Work Text:
~ 🖤 ~
It was just another boring day at the agency. Nothing new...no new cases...nothing. It would have stayed that way, but soon the door swung open with an unexpected jingle.
Everyone inside was busy with their usual work—Dazai was lounging, making a mess as always, Kunikida was scribbling away in his notebook, and surprisingly, Ranpo was absorbed in reading the latest reports ( while munching on snacks of course )but the sudden entrance of someone unfamiliar caused all of them to freeze.
Kenji, who had been sitting in the corner chatting with Atsushi about their recent mission, looked up in surprise as the door opened.
He quickly glanced at the one and only Chuuya Nakahara, who was standing in the doorway with a nonchalant air surrounding him, as though it were the most normal thing in the world.
"Chuuya?" Kunikida asked, a bit bewildered. "What are you—"
Before Kunikida could even finish his sentence, Chuuya cut him off with a simple, "Get up, Kenji. I’m taking you somewhere."
The rest of the agency members blinked in confusion, their eyes darting between Chuuya, Kenji, and each other.
Kenji was still sitting there, eyes widen and frozen for a moment, looking at his senior with wide eyes.
"Wait, you want to take me somewhere?" He couldn't help the disbelief in his voice, a smile slowly forming on his face, seemingly excited.
Kunikida, who was always the serious ( Boring ) one, was the one to speak up again, his eyes narrowing. "What’s going on here? Nakahara....we aren't letting you take him anywhere."
Atsushi, still processing, leaned forward in his chair. "Are you... going somewhere together? I thought you-" Atsushi pauses, remembering how Kenji had indeed mentioned being the Mafia executive's friend. Atsushi hadn't believed it back then, but now....
"I don’t see what the big deal is," Chuuya interrupted with a dismissive wave of his hand. His voice was calm, but there was an edge to it. "It’s none of your business. I’m here for Kenji, and we’re leaving. Got a problem with that?"
For a brief moment, the others just stared. Confusion on everybody's face.
Dazai raised his head lazily, tilting it to one side. "Well, well, well. This is a plot twist. I never would’ve guessed that Chuuya and Kenji would be... going out together." His smile was far too innocent. "Awww Chuuya did you make a friend?? Have you gone all soft and mushy now?"
Yosano, for once, was caught off guard. "Is this for real? Are you actually going out with Kenji? For fun?"
Kenji, still trying to wrap his head around the situation, stood up slowly, looking at Chuuya with a mixture of excitement and curiosity. "You really want to hang out with me?" he asked, as though it was something he could barely believe.
Chuuya’s expression softened just a bit before he rolled his eyes. "You’re the only one I'm asking to cone join me, Kenji."
"Okay, okay!" Kenji responded, now grinning like he’d just won the lottery. "I’m coming! I’ll be ready in a second."
As Kenji scrambled to grab his things, the room was filled with a mixture of quiet whispers and astonished glances.
Everyone was too stunned to actually comment, but it was clear they were all trying to process the...rather strange scene unfolding in front of them.
"Well, I didn’t think I’d see the day Nakahara went soft," Ranpo muttered, his expression betraying a his amusement. "Besides, at least now he won't lay a hand on him. He'll be fine."
Atsushi, always the curious one, couldn’t resist asking. "Where are you two even going?"
Chuuya’s expression hardened again as he shrugged. "None of your business." His eyes, though, flicked toward Kenji, who was now standing beside him, eager to follow. "We’ll be back before too long. Don’t go getting any ideas. He'll come back alive."
Kenji didn’t seem to notice the lingering questions in the air as he stepped beside Chuuya, his eyes shining with excitement. "I can’t wait! Thanks for picking me up, Chuuya. I promise, I won’t mess anything up! It's going to be so fun!!"
Chuuya gave him a side glance but didn’t say anything, though his lips twitched as if fighting a smile. "Just try not to do anything crazy. Or embarrass me too much."
The agency members watched the pair head out, Kenji practically bouncing with energy, while Chuuya remained his usual cool, collected self.
Dazai, with a bemused grin, finally spoke up. "Well, this is certainly a sight. I guess I’ll have to take bets on how long this lasts. Hmm I bet Kenji will be Chuuya's friend for...hmm...a few weeks at most. With my Chu Chu dogs temper, he may just scare poor Kenji away."
"Betting is not allowed in the agency," Kunikida snapped, though the others knew that it wasn't totally true.
Yosano laughed quietly, shaking his head. "I never would’ve expected this... but I guess it’s good for Kenji to have some fun. Good for Chuuya to have a friend...even if he's much younger than himself" She joked.
The rest of the agency started to settle down again, going back to the slow, boring air around them, although now, many questions were there.
