Project X (Bungou Stray Dogs X Reader)

Chapter Fifty Six

Listen, I know the party is just for the agency and I'm fucking with the timeline. Hush and let me write.

Atsushi POV

With Pushkin's ability deactivated and Fyodor captured, all was well once again. We were even having a party to celebrate, the Mafia and the Agency together.

One of the Mafia's executives was still trapped in Poe's novel of course, but other than that all had returned to normal. 

I had run into Akutagawa earlier on in the party. 

"In six months, I kill you." he had stated harshly, "Be well prepared. When we first fought on the ship, I utterly despised you for how well-off you are, but that's somewhat different now. Until I defeat you, I can't move on. Thus, I will kill you."

"All right, but on one condition." I had responded, "Don't kill anyone for the next six months. There is something simple that you should learn from that: what it takes to win Dazai-san's approval, the fact that weakness and strength aren't what they seem, and that you're really ahead of me already."

"Very well." was all he had replied before walking away.

I stepped out onto the deck that was drenched in light from the sunset and was surprised to find Y/n there, looking out over the city. I had come for an escape from the controlled chaos within, but decided to talk to her anyways.

"Was I able to keep my promise?" I asked, resting my glass of champagne on the rail next to hers.

"You certainly make it tempting but alas, Fyodor had other plans."

"So you're really going to leave Yokohama."

She nodded slowly.

"Where will you go?" I asked.

"I don't know." she shrugged in response, "I've never really left the city before."

"You'll be off to see the world then." I mused, turning my gaze to the city as well.

"Don't get me wrong Atsushi-kun, I love it here. This place, these people, it is what compels me to live. It means the world to me that staying here would mean I'd continue to protect it. Maybe one day I'd even be able to live up to that name its given me if I did, but the city will be fine without me. The city has you."

"Will you be fine without us though?"

Y/n and I turned to look at one another. She had a small, sad smile on her face.

"I need to learn how to live on my own, Atsushi-kun." she said softly.

"I understand." I nodded, "You promise you'll come back and visit someday?"

"I promise." 

"What are you two doing out here? The party is in there." came Dazai's voice and we turned to see him walking up behind us.

Y/n laughed.

"Must've gotten lost." She joked, grabbing her glass and beginning to walk back inside, "See you around, Were-tiger."

She threw a lazy salut towards me over her shoulder and I watched her disappear into the party, not knowing if I ever would see her again.

"So," Dazai began, filling the spot that had previously been occupied by Y/n, "its quite a beautiful ship we have found ourselves on."

I nodded in agreement and we both turned to the city.

"Atsushi-kun," Dazai said, breaking the comfortable silence between us.

I glanced at him to see a serious look on his face.

"Yes?"

"How was it working alongside Akutagawa-kun."

"Awful." I admitted, "I never want to partner with him again."

"Why not?" he asked, turning to look at me with a kind smile.

"We're just fundamentally incompatible." I explained, "He's short-sighted and is actively trying to kill me in six months."

"What did you tell him when he said that?"

"I'm sure you can guess."

"Sure, I have a vague idea."

"I made him promise not to kill anyone else until those six moths are up. I am hoping he will learn something from it."

"Y/n-chan wont be pleased with that, it will make more work for her."

"Y/n-chan is leaving the city."

Dazai paused, his glass halfway to his mouth.

"Is she now." he said after a moment.

"I already tried to change her mind. She's set on it. I don't know if Akuatagwa knows yet."

"Interesting." Dazai mused, taking a sip from his glass at last before placing it back on the rail.

"She's strong." I reassured Dazai, noticing the change in his tone, "I believe in her ability to figure the things out that she needs to figure out."

Dazai nodded once, his eyes holding what was almost a sadness within them. As quickly as I had seen the emotion flash across my mentor's face, it disappeared. 

"I figured you'd make him promise something of the sort." Dazai said, changing the topic as he pulled something from the pocket of his coat.

I looked over at Dazai to see his eyes fixed on a matchbook he held tightly in his hand.

"A mafia member who doesn't kill, huh?" he said softly, "You and Akutagawa-kun are both fighters. Just like us."

I knew better than to ask as he placed the matchbook back in his pocket, picking up his glass once again. He turned to face me, holding the glass up for a toast.

"Atsushi-kun."

"What are we toasting to?"

"To the stray dogs."

I smiled up at him.

"To the stray dogs." I agreed.