Star Crossed (Chuuya x Reader)

(C. 6) The Deal

A/n I'm just gonna stop telling you guys when we diverge from the original plan of how many chapters a book was supposed to have. It's getting ridiculous.

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"We're investigating the rumor that the previous Boss has re-emerged." Mori calmly stated,  "According to Dazai's information, he's appeared three times in the past two weeks. In each case, he was sighted in Suribachi City. The fourth time, yesterday, he blew you away with black flames."

"The dead don't come back to life." Chuuya stated.

"I agree, but we no longer have the luxury of insisting so." Mori leaned back in his chair, looking tired all of a sudden.

Pressing a different button on the device from earlier, a projector turned on from somewhere in the room, throwing images onto the wall. Dazai and Chuuya turned to face them.

"This security footage is of the Port Mafia's vault," he explained, "the most difficult room to enter in our headquarters."

One of the screens fuzzed out for a moment. When it came back into focus, a man stood with his back to the camera.

"The previous Boss?" Dazai asked, his eyes narrowing.

The figure on the camera slowly turned, looking up at it.

"I've come back to life from the burning pits of hell." he announced, his voice rough and strong.

The other screens of footage disappeared as Mori zoomed in on the man's face, the Mafia's facial recognition systems positively identifying the man as the old Boss.

"Do you know why, Doctor?" he asked before answering his own question, "Anger. He feeds on anger. He summoned me back from hell with the intention of having me breed even more anger. The beast of the gods, Arahabaki of the black flames."

The figure of the boss turned suddenly to purple fire and the camera flickered out. Dazai and Chuuya turned back to Mori.

"That's all the footage we have in our security records. Currently, very few people know about this footage. There is a strict gag order in place."

The reality of the situation crashed down on Chuuya like a wave. The Mafia had the Sheep, they had Y/n, and now, they had him too.

"Suppose the previous Boss gave the same speech elsewhere that he did in that video?" Dazai added as Mori got to his feet, walking over to join the two boys, "He says that his death was not by disease but by assassination."

"If the previous Boss's supporters were to find out," Mori continued, "a third of our organization would become my enemy."

"Win or lose, the Port Mafia would be doomed." Chuuya stated, his voice quiet and low as he searched for a way out of this situation.

"Chuuya," Mori asked, his gaze fixed on the view of the city through the large windows of his office, "what is Arahabaki? I did a little research of my own. Arahabaki is a legendary servant of the gods, but because they are so old, their true form is unclear."

"Do you really believe in gods?" Chuuya asked.

"It's not a coincidence that you were doing research on Arahabaki." Mori stated, "You heard the same rumors that we did, and you were after the truth. Correct?"

"We get a lot of drifters." Chuuya sighed, watching the Mafia Boss carefully, "There's no easy way to find the source of the rumor. Do you know how Suribachi City was made?"

This question seemed to capture Dazai's attention and he looked over at Chuuya with curiosity.

"The city was built in the aftermath of an unexplained explosion at the end of the conflict." Mori replied.

"The explosion was caused by Arahabaki, supposedly." Chuuya admitted nervously, "Rumor has it that eight years ago a captured foreign soldier was tortured at a military facility in the settlement. His rage and hatred summoned Arahabaki, and the black flame blew up this nations soldiers, facility and all. That explosion resulted in... Suribachi City, as we know it today."

"Dazai, what do you think?" Mori asked after a moment's thought.

"They must have used a special ability that we don't know about." Dazai shrugged, "If that footage wasn't forged, we're screwed."

"Oh dear." Mori hummed placidly, "Dazai, I have an order for you. Find the person responsible before they do the same thing they did on the video in front of supporters of the previous Boss. Got it?"

Mori turned to Dazai.

"I don't think he have much time." Dazai sighed, seemingly bored by the situation, "Am I doing this by myself?"

"You wont be alone." Mori smiled, "Have Chuuya there give you a hand."

"No way!" Dazai exclaimed, suddenly more animated than Chuuya had seen him since that morning, "Why do I need to work with this brat?"

That got Chuuya's blood boiling. Practically anything got his blood boiling but being looked down on? By someone his own age?

"What the hell are you talking about?" he shot back, "I'll beat the shit out of you, kid!"

"You're a kid too!" Dazai yelled back, "And you're smaller than me. You ought to drink some more milk!"

"None of your business, bastard! I'm fifteen! I'm still growing!"

"Quiet, both of you." Mori commanded and the pair fell silent once again, still shooting each other evil looks out of the corners of their eyes.

Mori turned to face them both.

"Chuuya," he began, "I trust that you understand you aren't in a position to refuse my orders."

It was a statement, not a question, and Chuuya knew it. He scoffed slightly, gritting his teeth.

"You too, Dazai." Mori continued, turning to look at his subordinate, "If the previous Boss's supporters find out, as my accomplice, you will be tortured as well. You won't be able to die easily."

"What makes you think that's the best course of action?" Dazai asked, straightening up as he spoke, his calculating gaze fixed on his master.

"I have several reasons for making you work together." Mori stated calmly, "First, someone outside of the Port Mafia will have an easier time interviewing people. Chuuya needs to be monitored so he doesn't betray us. And... the rest is a secret."