Meanwhile, outside, Chuuya and Kenji were already heading off on their unexpected adventure, completely oblivious to the agency’s stunned reactions.
"Alright, Kenji," Chuuya said as they walked side by side down the street, the night air cool against their skin. "Let’s see what trouble we can get into tonight."
Kenji grinned widely, his energy as contagious as ever. "This is going to be awesome!"
And so, with Chuuya in tow, Kenji’s joy was unstoppable, as if he was in the middle of another exciting adventure that, despite the teasing and surprises, was exactly what he needed.
_______________________________________________________________
~ Time Skip ~
_______________________________________________________________
The arcade lights flickered and hummed as Chuuya and Kenji stepped inside, the neon glow painting everything in vibrant hues of pink, blue, and purple.
The walls were covered with posters of legendary games and flashy prizes, while the air was thick with the sounds of laughter, excited chatter, and the occasional sharp beeping of game machines.
Kenji practically bounced on his toes, an infectious grin plastered across his face. “Chuuya! This is amazing! Look at all the games!”
Kenji’s voice was full of excitement, his eyes wide as he scanned the place. He had only just recently learned about video games...and the Internet....but the place was definitely awesome.
Chuuya shot him a knowing glance, shaking his head but secretly amused. A rare, somewhat tired smile tugged at Chuuya’s lips as he gave Kenji an exaggerated eye roll.
“I don’t know why I’m surprised you wanted to come here of all places,” Chuuya muttered, but his tone was more playful than annoyed.
Kenji didn’t even hear the sarcasm in his voice, too caught up in the arcade’s vibrant atmosphere. “Let’s go get some plushies! I have to win one!” he said, already darting toward the claw machine before Chuuya could get another word in.
Chuuya chuckled under his breath, following him slowly. “You’re really into those things, huh?” he asked, clearly less enthusiastic about the idea of plushies.
Huh. It reminded him of the time Dazai and him would go the the exact one... Dazai's would complain if he didn't get a plush, so Chuuya always had to run him one. Chuuya hadn't even realized how much Kenji acted like Dazai. Man...he really misses those days.
Kenji turned to face him suddenly with a grin that only got wider. “You’ve got to try, Chuuya! It’s all about challenges!” He practically shoved a token into Chuuya’s hand. “Come on! Try to win one! For me!”
Weird....Chuuya was getting a strang sense of deja vu.
Chuuya hesitated, but Kenji’s excitement was too contagious.
“Fine,” he grumbled, rolling his eyes again, but there was an unmistakable softness to his expression now.
He inserted the token and grabbed the claw control. As he maneuvered it over a stuffed rabbit, he glanced over at Kenji. “You better not make fun of me if I fail.”
Kenji leaned forward, his hands clasped together in front of him, watching intently. “I’ll never make fun of you!” His voice was sincere, even if his eyes sparkled with mischief. “I know you’re gonna get it. You're too amazing!"
Chuuya narrowed his eyes but focused, lowering the claw to grab the stuffed bunny. It was a bit harder than he remembered, and his first attempt fell short.
Chuuya groaned dramatically, his competitive nature taking toll as he inserted another token quickly. He had a goal, and he would fulfill it.
“No, no, no! This time, I’ll get it for sure,” Chuuya muttered under his breath. His brows furrowed, and he leaned over the machine, focusing intently as he guided the claw over the prize again.
This time, the claw descended, gripped the bunny by its ears, and lifted it clear from the machine.
“I told you I’d get it,” Chuuya said smugly, handing the stuffed rabbit to Kenji, who immediately jumped up in excitement.
“Yes!” Kenji cheered, holding it up like a trophy. “You’re the best, Chuuya!”
Chuuya couldn’t hide the small grin that tugged at his lips as he watched Kenji’s infectious excitement. “You’re welcome,” he said dryly, but there was way more warmth in his voice now.
“Okay, now it’s my turn!” Kenji exclaimed, dragging Chuuya to the next machine.
This one was a game where you shot at targets for points, and Kenji wasted no time at all. He enthusiastically grabbed a token and slipped it in, leaning forward with intense focus as the game began.
“You better not make me look bad,” Chuuya teased, watching Kenji’s concentration. It was rare to see him so serious, even in a simple game like this.
Kenji shot a target with precision, his face lighting up with every point. He looked over at Chuuya with a grin. “Bet you can’t beat me!” He said, jokingly, a huge smile plastered on his face.
Chuuya folded his arms, raising an eyebrow. “You sure about that? I’ve got a pretty steady hand. Besides z I am older, and way better at it than you."
