You Deserve Better (Osamu Dazai x Reader)

Chapter 41: Cannibalism

(Season 3, Episode 11)

I gave Osamu some time alone for about an hour while I went out to pick up some takeout for our lunch. This is the second time I left him alone today, and I still don't like it, especially after the last time.

Upon my return, I opened the door to find him engaged in a phone call. Silently, I arranged everything on his food tray as I overheard his conversation.

"Yes, Natsume; the legendary gifted who's instrumental in founding the Armed Detective Agency... His whereabouts are a mystery to everyone. Rumor has it, his ability is unrivaled, allowing him to see through anything..." Outside of the window, a calico cat strolled across the railing, holding a fish. Is that Haruno's cat? Osamu put down his phone, looking at the creature. "Sardines?"

"Should I let it in?" I asked. "It's staring right at us."

"Yeah," he answered. "Oh, and thanks for the food."

"Don't mention it."

As I unlocked and opened the window, the cat jumped inside. Oddly enough, it pounced on top of the bandaged man's bed before leaving the sardine and jumping back out of the window.

"Uh, that was weird." I watched the cat disappear in confusion. Glancing back at the man behind me, I observed him methodically dismantling the fish. "Osamu, what are you doing?"

"It's just as I thought." He pulled out a flash drive from the fish. "Someone wanted us to have this."

"...Okay, so what made you realize that something was inside of the fish?" How did an ordinary house cat even get here? We're pretty far away from Haruno's place.

"That doesn't matter right now." The brunette furrowed his brows. "You have your computer with you, right?"

"Yeah." Sitting on the side of his hospital bed, I pulled out my laptop, inserting the card. On the screen was a map with a pinpoint. "Looks like Katai found their hideout."

***

Within the hour, the bandaged man was discharged, so we met up with Atsushi and Akutagawa. According to Osamu, they're the key to winning against Fyodor. 

The brunette and I sat on the crates in the moving truck, while he held up the two boys by their collars.

"Come on, just let me go!" Atsushi complained.

"Not a chance!" The bandaged man laughed. "You two are gonna work together again whether you like it or not."

"Dazai?!"

"Ow, my tummy!" The bandaged man exaggerated. "Please don't move around like that Atsushi, you're gonna reopen my stitches."

"You should put them down." I placed my hand on the brunette's back. "The doctor told you that shouldn't be doing anything strenuous."

The weretiger looked up at the brunette, acting as if the mafioso wasn't even there. "This is a retaliation mission to save the President, why is he even here?" 

"It's all part of my plan, just trust me."

"The two of you are going to sneak into the enemy hideout together," Osamu explained. "The enemy base is in an old, abandoned coal mine. The interior is several hundred kilometers wide and equipped with sensors and traps to stop intruders. Our main target is the gifted who controls the virus. Unless we can disable his special ability, both leaders could die. Our secondary target is the mastermind, Fyodor."

"Isn't this all the more reason not to involve him?" Atsushi countered. "This mission is important, and you know how much Akutagawa hates my guts! I doubt he'd agree to work with me anyway!"

The brunette turned to face him. "Well Akutagawa, you in?" 

"If that's the plan, then I can do it," he menacingly answered.

"Did you know it's been four years since you've been under my command?" Osamu recalled. "I'm hoping to see you're a little more capable than before."

Was that really necessary to bring up?

"Yes."

The weretiger raised his brow as he looked at the black- and white-haired man. "Are you sure you're Akutagawa?" 

"Yes."

"You're actually gonna team up and fight with me?"

"Yes."

"What did you have for dinner last night?"

"Yes."

This is gonna be a long mission.

***

We reached our destination, parking amidst the trees, close to the base. The four of us, accompanied by Kunikida who was driving, disembarked to observe the building from a distance.

"That sure is a lot of guards," Atsushi noted.

At least a dozen men stood guard outside of the abandoned coal mine, all carrying heavy artillery.

"They all have wireless communicators too," Osamu reminded us. "Their people will know right away if we charge in. There's a sensor at the entrance to counter Junichiro's illusions. Also, their vital signs are being monitored and continuously transmitted back to headquarters. If the guards so as much become excited or nervous, they'll know instantly that something's wrong."

"I have two simple rules for you, weretiger." The mafioso stepped forward. "Keep up or be left behind. Get in my way and die. Got it?" 

Without even waiting for a reply, Akutagawa left Atsushi in the dust.

The brunette laughed, keeping his hands in his pockets. "He left you behind." 

"I'm going too!" The weretiger lunged at the entrance.

"Just wait Atsushi, how are you going to-"

Kunikida was cut off by Atsushi transforming his legs and leaping, zooming through all the guards who didn't even have a chance to notice him.

"Was this really a good idea?" I asked the man next to me.

"Everything will turn out just as I planned."

"Well, he certainly made that look easy enough," the blonde huffed.

"Guess we should get to work as well." Osamu turned back towards the truck. "Come on, let's get started."