Chapter Text
Both the Port Mafia and the Armed Detective Agency sat across from each other on one of the many floors of the Mafia’s base building for a meeting.
With the entirety of the ADA’s agents present and a select few Mafia members—the Black Lizard and two executives—everyone sat in orderly fashion, preparing to discuss a topic serious enough to require an alliance between both organizations and an official, structured meeting.
Most of the ADA members, aside from Kenji, Ranpo, and Dazai, were anxious about being in Mafia territory. However, the severity of the situation called for drastic measures and a high-stakes discussion.
The topic of the meeting was a new organization called The Head, which had been threatening Yokohama and rampaging through much of Japan, causing mayhem and destruction.
Under the pretense that everyone was like mindless creatures who needed to be reminded of their place beneath others, they had been moving through multiple instances across Japan for quite some time now.
With Ranpo’s deductions, they had managed to pinpoint the organization’s base of operations and had begun planning an infiltration mission.
Small—maybe one or two people sent in to investigate while everyone else stayed back.
Mori tilted his head, wearing a deceptive smile. “So, what do you say, Fukuzawa-dono? Any operative you believe best suited for such a mission?” he asked.
Atsushi had to fight the unease he felt when seeing the man’s smile.
He could hear Byakko’s low growl within him, as if she could sense the past evils Mori had committed against those they cared for.
Fukuzawa took a moment to think. “I do believe it would be best if we both sent one of our own on this mission.”
“But who would go?” Tanizaki asked quietly.
“I propose Chuuya goes,” Mori said, the same smile still on his face. “Maybe Dazai should go as well?” he added with a hum.
Dazai looked to the President to see what he had to say about that proposition.
“I was thinking that Atsushi should be the one going among my people,” Fukuzawa answered instead.
Atsushi froze at that, anxiety growing in his gut.
“Then maybe Akutagawa should go with Atsushi-kun, since they have experience working together,” Dazai added.
Chuuya crossed his arms. “Anything’s better than working with that mackerel. I don’t care if I stay or go,” he answered.
Ranpo, who had been munching on chips, finally spoke up. “Both Mister Fancy Hat and Atsushi are offensive fighters, from the information I’ve picked up. Dazai and Akutagawa tend to work more as support in fights.”
Akutagawa spoke up. “Why does that matter?”
“Simple,” Ranpo replied. “Mori wants to send Mister Fancy Hat, and the President wants to send Atsushi. Because of that, everyone logically thinks it’d be best to send either you or Dazai to work with someone you’ve teamed up with before.”
Kunikida nodded. “From what I’m aware of, Nakahara and Dazai have worked well together in the past, and Atsushi and Akutagawa mirror that dynamic in some sense. So it makes sense to send them as a duo.”
Higuchi spoke up. “Wouldn’t it be best to send the pair with more experience?”
“That would be the most logical option,” Ranpo said with a grin, “but I think we should send Mister Fancy Hat and Atsushi. It’d be interesting to see how they handle this situation.”
“Ranpo, I’ve barely spoken more than a greeting to Chuuya-san,” Atsushi said. “How could we possibly work well together?”
The growl from Byakko eased, her anger settling.
Does she like Chuuya or something? Atsushi wondered. At least I know I can trust him if Byakko’s calm around the man.
“I agree with the kid,” Chuuya spoke up, irritation in his voice. “What makes you think we’d work well together?”
Arahabaki, surprisingly, had gone quiet for the moment.
That made Chuuya glance over at the nervously fidgeting boy. He seemed shy, but bright—and surprisingly good at hiding his anxiety.
Chuuya only noticed because Arahabaki tended to stir when someone carried strong negative emotions. Anxiety was an educated guess, judging by the fidgeting.
“I trust Ranpo’s judgment,” Fukuzawa interrupted Chuuya’s thoughts. “Besides, it’s best to keep Dazai and Akutagawa here for preparations.”
Mori nodded. “Yes, indeed. And now I’m truly interested in seeing how they’ll work together—considering their experiences with their partners and all.”
Quietly, while the thought was still in his mind, Atsushi spoke. “But like Ranpo said, both me and Chuuya-san are offensive fighters. What if we get in each other’s way during a fight?”
“That’s a fair concern, child,” Kouyou hummed thoughtfully. “You both should spend some time preparing for this mission together.
Yosano sighed. “As much as I hate the idea of Atsushi being around a Mafia executive for any longer, it’s best that you both can at least have regular conversations with each other.”
