But in the End

Weretiger, Aprehended

The tiger lunged forward, swiping its paw at Dazai, going in for a strike as Dazai jumped out of the way at the last second.

The tiger turned around, swiping for Dazai again as he simply ducked down. "An impressive display, you could snap a persons neck. You can tear a man's heart from his chest." Dazai jumped onto a pile of crates, jumping once the tiger smashed into them, turning to me. "Not gonna help out?"

I waved a hand in a shooing manner. "Nah... looks like you got this." I shrugged off, noticing his hands were still in his pockets. "You don't need my help."

Dazai landed on the ground, sliding back into a wall, the tiger jumping into the air. "Hmm. Come to think of it, this isn't a bad way to meet my doom. Being eaten by a tiger." He took his hands out of his pockets, staring at the approaching tiger. "But even all your strength can't kill me. My ability is... No Longer Human."

Once Dazai touched the tiger, it was like it evaporated, leaving an unconscious Atsushi in its place. I walked towards the two as Dazai caught the boy from falling. "He's unconscious."

"If you're flirting..." Dazai stared down at the boy, tossing him aside. "I'm not interested."

"Dazai!" I exclaimed, bending down beside Atsushi. "Did you seriously have to do that?" I groaned at him. "You're a really show off, you know that?"

"What?" He asked me, looking at me in confusion. "How am I a show off, last I checked, you didn't offer to help." He deadpanned at me.

I stood up, facing him with my arms crossed. "You know what, Mr. 'Even all your strength can't kill me'. That's some big words coming from a man whose fascinated with dying."

"It's like you don't know me at all, who'd want to be eaten alive by a tiger? That's a painful way to go, I prefer dying as painless as possible." Dazai replied, shrugging an arm up.

I sighed at his response, staring back to Atsushi. "You knew all along, didn't you?"

"That he's the tiger?" Dazai spoke up as I stared at him out the corner of my eye, nodding. "Sure did."

"Should've known..." I mumbled, sagging my shoulders. "But to think he had no idea this whole time... and the orphanage didn't bother telling him."

"Probably thought it'd be better to wash their hands of the situation and get rid of him all together." He replied simply. "But nothing we can do about it."

"There you guys are." We turned our attention to see Kunikida running up to us.

"You're late Kunikida." Dazai scolded the man. "I've captured our predator."

"What do you mean?" Kunikida asked, looking at Atsushi. "It's the boy?"

"Yep, he can change into a deadly tiger." Dazai answered.

"Oh geez..." Kunikida sighed out.

"What is it?" I asked the man.

"What was with this note, huh?" He asked, holding up the note Dazai wrote earlier.

I leaned forward with Dazai, reading the contents, before pulling back with a sigh of my own. "Seriously, Dazai..."

"The tiger will be in the 15th districts warehouse. Secure the parameter so that it can't escape." Dazai reiterated the note. "My what a lovely and concise note~"

"You left out one vital detail." Kunikida replied. "Next time you better tell me what's going on. Thanks to you, I brought in agents that weren't even on call. First rounds on you."

"Hey!" Kenji gasped, skipping forward.

"Please don't tell me there are no casualties... talk about boring." Yosano sighed, placing a hand on her hip.

"Sorry, 'Sano!" I gave her a smile. "Turns out the job was simple this time around."

"You got better at solving cases, Dazai." I looked over to Ranpo, who wore a smug expression. "But, my logical skills will solve the big ones."

"Of course, with your ability, no one can even come close to you." I mumbled.

———

"Never would've pegged you to have a soft spot for the kid." I teased the brunette as all of us walked to a bar for the drinks Dazai owed the others for being called out for nothing.

"I couldn't help it. In a way, he reminded me of myself when I was his age." He replied, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

"That so..." I trailed off, staring ahead at Yosano and Ranpo talking casually.

As we made it to the bar, all of us ordered whatever drink, talking about cases we've been on and about Atsushi's potential future if he becomes part of the Agency.

"I can't help but worry, I mean, he has a large bounty on his head." I spoke up, twirling my drink in my hand. "If word gets out about who the weretiger is, many people will-"

I was cut off as my phone began running in my pocket. Taking it out, I looked at the caller ID, standing up. "Sorry, I need to take this." I walked away from the others, making my way out the door. I leaned against the wall, answering the call. "Hey, Dad."

"Hello, (Y/N)." He replied. "So, how are things at the Agency?"

I smiled before replying. "It's better than I imagined. I get along with everyone there nicely, and the jobs aren't too bad, nothing I can't handle."

"I'm glad to hear, I'm sure your mother would've been proud." My father replied, causing my smile to falter slightly.

"Yeah, I'm sure she would." I whispered out, before clearing my head. "What about you? You liking the new job ever since you left the Mafia?" I glanced up, staring into the night sky.

...

"Where where you, you were gone and I couldn't get ahold of you?!"

I watched as my father let out a sigh. "You know how I told you how I worked for the Mafia?"

I nodded my head, blinking confusedly. "Yeah, but what does that have to do with anything?"

"Well, this job I had to do, turned out to be a very extensive one." He replied, setting his stuff down. "But no need to worry, I will be leaving the Mafia as of today."

...

"It can be taxing, but I'm used to it." He replied plainly. Yeah, I bet you are...

It was silent for a moment, as for I didn't know what to say. After learning the truth all those years ago, I felt like my father was a stranger, that I never really knew him.

"Have you had any run-ins with the Mafia since you returned back to town?" He suddenly asked, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Now that you mention it, no I haven't." I pondered the past few months I've been with the Agency. "You think it has something to do with me being gone for so many years?"

"Could be. Maybe they aren't aware you are back in town and gave up their search." He suggested.

"I still don't get why they tried so hard to find me..." I trailed off, thinking about it. "Yeah, I beat up a few of their men, but I don't see that as a reason they'd track me down like they did." I heard the bell above the door to the bar, jingle, seeing the others began to walk out. "I gotta go, I'll talk to you soon."

"Be careful, (Y/N)."

———
Published: 09/21/2023