“I’m not worried!” Kenji laughed and kept firing. His focus was only broken when the game announced he had scored the highest points on the machine. “Yes! Look at that! I’m on fire!" he said, giving Chuuya a smile.
Chuuya stepped forward, his lips twitching in amusement. “Okay, now it’s my turn.” He took the gun, aiming carefully at the targets, his eyes narrowing with focus. It didn’t take long before his score surpassed Kenji’s, much to the younger boy’s exaggerated dismay.
“No fair! You’ve got way more skill than me! And your older!!" Kenji groaned, although it was clear he was enjoying the competition.
It wasn't in Kenji's nature to be over competitive...or rude. He was just there to have fun.
Chuuya couldn’t help but laugh. “I told you I wouldn’t lose.”
Kenji shot him a fake pout. “Fine, you win this time,” he grumbled, but the smile on his face was still wide and unbothered.
He followed Chuuya as they moved on to another game, both of them trying out air hockey next.
Kenji was terrible at it, his hockey puck constantly flying off the table or slamming into his own side, but it didn’t stop him from laughing, and Chuuya couldn’t help but join in on it, his laughter contagious.
The two of them spent the next few rounds of air hockey laughing so hard that even the arcade attendant gave them a strange look.
After a particularly wild round, where Kenji nearly fell over after tripping on his own feet, Chuuya was wiping tears from his eyes. “You’re hopeless,” Chuuya managed to say between fits of laughter.
Kenji, still grinning, bent over to catch his breath. “You’re right. I’m a disaster, but at least I’m having fun.”
That was when Chuuya felt it—a rare, soft moment between them. Normally, he The arcade lights flickered and hummed as Chuuya and Kenji stepped inside, the neon glow painting everything in vibrant hues of pink, blue, and purple. The walls were covered with posters of legendary games and flashy prizes, while the air was thick with the sounds of laughter, excited chatter, and the occasional sharp beeping of game machines. Kenji practically bounced on his toes, an infectious grin plastered across his face.
“Chuuya! This is amazing! Look at all the games!” Kenji’s voice was full of excitement, his eyes wide as he scanned the place.
Chuuya shot him a knowing glance, shaking his head but secretly amused. He’d agreed to take Kenji out after the younger boy had practically begged him to show him a “good time.” A rare, somewhat tired smile tugged at Chuuya’s lips as he gave Kenji an exaggerated eye roll.
“I don’t know why I’m surprised you wanted to come here of all places,” Chuuya muttered, but his tone was more playful than annoyed.
Kenji didn’t even hear the sarcasm in his voice, too caught up in the arcade’s vibrant atmosphere. “Let’s go get some plushies! I have to win one!” he said, already darting toward the claw machine before Chuuya could get another word in.
Chuuya chuckled under his breath, following him slowly. “You’re really into those things, huh?” he asked, clearly less enthusiastic about the idea.
Kenji turned to face him with a grin that only got wider. “You’ve got to try, Chuuya! It’s all about the challenge!” He practically shoved a token into Chuuya’s hand. “Come on! Try to win one! For me!”
Chuuya hesitated, but Kenji’s excitement was too contagious. “Fine,” he grumbled, rolling his eyes again, but there was an unmistakable softness to his expression now. He inserted the token and grabbed the claw control. As he maneuvered it over a stuffed rabbit, he glanced over at Kenji. “You better not make fun of me if I fail.”
Kenji leaned forward, his hands clasped together in front of him, watching intently. “I’ll never make fun of you!” His voice was sincere, even if his eyes sparkled with mischief. “I know you’re gonna get it.”
Chuuya narrowed his eyes but focused, lowering the claw to grab the stuffed bunny. It was a bit harder than he thought, and his first attempt fell short. Kenji groaned dramatically, only to gasp as Chuuya inserted another token.
“No, no, no! This time, I’ll get it for sure,” Chuuya muttered under his breath. His brows furrowed, and he leaned over the machine, focusing intently as he guided the claw over the prize again. This time, the claw descended, gripped the bunny by its ears, and lifted it clear from the machine.
“I told you I’d get it,” Chuuya said smugly, handing the stuffed rabbit to Kenji, who immediately jumped up in excitement.
“Yes!” Kenji cheered, holding it up like a trophy. “You’re the best, Chuuya!”
Chuuya couldn’t hide the small grin that tugged at his lips as he watched Kenji’s infectious excitement. “You’re welcome,” he said dryly, but there was warmth in his voice now.
“Okay, now it’s my turn!” Kenji exclaimed, dragging Chuuya to the next machine. This one was a game where you shot targets for points, and Kenji wasted no time at all. He enthusiastically grabbed a token and slipped it in, leaning forward with intense focus as the game began.