Kenji nodded, stars in his eyes. “Plus, Mister Fancy Hat is so cool! You guys would be so awesome together.”
Chuuya crossed his arms. “They’re right… as much as I don’t want to admit it, they’re probably right.”
Hirotsu spoke up. “The two of you don’t have to become best friends. You just need to build familiarity so you can communicate better during the fight. And you don’t have to spend all day together—maybe just an hour or so.”
Dazai nodded, patting Atsushi’s back. “You won’t have to hang around the slug too much, Atsushi-kun. And if you ever need anything, just give us a call.”
After the meeting, Atsushi moved to speak with Chuuya. He felt nervous, fidgeting slightly as he approached, but the fact that Byakko wasn’t bothered by Chuuya at all—and even seemed to enjoy the older man’s presence—helped calm his nerves.
It was interesting, the almost-purr Byakko made. Atsushi didn’t fully understand why she trusted Chuuya so easily, but it had to mean something. Chuuya must be a good man. After all, he was probably one of the reasons Dazai survived during his time in the Mafia. There was no reason for Atsushi to hold any negative feelings toward him.
Even Akutagawa respected Chuuya, and their bond wasn’t something to overlook. Maybe—just a little—Atsushi found himself looking forward to this opportunity to work alongside Chuuya Nakahara.
Chuuya watched as Atsushi approached, scanning over the boy carefully. He hadn’t thought much of the kid before, but anyone capable of keeping up with Akutagawa wasn’t someone he could afford to underestimate.
And besides, Arahabaki was never this quiet.
Not unless Dazai was touching him, nullifying his ability and silencing the constant presence in his mind. That noise was always there, lingering at the back of his thoughts. Chuuya had become skilled at tuning it out; most days, he barely noticed it anymore.
But now…
There was something different.
Around this kid, the presence felt softer. Quieter. Almost gentle. Arahabaki never sounded like this. Maybe he was overthinking it. He usually avoided focusing on that voice at all, so perhaps it was simply something he had long dismissed as background noise.
Still, whatever the reason, Chuuya found himself feeling unexpectedly comfortable around Atsushi already.
And that was rare—especially with someone new. Especially with someone from a rival organization.
“What do you want, kid?” Chuuya asked, looking at the boy, still trying to figure out why Arahabaki was so silent.
With a small exhale, Atsushi answered, “I was just curious… for training, when would be best to meet up?”
Chuuya took a moment to look Atsushi over. They needed to make sure they didn’t get in each other’s way while on this mission. “Alright, here’s the plan, kid. We have two weeks before we have to set out, so every day we should at least meet up for an hour to train—and to make sure we don’t get in each other’s way.”
Atsushi nodded and thought it over. “I wake up pretty early, so we could do something in the morning… or I can do it after work.”
“I’m not getting up early in the mornings. I work most of the night, so I need that sleep,” Chuuya answered, his voice cold, but not quite unkind. “We can do whatever time works after your work, and train until sunset.”
Atsushi watched the older man for a moment. He wasn’t very expressive—he could be aggressive, sure, but usually only when he was irritated. The only times Atsushi had met him before were when he was with Dazai, and his mentor liked to annoy the executive.
He was curious how different his time with Chuuya would be. He didn’t assume he’d be accepted or treated kindly, but he hoped it wouldn’t be too difficult.
“Yeah, I can do that. And I’m sure Kunikida will let me off work sooner if I tell him I’m training for this mission, so we might get some extra time with that,” Atsushi said, nodding. He was also slightly excited to have the opportunity to train with someone so strong—it would really help him improve.
Chuuya watched the boy. For someone from the Agency, he expected him to be a bit colder toward a Mafia executive—or at least more guarded.
This kid wasn’t.
There were only traces of what he knows from Akutagawa about him—mostly things that reminded Chuuya of his own dynamic with that damn mackerel. But the kid was something else entirely. He didn’t even seem guarded while speaking with Chuuya. It felt strange… but also slightly refreshing not to deal with someone dancing around his questions.
“We’re going to need to keep in contact. I don’t like giving out my phone number, but I believe it’s necessary since we’ll be working together for who knows how long—possibly even a month, depending on how the mission goes,” Chuuya said, crossing his arms as he watched for the boy’s reaction.
Atsushi was quick to nod, agreeing with the logic, not even hesitating to give out his number—which, again, was something different to the older man.
