sentence, however, before he was tackled to the ground in a strong, tight hug, followed by a muffled scolding.
- Bastard, I was worried about you…
Dazai let out a soft chuckle, seemingly surprised by the hug but not at all resisting it. Instead, he wrapped his arms around the blonde-haired man, pulling him even closer. The usual mirth in his voice was replaced with something deeper, more genuine, as he whispered back.
- I didn’t mean to make you feel concerned for me, Kunikida-kun. The mission took longer than I expected.
For a moment, Kunikida let himself feel the relief of having his partner back safe. As he inhaled the familiar scent of Dazai’s cologne mixed with the faint smell of the grass and dirt that stubbornly clung onto the fabric of his clothes, he could feel the worries that gnawed at his heart slowly ebbed away into nothingness.
- It’s unusual for you to be this quiet. You could have texted more.
The blonde-haired man breathed out in relief, his voice muffled against his partner’s shoulder. Dazai hummed in response, idly rubbing slow circles on Kunikida’s back with his fingertips. “I’m sorry for troubling you” was what the gesture meant to them both.
The moon was shining through the window of their apartment, and the sky was particularly starry. Dazai fumbled through the pocket of his jacket before pulling out a velveteen box with a shade of blue coating it.
- I got this little thing for you before the day ended. It wasn’t as big as I expected it to be, but I think you would like it.
It was a new watch, one that fitted perfectly on Kunikida both in size and in style.
- Do you like it, Kunikida-kun?
The blonde-haired man didn’t expect the gift, especially not from Dazai. However, he couldn’t bring himself to complain about it. He let his gaze traced back to his partner’s face, watching the warmth shade of brown surrounding him like a cocoon full of love. Every word he could think of in his head wasn't good enough to show his appreciation, and so he decided to pull the shorter man in his arms for a gentle kiss.
It meant “I would cherish this gift, and I would cherish you even more than I already had” .
Once they parted, the brunette smiled brightly.
- Thank you for being born, Kunikida-kun.