golden ✔️ | bsd

heartbreak

— atsushi.

A hue of blue radiates off the screen, engulfing the tiny office with its color. Atsushi thinks it makes them seem like they're underwater. It certainly feels that way, his mind offers cheekily. The atmosphere was one of suffocation, as if they were being slowly tipped off the edge of a mountain. Ever since the attack everyone feared that One Hundred Years Of Solitude would come for them next. They'd have to lock their doors, and keep their eyes open. Or like Kunikida, who now stood in front of the projector, needed to prepare an attack plan. The blonde man looked down at his notes and opened his mouth to speak.

"While working with the Port Mafia there came some important information on the possible location of Fyodor Dostoevsky."

He presses a button and the screen moves onto a blurry picture of the devil himself, standing next to a tall man. A feeling of dread settles into Atsushi's stomach. He secretly glances around the room, noticing how his peers didn't seem fazed by what was in front of them at all. Atsushi tried his best to stomp out his anxiety. Focus.

"Apparently he will be escorted out of Japan by Gabriel García Márquez. Another man that we are all quite family with."

Kunikida moves onto another picture. This time of Márquez. He's a scruffy looking man sporting a suit and tie and a confident smile.

"He attacked Shin Soukoku while they were tailing him. Landing our ally and Atsushi's partner in the hospital."

Everyone turned to face Atsushi. His skin prickled with embarrassment. Ranpo and Dazai carried the same expressions. As if to say we know your dirty little secret . The two of them saw right through him and Akutagawa's partnership, understanding that it was so much more than that at this point.

"He's alright...if anyone is wondering." Atsushi mumbles out.

Kunikida sighed, "Yes, we're all aware about how much you care for him," he turns to Atsushi, "I understand this behavior on the battlefield but outside of work? Stealing him away from the hospital when you had orders to stay put. Don't forget what side he's on."

A few people snicker which makes Atsushi want to melt into his seat. Kunikida's words seemed to be what a lot of his peers were thinking. However, the growingly famous Shin Soukoku had already moved way past casual work oriented relationships. He was afraid that scolding came at him a little too late.

Pushing up his glasses Kunikida continued, "Our info suggests that Márquez will be escorting Dostoevsky out of Japan in the coming weeks."

The slide changes to a white screen. A ticking noise leaves the mouth of the projector as a video begins to play on screen. It's only a blurry image at first but it clears up to reveal a moving train. Then follows a great dark beast, ripping into steel like it was nothing.

Atsushi winces at the memory that was now being played in front of them. He watches as both him and Akutagawa fly out of their compartment. There's a flash of red and then frame by frame they fall into the river below. The person recording yelps before the video ends abruptly.

"As you can see Márquez poses a great threat, so it would be ideal if we could stop both of them as they're trying to flee the country," Kunikida turns off the projector. "Dazai and Ranpo have already drafted up a mostly full proof plan that would help the ADA, next to the Port Mafia, take Dostoevsky into custody. Again ," He pauses, glancing over his notes. "But—

Everyone in the room breaks into grunts and groans. Atsushi can't blame them. Dostoevsky was a force to be reckoned with. He had not only endangered their agency, but the very stability of the Port Mafia as well. Someone with that type of power needed to be safely locked away.