Pulling out his phone, Atsushi handed it over to Chuuya without a second thought. “I’d really like to get this mission done as fast as possible, but patience—and not rushing—is important.”
Chuuya thought to himself how strange this boy was. He seemed so trusting, but that trust also felt limited, controlled. He understood that—and was glad to see the boy wasn’t naïve.
“Yeah, I’d like to get this done as fast as possible, but like you said, we need to make sure not to rush anything, or we’ll make mistakes—and mistakes aren’t something we can afford.”
“Will we be meeting tomorrow, then?” Atsushi asked as he got his phone back, sending a message to Chuuya so the older man would have his number in return.
“Yeah. And don’t be late—I don’t like waiting,” Chuuya said. With that, he turned and walked away.
Atsushi nodded and didn’t say anything else as he returned to the Agency members. The purring Byakko had been making earlier had stopped, and it was strange how much she seemed to trust that executive.
He couldn’t find it in himself to be bothered by it, though. Trusting the fiery man felt almost natural—though he kept that trust limited. He didn’t want to be naïve.
Arahabaki had returned to its usual place as background noise in Chuuya’s mind—never too loud, but after how it had quieted around the weretiger, it felt… strange.
Both men were left with the same lingering question:
Why did they trust him?
But neither of them could bring themselves to question it too deeply—or to feel uneasy about it. They only lingered on the thought for a moment before being pulled away by the other matters they needed to handle.
Dazai had been watching Atsushi and Chuuya’s interaction with Ranpo. Both men had noticed something slightly strange in the pair’s posture.
Nothing truly worrying—but it wasn’t stiff or guarded like they had expected it to be.
When Atsushi finally returned to the group, Ranpo was the first to ask—only a few seconds quicker than Dazai.
“So, what did you and Mr. Fancy Hat talk about?” he asked, though he already knew the answer.
“Oh, just discussing when we would be training. We’re going to be doing it every day starting tomorrow, and we’ll be meeting after my work hours to train until sunset,” Atsushi explained. As he spoke, Kunikida immediately wrote the information down in his planner.
Fukuzawa began leading them all out of the Mafia base, Dazai humming his suicide song as he watched the weretiger from the corner of his eye.
“I saw you got the slug’s number,” he said casually, though everyone was paying at least a little attention—if only because they were slightly nervous about the Agency’s cat working with Chuuya Nakahara.
“Yeah, he said it would probably be smart for us to have a way to contact each other, since we don’t know how long this mission will last—and we’ll be spending the next two weeks training together every day,” Atsushi answered.
Kenji seemed to be the only one truly unbothered by Atsushi and Chuuya working together—maybe even a little amazed.
The two boys began talking as they walked back, while the senior members of the Agency, along with their president, quietly shared a look. They were all going to keep a close eye on Atsushi. They didn’t think the executive would try anything—but they wanted to make sure no tricks were attempted.
Dazai, even though he knew Chuuya wouldn’t do anything, still felt a little strange about having his mentee working with his long-time rival. Still, he was more relaxed than he would have been with almost anyone else—it was the slug, after all. One of the most trustworthy members of the Mafia.
Chuuya wasn’t one to backstab—not unless given a reason.
And Atsushi… was far too kind, too pure, to give anyone a reason to betray him.
But something about the way they interacted—the way their posture shifted slightly around each other—had Dazai questioning things. Things he would discuss with Ranpo at a later date.
If those things ever became a problem.
Kouyou had only seen Chuuya walking toward her after his conversation with the weretiger.
She had only spoken to the boy a few times, but he was a good child, she thought—someone so pure, so firmly in the light. She was also pleased to know he was taking good care of her dear Kyouka.
So, out of all the Agency members, she found herself the most calm about him working with Chuuya.
Not that she had anything against the others—or even Kyouka, whom she might have preferred—but the boy was a good second option.
Besides, she was looking forward to seeing how Chuuya and Atsushi would work together—especially since the boy would likely be the best partner for the executive.
After all, he wasn’t someone who would easily anger Chuuya.
And he was strong enough to put up a proper fight, with a will sturdy enough not to irritate the older man or make him feel as though he needed to take complete control.
Still, she noticed the slight, thoughtful look on Chuuya’s face when he approached. Of course, it disappeared quickly as he moved on, whatever thought he had already forgotten—but it was strange.
His interaction with the weretiger had felt… almost familiar. Not entirely—there was still distance, still caution—but there was a thread there. One that was almost impossible to notice.