“You better not make me look bad,” Chuuya teased, watching Kenji’s concentration. It was rare to see him so serious, even in a simple game like this.
Kenji shot a target with precision, his face lighting up with every point. He looked over at Chuuya with a grin. “Bet you can’t beat me!”
Chuuya folded his arms, raising an eyebrow. “You sure about that? I’ve got a pretty steady hand.”
“I’m not worried!” Kenji laughed and kept firing. His focus was only broken when the game announced he had scored the highest points on the machine. “Yes! Look at that! I’m on fire!” he said, giving Chuuya a playful wink.
Chuuya stepped forward, his lips twitching in amusement. “Okay, now it’s my turn.” He took the gun, aiming carefully at the targets, his eyes narrowing with focus. It didn’t take long before his score surpassed Kenji’s, much to the younger boy’s exaggerated dismay.
“No fair! You’ve got way more skill than me!” Kenji groaned, although it was clear he was enjoying the competition.
Chuuya couldn’t help but laugh. “I told you I wouldn’t lose.”
Kenji shot him a pout. “Fine, you win this time,” he grumbled, but the smile on his face was still wide and unbothered. He followed Chuuya as they moved on to another game, both of them trying out air hockey next.
Kenji was terrible at it, his hockey puck constantly flying off the table or slamming into his own side. But it didn’t stop him from laughing, and Chuuya couldn’t help but join in. The two of them spent the next few rounds of air hockey laughing so hard that even the arcade attendant gave them a strange look.
After a particularly wild round, where Kenji nearly fell over after tripping on his own feet, Chuuya was wiping tears from his eyes. “You’re hopeless,” Chuuya managed to say between fits of laughter.
Kenji, still grinning, bent over to catch his breath. “You’re right. I’m a disaster, but at least I’m having fun.”
That was when Chuuya felt it—a rare, soft moment between them. Normally, he wouldn’t let himself get carried away with something like this, not after he got close to Dazai, and had fun hanging out with him, but Kenji’s laughter, his enthusiasm, and the way he could make anything seem fun was contagious.
For the first time in a long while, Chuuya allowed himself to just enjoy being here, enjoying this time with someone who didn’t demand anything from him, who didn’t look at him with expectations. He sighed. Just like Dazai used to do.
No. Chuuya had to force himself to stop thinking about the Mackerel. The fun times they had were over....now he had Jenji. They were just two people having fun, and that was enough.
“Alright, alright, let’s go do something else before I get too embarrassed by you,” Chuuya said, ruffling Kenji’s hair, "You saw how the attendant was looking at us."
“At lest it was fun!!” Kenji said, smiling back. “We’re in this together, remember?"
Chuuya shrugged, trying to act nonchalant. “Yeah, yeah, I remember. Let’s hit the bumper cars.”
The bumper car ride was the perfect chaos they needed to end their day. Kenji, who had no idea how to drive the bumper car properly, or any car in general, was an easy target for Chuuya.
With each turn, Chuuya carefully followed him around, knocking into him just enough to send Kenji spinning and laughing even harder. The louder Kenji laughed, the more it made Chuuya smile, even though he kept pretending to be annoyed by his antics.
After the ride ended, both of them were breathless from laughter, and their clothes were slightly ruffled from the collisions. Kenji was clearly tired, but his face heals nothing but happiness.
“That was awesome! We’ve gotta do this again sometime, Chuuya!” Kenji said enthusiastically.
Chuuya chuckled, shaking his head. “I’ll think about it. You’re a bit much to handle sometimes, you know?”
Kenji grinned, not fazed at all by the teasing. Chuuya gave him a playful grin as they walked out of the arcade, the cool evening air greeting them.
Kenji stopped for a moment, clutching the plushie bunny in his arms, and turned to Chuuya with a sincere smile. “Thanks for taking me out, Chuuya. I really had a blast.”
Chuuya, for once, didn’t brush him off. Instead, he gave him a slight smile of his own. “It wasn’t so bad,” he admitted, looking up at the stars. “Next time, though, you pick where we go.”
Kenji’s eyes widened in mock horror. “Wait, next time? Are you saying we can hang out again?!"
Chuuya rolled his eyes, the warmth in his voice betraying his teasing tone. “Maybe. If you behave.”
Kenji smiled again, his grin never seeming to fade. “Deal!”
For once, Chuuya didn’t mind the idea of spending more time with him. The night had been fun—more than he’d expected. If only it was the same as before.
The past is past. It's over, and can't he changed. The present, however, is current...and as long as he had some energetic person with him, Chuuya thinks he'll survive.
~ 🖤 ~