Partners for Life [Dazai x Chuuya]

Agency's (Dazai's) assistance [Part 2/4]

Dazai sighed for the umpteenth time, still curled up into a ball on the agency's newly remodelled couch, adding much to the agency member's agony who, except Atsushi of course, had no idea what was wrong with the brunette. Not that there was anything 'right' about the suicide-obsessed ability user in their team. But he had this strong desire to help people and for that the agency did respect him, even though that meant they'd had to go through his typical 'Dazai' personality everyday which was a mixture of a lot of adjectives including frivolous, overly dramatic, extremely cunning, scheming, etcetera, etcetera.

But today was different. Dazai was acting weirder than ever and no one had any idea why. He hadn't teased Kunikida even once after entering the office, hadn't asked Atsushi about any new suicide methods he could recommend, hadn't flirted with any of those women who lined up to get a laugh with him; in other words, Dazai wasn't being Dazai and this was more annoying than when Dazai was Dazai. (can't believe I used so many 'Dazai's in one sentence lol)

"What is wrong with him? Why hasn't he made a joke about my glasses yet...?" Kunikida questioned Atsushi, hoping that he'd know of something that must've happened yesterday when they went shopping and came back empty-handed.

And to be fair, Atsushi did know. He at least had an idea on what's bothering him but obviously he wasn't going to blurt all of his assumptions out in front of all the other members and put his mentor in a tough spot. He forced a smile, definitely plastic, and shook his head denying any knowledge on the matter. And then he thought back on what happened yesterday.

""By any chance, Dazai-san... are you jealous?"

"Huuuuuuh? Jealous!!? Of what, the shortie getting a date before me!? Like I said, he's only with that woman for some ulterior motive! Why would I be jealous!!?"

"Not jealous of Chuuya-san, jealous of that woman in his arms. After all, you too like Chuuya-san, don't you?"

"The hell I do!!" Dazai yelled loud enough for a lot of people to hear. His voice carried a strong denial for whatever the weretiger had assumed, but his face, which had turned beet red, his cheeks heating up, betrayed the negation.

'Do you even know how you look like right now?' Atsushi thought, but once again decided on not hurting his mentor's feelings, and instead said, "But you two would make quite a good couple...um...I don't know..."

And that did it. Dazai's brain might have short-circuited or something, that with a muddled expression, he headed straight towards the exit door.

Not knowing what else to do, Atsushi followed him, only to be led by an angry but clearly embarrassed Dazai out of the restaurant.

But little did they know, a certain ginger-head's eyes never left the back of Dazai's coat until he left the building. His eyes seemed to have carried an unspoken expression that went completely unnoticed.

And as for Atsushi, the moment they left the building, he was ordered by his mentor to go back to agency and how the older male had something urgent to do. Basically, Atsushi was dismissed.

And however messy things had happened yesterday, Atsushi didn't feel that it was right of him to just bring it out to the rest of the members of the agency. It was a private affair for Dazai, after all.

But contrary to what Atsushi would've preferred, it didn't take long for the 'shopping' topic to come up.

"By any chance, did something happen yesterday? Like, when you guys were out shopping?" It was Yosano-san, who aimed the question at Atsushi but had kept her gaze fixed at the curled-up and enveloped-with-gloom Dazai.