Akutagawa was a little annoyed by the matchups for this mission.
But even if he hated to admit it, he could see them being a good team. Having worked with Atsushi enough times—and knowing his mentor well enough—he could see it turning out well.
Even then, he still did not like Jinko working so closely with the Mafia like this.
It was irritating.
But this mission was time-sensitive, and it needed to be carried out properly. He wasn’t going to question the decisions of either leader.
He wouldn’t make a fool of himself like that.
—
That night, Atsushi lay in the closet, his eyes looking up at the small shelf above him. His thoughts drifted back to the tiger—to her beauty.
His eyes slowly closed, and dreams of her surrounded him. She was curled around him, snuggling and nuzzling him softly, the gentle purr she reserved only for him—and for a very small few she truly trusted. Even then, it was rare to hear that soft sound.
Usually, it only came when he was struggling… when he truly felt at ease and safe for once—something rare for him, always on guard.
He used to hate that purr—that sound. Back when he was in the orphanage, he didn’t understand it.
She had been trying to comfort him, but he had only seen it as something frightening. His hatred toward her had grown so much when he was younger.
Now, he was working on fixing that relationship—with the tiger, with Byakko. He had come to enjoy that sound. It felt warm. Safe.
It was the only dream he ever had that was truly peaceful—something without constant fear or nightmares. He had begun to crave that warmth, the feeling of her surrounding him.
But even so, these dreams were rare… and her purr was something he didn’t hear often. Probably because she had learned, when he was younger, that he didn’t like it.
They were working on that now. He had accepted her, as she had always accepted him.
Though there had been a time when even she seemed to carry that same hurt—perhaps because she had grown tired. Her constant attempts to protect him had been twisted into something negative by the emotions in his heart.
Now, though…
He wondered why that purr had lasted so long around Chuuya. Why had their entire interaction left her so calm—so at ease?
It was strange.
Almost like she knew Chuuya. Or… like she recognized the power that lived inside him.
Atsushi had sensed it before. It felt almost similar to Byakko—yet so very different at the same time.
Darkness slowly consumed him as the warmth of the tiger lulled him deeper into sleep, falling to be held safely by a different Beast, his thoughts drifting away as his mind let go of the questions he had been holding onto.
Chuuya, like most nights, had fallen asleep quickly once he got home, settling into rest without much trouble.
He slept well—safe, as always. And like always, he dreamed.
He knew that much.
But the dreams were never something he could fully grasp, nor remember—no matter how much he wished to.
He woke again to Arahabaki—loud, restless, almost screaming in the back of his mind.
He was tired of that sound.
And yet… his thoughts drifted back to earlier—to that quiet, soft, almost gentle presence it had taken on around that boy.
Or rather… whatever the boy had within him.
It was different. Something almost like himself—though not quite the same.
He knew the kid was powerful. Arahabaki always reacted when someone strong was nearby. Usually, it grew louder—restless, eager, almost demanding a fight.
But this time… it had gone quiet. Softer.
Almost like it recognized the boy—and his ability. Chuuya had never heard Arahabaki like that.
If he had, it had only been in rare moments—moments where it almost seemed to take pity on him. Like when he lost the Flags… just before Arahabaki had awakened and taken control of his body.
That boy was something different.
Arahabaki didn’t hate him—not like it seemed to hate most things.
If anything… it almost felt protective.
Maybe it was because Chuuya was its vessel—its home, in a way.
Chuuya didn’t hate Arahabaki either. Not entirely.
The entity didn’t hate Dazai, either. It… liked him, at times. And Chuuya knew that was the only reason he survived using Corruption.
So he couldn’t hate the thing that kept both him—and itself—alive. Its vessel.
The one it had been with for so long.
He almost felt ashamed to admit that maybe—just slightly—it was attached to him.
Even if Chuuya himself believed he was nothing more than a tool.
Gradually, the noise faded again, and the red-haired executive drifted back to sleep.
Dreams came to him once more. But unlike the usual emptiness—or the nightmares—this time, they were warm. Soft.
Something brushed gently against him—white, soft fur, wrapping around him as something dark and red curled protectively around a small child.
He wouldn’t remember this dream when he woke.
But for the first time… the dreams he could never recall weren’t empty nor evil.
They were warm. And he rested better than he had in a long time.
Neither Atsushi nor Chuuya would remember their shared dream.
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