Chapter Text
Fukuzawa was rather uncertain how to bond with his younger son. He had officially adopted Ranpo and Dazai a little more than six months ago. He knew in the beginning that his sons were completely opposite ends of the personally spectrum, but that didn't really strike home for a while.
Once Ranpo was comfortable, he was comfortable. He had no problem inviting himself into every corner of Fukuzawa's life. Nothing was private for Ranpo. He was like an overly friendly dog who liked to jump on you and always demanded attention. As lively as Ranpo was, there were times that Fukuzawa found himself wishing for space from his elder son.
Dazai was the exact opposite. Where Ranpo was energetic and loved attention, Dazai was withdrawn and quiet. He clearly didn't trust Fukuzawa. This was proved by the fact that he almost never let Fukuzawa touch him, go so far as to hiss at him on occasion. Sometimes Fukuzawa was convinced he had adopted a feral cat in the shape of a young boy.
Fukuzawa told himself it would just take time.
Ranpo seemed to disagree. He liked Fukuzawa and he wanted Dazai to like Fukuzawa too. That being said, he wasn't about to force his younger brother to do something he clearly wasn't comfortable with.
Hence the reason that he approached Fukuzawa with a plan.
The plan was really quiet simple.
Ranpo would start taking cases that he would go on by himself. This would leave Fukuzawa to spend time with Dazai.
Fukuzawa had his doubts about the plan. For one, he didn't like the idea of Ranpo going off to a potentially dangerous situation alone (Ranpo scoffed and said that he was never in danger so Fukuzawa didn't need to worry). For another, he wasn't sure that simply forcing Dazai to spend alone time with him would make a difference. Ranpo insisted, so Fukuzawa agreed with heavy sigh.
The first case was a bit of a trial run.
Dazai did not appreciate that Ranpo was leaving him, he begged and begged Ranpo not to leave. Ranpo almost looked regreful as he pried Dazai off of him and scurried out the door to meet up with the client (it was a client that Fukuzawa had vetted and the case was small; nothing dangerous).
No sooner had Ranpo left than Dazai promptly hid himself away in Fukuzawa's closet. After some contemplation, Fukuzawa decided to let him be. He trusted that if he showed Dazai that he wasn't a threat, Dazai would eventually open up. He went around his day, like usual, allowing Dazai to have his space.
Ranpo came home late in the evening, beaming.
"I solved the case!" he announced to the house as he entered, "How did it go here?"
He took one look at the dinner table where Fukuzawa was sitting and he frowned.
"Seriously? Nothing?" he groaned.
"Dazai is shy. Give him time," Fukuzawa sighed.
"No. Dazai isn't shy. He's scared. There's a difference," Ranpo scoffed.
"All the more reason to give him time," Fukuzawa pointed out.
Ranpo made an overly exaggerated scowl. Then he marched off, no doubt going to check on his younger brother.
Fukuzawa was sure that was the last of Ranpo's plan. He was wrong.
The next week, early one morning, Ranpo abruptly announced he was going to a case alone. Fukuzawa choked on his tea before scrambling after Ranpo. He caught his son at the front door.
"No," he said sternly.
"No?" Ranpo cocked his head.
"You might be in danger. What if-"
"I'll be fine. You don't need to worry. It's a simple lost and found case. Nothing with murder, weapons or hardened criminals. I'll try not to fall asleep while I'm on the job," Ranpo snorted.
"That's not-"
"Besides, you said it would take time. I'm giving you another opportunity with Dazai."
Before Fukuzawa could respond, Ranpo had slipped out of the front door. Fukuzawa had no choice but trust him on this one. Dazai's response was arguably worse this time around. He had hid in the closet like last time. This time, Fukuzawa could hear muffled crying. It didn't take a genius to figure out that Dazai was hurt by this disappearance.
"He'll be back," Fukuzawa told Dazai through the closet door.
Dazai didn't respond.
Ranpo was home by mid afternoon. His pleased smile disappeared when he failed to successfully coax Dazai out of the closet for the rest of the day. It wasn't until the following morning that Dazai emerged. He wrapped himself around Ranpo, face pressing into the older boy's side.
"You left," Dazai's voice was muffled, but both Fukuzawa and Ranpo heard him.
"I did, but now I'm back," Ranpo frowned slightly.
"You left," Dazai repeated as though Ranpo hadn't understood him.
Ranpo's twisted into something funny.
"I'll always come back. That's a promise," he ran a hand through Dazai's tangled mop of hair.
"What if you don't?" Dazai whimpered.
Fukuzawa realized with sharp clarity what was going on between his sons. Ranpo had left without explaining to Dazai that he was leaving. Dazai already had a severe attachment issue. No doubt when Ranpo left, it triggered some sort of panic. Ranpo seemed to have come to this realization as well.
"If I don't come back, know that I really wanted to."
Fukuzawa attempted not to choke. For all his smarts, Ranpo had no idea how to connect on a deeper level some times.
"Why did you leave?" Dazai cried.
"I left because of work and because I want you like Dad," Ranpo shrugged.
"I don' wanna and he's not my father," Dazai growled faintly.
Fukuzawa felt a mix of emotions. One part of him was shocked, a bit flattered and more than a bit terrified. Ranpo had never referred to him as 'Dad' before. The other part of him was sore disappointed by Dazai's response. He tried to remind himself that Dazai had been through more trauma than most adults had in their whole life and he was only eight. He couldn't expect it to be an easy journey.
"Your right," Ranpo hummed, "He's not your father. He's Dad."
Dazai just growled softly again.
"What if I tell you next time I plan on leaving?" Ranpo offered an olive branch.
"I don't want you to leave," Dazai tightened his grip on Ranpo.
"Well, have to some times. If I tell you before, would you like that better?" Ranpo poked Dazai in the side to get a responce.
"Maybe," Dazai's tone was sullen. He was pouting.
"Alright. Then I promise to tell you next time I plan on leaving," Ranpo nodded, "Problem solved."
Fukuzawa just sighed. If there was one thing he had learned about his foray into parenthood, it was that raising children was never that easy.