Immortality [Dazai x Female Reader]

Bonus Three: The Babysitting Chronicles

It was a quiet morning in the Armed Detective Agency, a rare moment of calm before the inevitable storm of missions and mayhem. Y/N sat at her desk, flipping through a case file half-heartedly when the door swung open. Atsushi, Kunikida, and Ranpo strode in, looking unusually coordinated.

"Alright, team," Kunikida said, clapping his hands together. "We've got a case outside the city, and we're all needed on site. Well, most of us."

Y/N raised an eyebrow, glancing between them. "Most of us?"

Ranpo, munching on his usual snack, looked over with a grin. "That's right. You're staying here to watch over Kenji."

Y/N blinked, caught off guard. "Babysitting Kenji? I thought he was perfectly capable of handling things."

Atsushi chuckled. "Oh, he is, but this case involves some pretty heavy stuff, and we need everyone focused. We thought it'd be better for Kenji to stay back this time, and who better to keep an eye on him than you?"

Before Y/N could protest, Dazai strolled in, lazily draping himself over her chair. "You're leaving me behind too, right?" he asked, grinning. "After all, someone has to keep Y/N company."

Kunikida's expression tightened. "No, Dazai. You're coming with us. This is serious."

Dazai let out an exaggerated groan, dramatically slumping over the back of Y/N's chair, his face inches from hers. "But what if Y/N needs my undivided attention? I can't possibly leave her alone for so long..."

Y/N rolled her eyes, a smirk tugging at her lips. "I'll manage just fine, Dazai. You don't need to be glued to my side all the time."

Dazai pouted but didn't argue further. "Fine, but I'm staying right by your side the moment we're done."

With a sigh, Kunikida led the rest of the team out the door, leaving Y/N and Dazai behind.

As soon as they were gone, Y/N felt a light tap on her shoulder. She turned to find Kenji, smiling up at her with his usual infectious cheer. "So, Y/N! What are we gonna do today?"

Y/N sighed, leaning back in her chair. "Well, what do you normally do when you're not on missions?"

Kenji's eyes lit up with excitement. "Oh! I usually go out to help with the farm work, talk to the neighbors, or find something fun to do around town. But since you're here, maybe we can do something different!"

Y/N hesitated, not exactly sure what "babysitting" Kenji would entail, but she nodded. "Alright, Kenji. We'll find something fun."

Kenji beamed, his energy seemingly endless. "How about we start with lunch? I can show you how to make my favorite sandwich! It's a secret recipe."

Before Y/N could reply, Kenji grabbed her hand and led her toward the kitchen. She shot a glance back at Dazai, who was watching from the doorway with an amused smirk on his face. "Good luck," he mouthed, before finally heading out with the rest of the team.

The day passed in a blur of Kenji's boundless enthusiasm. They made sandwiches (which involved far more ingredients than Y/N expected), went out to a nearby park where Kenji ran around like a whirlwind, and even helped out a few locals with minor tasks that seemed to come naturally to Kenji.

Throughout it all, Y/N couldn't help but smile at the boy's genuine happiness. He had an energy about him that was infectious, and even though she was supposed to be the one "watching over him," it felt like Kenji was the one showing her a lighter side of life. His pure optimism was refreshing, especially compared to the darker aspects she often dealt with in the agency.

But by late afternoon, Y/N was starting to feel the toll of keeping up with Kenji. They had just returned to the agency, and Y/N collapsed onto the couch in the common room, feeling like she had run a marathon.

"Kenji," she sighed, her voice tired but fond. "You have more energy than I could ever hope to have."

Kenji laughed, plopping down beside her. "You're pretty fast, Y/N! I had fun today."

Y/N smiled, resting her head back against the couch cushions. "I did too. You're a good kid, Kenji."

Kenji's face lit up at the compliment, and he started chattering away about his next plans when the agency door creaked open again. Y/N looked up to see Dazai sauntering in, his coat draped over his shoulder.

"Well, well, I see you survived," Dazai teased, making his way over to them. "How was babysitting Kenji?"

Y/N chuckled. "Surprisingly exhausting. But fun. He's a handful."

Kenji stood up, beaming at Dazai. "Y/N's really cool, Dazai! We had a great time."

Dazai's eyes softened as he looked at Y/N, a playful grin on his face. "Of course she is. I wouldn't be interested if she wasn't."

Y/N rolled her eyes at his shameless flirting but smiled nonetheless. "Glad you made it back in one piece."

Dazai settled beside her on the couch, his hand finding hers without a second thought. "Of course. I always come back for you."

Kenji, oblivious to the subtle shift in atmosphere, started rattling off more stories, filling the room with his usual cheer. But for Y/N, the day had been a strange yet enjoyable break from the usual chaos, and despite her exhaustion, she felt a sense of peace being there with Kenji and Dazai.

As the evening wore on and Kenji eventually dozed off on the couch, Y/N leaned against Dazai, her head resting on his shoulder. "You know," she whispered, "babysitting Kenji wasn't so bad."

Dazai chuckled softly, his fingers tracing lazy patterns on her hand. "You did a good job, Y/N. Maybe next time, I'll be the one babysitting you."

Y/N snorted, nudging him playfully. "You wish."

But despite her teasing, there was a warmth between them that made everything feel right. Even after a long, tiring day, it was moments like this—being with the people she cared about—that made everything worth it.

And as Dazai pulled her closer, his chin resting on top of her head, Y/N couldn't help but smile. Maybe "babysitting" wasn't such a bad job after all.

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