Shadow Reaper - Soukoku - What if Dazai stayed in the Port Mafia?...

Back at the flat

Chuuya was pacing around restlessly when Dazai walked in.

"What's got your hair in a tangle hmm?~"

"Three more black lizards were killed."

"Let me guess, Gin's battalion?"

"Yeah. Same method, different armoury. Armoury six. Nothing was stolen again. It's like they're lookin' for evidence of illegal activities or something. I think it's the rat but the people looking for the leak haven't gotten any closer to discovering their identity. They've just been able to narrow it down to a section of our organisation. Either the grass is good at their job or I need new subordinates." He continues to pace up and down living room, mind ticking over all potential possibilities and how things might go down, depending on which suspect is the rat.

"I don't think you're too far off there my little Chibi~." Chuuya pauses briefly in his restless pacing to throw an unimpressed glare Dazai's way but he didn't interrupt. "We could set a trap for them. The next attack is likely to be tomorrow, evening onwards."

"Who's gonna go then and what time? We'll need good fighters but also good watchers but not too many otherwise it'll be hard to hide them. And they have to be trusted, we still don't know our rat's workin' alone and we don't want the traitor being tipped off or for a loyal member to be set up."

Dazai pauses thoughtfully for a few seconds, humming lightly. "If that's the criteria, then I'd say us, Gin and her partner. Me and Gin can work together and you and Sakura can work together."

Pausing in his pacing, Chuuya looks at Dazai as though he suggested the traitor was him. "Working with that sarcastic bag of attitude is very unlikely to end well, besides, you're hopeless if it comes to direct combat, you'd be a sitting duck. Your pair needs to be highly skilled in combat to counterbalance your incompetence and based on sheer stubborn strength I'd have to say Sakura is the slightly better fighter if you want us to split."

Dazai's lips twitched subtly in amusement at Chuuya's protective side and vehement refusal to work with Sakura. "I'll be fine. Trust me. I've got a plan."

Chuuya quirks an eyebrow. "Yeah? And what if we're walking into a trap? Their movements are incredibly methodical, it's like they want us to notice the predictably and do just what we're about to."

"I know. I agree, but sometimes the best way to discover the perpetrator and their true intentions is to walk into their trap. I've got a plan. Everything will be fine."

"Well if you've got a plan ya gonna share it or are you gonna get us killed because you wanted to be mysterious and dramatic?" He collapses onto the sofa, kicking his feet up on the coffee table.

"I've still got to iron out the kinks, I'll tell you when it's complete." Dazai joins him on the sofa, limbs sprawling over the cushions like a lazy cat.

Chuuya throws Dazai a side-eye, not entirely believing the cheap cop-out. "You're tellin' me you're gonna walk into a trap with a half-baked plan?"

"One can't rush genius, my little friend."

"But one can rush a procrastinating ass. Seriously, tell me when it's sorted, yeah?"

"You have my word."

"That doesn't exactly fill me with confidence."

"Oh come now, when have I broken my word?"

"I've got a list as long as my arm."

"Well that's a very short list then."

Chuuya scoffs, nudging Dazai in the ribs with his elbow. "It's still long enough."

"But when have I broken a promise like this when it was important?"

Chuuya goes quiet, racking his brain for any example but nothing of real significance came up. "Just don't go breaking that streak."

"I won't."

Once the conversation naturally came to an end, the two sat in companionable silence, Dazai with his headphones on listening to music while Chuuya scanned through the less pressing reports that still needed his attention. It's was a strangely mundane, domestic scene, one that could be observed the world over yet it was treated like a coveted treasure. To have a companion was a gift. Even in the dark world they live in there were moments where they were able to forget all the atrocities.

"Would you care if I died?" The abruptness with which Dazai blurts out the question almost belies the sincerity behind it.

Chuuya looks to Dazai, surprise colouring his expression. "What?"

"Would you care if I died?" Dazai replies repeated slowly expression unreadable. 

Chuuya shifts uncomfortably, trying to find the right words to answer the question, unease starting to spiral in his chest. "I mean, for all your infuriating habits, insufferable teasing, appalling attitude to house work and endless wasting of bandages, yes, I would care. So quit scarin' me."

Amusement tugs at Dazai lips at Chuuya's response. "I love you too."

"What? I never said that."

"Yes you did."

"No, I-..." He pauses briefly then scowls to hide his true emotions. "Oh shut up."

Chuckling softly Dazai decided not to push it for once.