Chapter Text
1 week after astushi joined the egancy-
Kunikida was at his desk doing his paperwork, keeping a steady pace as he goes through each report with accurate precision in time with his schedule, as always, when astushi walked into the office, hair ruffled, eyes emotionless with a pool of black framing it, skin pale and clothes all wrinkled.
Kunikia looked up from his work to spare him a glance and say good morning to the fellow rookie when he took in his appearance, and his mouth falling shut. He frowned, not surprised by the way astushi carried himself like a dead corpse as he has been like that for the past week, but wondering about what could be keeping him up at night and why he looks like he hasn’t slept in years.
“Hey astushi” he eventually said.
Astushi flinched from his seat when he heard his name being called but quickly covered it, however not quick enough as kunikia noticed.
“What’s wrong kunikia-san” astushi said with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes and voice edged with feigned enthusiasm.
Kunikida noticed all these things but decided not to press “How is your apartment? Are you comfortable with it?”
“I love it actually, it’s nice to have a roof over your head and not having to worry about how to escape from the weather every day and it’s really comfortable. Again I’m grateful for it I can’t thank you guys enough for it.” Astushi said with a genuine smile and gratitude.
“Good to hear that astushi you need not thank us so much but are you getting enough sleep lately?”
Astushi cringed “Yeah I’m getting enough sleep you don’t have to worry about me, I don’t want to disturb your work”
Kunikida was about to reply to that when Dazai walked in along with kenji. Dazai saw them both and walked over with a cheery grin while kenji went to look some farm equipments. Kunikida sighed, already feeling the weight of today’s work and Dazai annoyingness seeping into his bones.
“What you’s doing?” Dazai said with a big smile and in a high pitch.
“Nothing that concerns you, you suicidal maniac” kunika replied with. “And what is your excuse for being late this time? Your ignorance is messing with our schedule!”
“Now now Kunikida all my reasons for being late are absolutely reasonable”
“Yeah and trying out a new way to attempt is reasonable.”
“Ouch,” dazai made a hurt expression and put his hand over his heart, “you wound me Kunikida.”
Kunikida sighed, knowing this back and fourth with dazai is meaningless and turned back to astushi, who is staring wordlessly and a wall, eyes hollow.
Dazai looked over aswell and took in astushis appearance, now realising what caused the crease between Kunikida’s brows.
Astushi has been acting strangely ever since he joined the detective agency. He would flinch from the slightest sudden noise and his body was always on high alert, as if preparing himself for a hit that never came, and he would always avoid topics about his past, brushing it off saying that it no longer matters anymore now that he has found a new home.
Dazai knew that his orphanage wasn’t exactly the kindest to him but what could have possibly happened in there to leave astushi like this?
“Good morning astushi-kun~” dazai said hopefully to catch his attention from whatever ghosts he’s seeing.
Snapping out of the daze, astushi shook his head and looked up to find Dazai hovering over him with a gleeful smile.
Astushi realising he’s waiting for his reply said, “Good morning dazai-san, I’m sorry I didn’t notice you entering, I’ve been kind of out of it lately”
“Thats fine, don’t you worry about it I was hoping to ask how your doing lately.”
“I’m good, thank you for your worry.” Astushi said but Dazai didn’t buy it.
Dazais face took on a more serious expression when he said “ Astushi, I can see that something is bothering you and you can’t be doing you best in work if you can’t give it you all when your all tired and as your sensei I need to know what I can do to help. So let me ask again, what is it that’s worrying you?”
Astushi opened his mouth to spill another lie and then decided to snap it shut. He looked over from Kunikida and then to Dazai and sighed, knowing that lying is not going to get anywhere with them. “Well I’ve been having these nightmares ever since I was little but I was still able to get some sleep despite it, but now whenever I close my eyes, I get flashbacks of the orphanage and the fear of ending back there keeps me up at night. Not just that but I keep having this feeling that something is watching me 24/7, but whenever I look there’s nothing there.”
“Hmm that does sound quite troublesome, I could get yosano to prescribe some sleeping tablets for you,” Kunikida stared and started noting it down in his book to not forget about it later.
“And don’t worry you pretty little paws astushi, as long as you’re with the agency you won’t have to ever worry about ending back at the orphanage.” Dazai stated, and then questioned, “Moreover, do you think someone could be stalking you? Or is it just paranoia?”
Astushi thought about it for a bit and then exclaimed, “I think it might just be because of the fact that all this time I thought a white tiger was after me and hunting me down turned out to be me, and I still can’t seem to fathom that thought. But it’s fine really I’m sorry for troubling you two,” he said and then looked down at his lap with a smile, “but thank you for your worries, I’m really grateful.”
“Yeah, yeah it’s fine kiddo, and I’ll drop of your tablets tomorrow once I get them.” Kunikida said while turning away, but he couldn’t hide his smile. “Now that’s out of the way Dazai you’re coming with me, we have a mission today and we cannot delay any further.” He stated and grabbed Dazai by the scuff of his neck and dragged him out the building.
Astushi huffed a laugh at them, and continued with the rest of his work until it was time to go back home, and prepare himself for another sleepless night. Or so he thought.