[align=center][div style="width:420px;text-align:justify;font-size:11px;margin-top:10px;color:#000;line-height:100%"]For me and [member=179]Seliane[/member] to post the things we wrote... who knew giving us Yosano's backstory would give us this much muse. :'^)
My second thing is a sequel to the first one I wrote, and the last one is... a prediction of mine, who'd be taken if Mori really does insist on transferring a member of the ADA to the Port Mafia. ( Please no.)
Both of Seli's things are nice, light-hearted fics — containing headcanons we came up with while yelling in DMs.  weats:
FICS LIST:
01. Untitled [Ayurin]
02. Untitled [Ayurin]
03. Untitled [Ayurin]
04. Untitled [Seliane]
05. Untitled [Seliane]
If any of you want to write stuff and share with the rest of us, you can send it to me in dms on Discord or pm me here and I'll add it. ^^ I can't speak for Sel, but I'll likely write more in the future. Recent canon events have given me reason to.
☾
Comment vous dire... La vérité finit toujours par se découvrir. À chaque jour suffit sa peine, chacun trouve chaussure à son pied. Le temps blanchit les têtes sans mûrir la raison.
How do I tell you... the truth shall always be discovered. Each day has enough grief, everyone finds bespoke shoes for their feet. Time whitens heads without ripening reason.
[div style="width:450px;text-align:justify;font-size:11px;margin-top:10px;color:#000;line-height:100%"]The latest chapters of BSD revealing Yosano's backstory killed me lol. I started thinking about how Ranpo might've met her, and although now that has been shown, I thought it could've also played out as something like this. So this fic is something like a "What Could Have Been" story, I guess.
"The city's gonna get flooded in some parts at this rate." A young boy thinks aloud from where he's looking over the railing of a bridge, green eyes studying the water that rushes underneath and leads out to sea. It's been raining nonstop since early morning, never letting up, incessant and overwhelming. While humans can deal with it well enough with an umbrella, the aftereffects of all this water is the real problem.
The boy hums, reaching into a plastic bag hanging off an arm and plucking out a lollipop. He tucks his umbrella under his arm as he unwraps it carefully, shoving the wrapper in his pocket before continuing on. The rain is loud and heavy in his ears, seeming to even drown out the occasional car that passes as he makes his way down the sidewalk. There's no people - a blessing, considering his nature to comment on things without a filter.
His caretaker warned him about getting involved with other people, after all, and he had learned his lesson as well. Proud as he is, he trusted his caretaker's advice! After all, that man was the same person who made him realize he had a special ability. Someone like that deserved his unwavering respect and attention, at least that's what he felt.
"Rain rain, go away, come again some other day~" There's a pause. The boy stares up at the sky, pouting when the rain continues to fall. He stomps a foot into a nearby puddle, waving his umbrella over his head. "Will you stop raining already?! You're impeding my work, you know! Do you know who you're troubling with all this rain? Edogawa Ranpo - the one and only Edogawa Ranpo, you know!? No one's gonna call the agency for help when you don't stop raining! Stupid weather! Stupid, stupid, stuuuupid!"
Something makes the boy named Edogawa Ranpo freeze in his movements - the sound of water on metal, an undeniable 'tink'.
He's been down this area countless times before in the rain. That sound doesn't belong here, it's an anomaly. Something's different this time.
He hears it again, and starts to glance around.
"Huh? Where is it?"
Well, even if he says that, it's not as if the answer will call out to him. Nothing is that simple. Ranpo purses his lips, reaching inside his coat for a pair of glasses.
"Fukuzawa-san said not to use it without him around, but... Just this once!" With an eager grin, Ranpo slips his glasses onto his face with both hands. "Let's go, Super Deduction!"
A few moments of silence pass. Ranpo's expression is stern - then he suddenly turns to make his way down an upcoming alleyway on his right.
"This way!"
Every step he takes through the alleyway is followed by a splash of water. The ground is soaked, there are puddles galore. Had it not been for Ranpo's umbrella handed to him on his way out, he was sure he'd be drenched down to the bone. Really, he should feel lucky Fukuzawa gave him permission to even go down to the candy store in this weather but then again... maybe it's also because he complained for two straight hours until the bodyguard gave in?
Eh, whichever one. It doesn't matter.
Tink.
There it is, that sound again. Ranpo blinks, eyes wide in curiosity as his footsteps slow. It's somewhere around here, somewhere -
And then, he comes to an abrupt stop in the alleyway. That was...
Ten feet ahead of him is what is most likely the back-end of a shop. Empty wooden crates are stack up in three's or four's, and in between two stacks underneath a small awning is a young girl in a white outfit with splatters of red coating the fabric. Her clothes are soaked, her face is buried in her knees, and - ah, the source of the noise: a part of her head is just out of the awning's reach, and every so often a drop of water hits the butterfly-shaped clip in her hair.
Ranpo stares for a few lingering moments, then takes a step forward. The girl finally seems to notice him then as she bolts upright with a look of absolute terror, pressing back against the wall. She seems to relax a fraction when noticing it's Ranpo, but still remains on guard.
"Hey, are you okay?" Ranpo asks as he closes the distance without a second thought, seemingly completely ignorant of personal space. He stops to stand in front of her, green eyes blinking curiously.
"Eh? Ah," The girl lowers her head to the splatters on her outfit. Now that Ranpo's closer, he realizes it's a typical nurse outfit, though she's rather small to be wearing such a thing. "T-This blood isn't mine-"
"Hah? I know that much. I was asking if you were okay 'cause you're crying, y'know."
"Eh...?"
"'Eh' again? Repeating yourself is a bad habit." The boy exhales, letting his body lower to squat in front of the girl. His umbrella rests against his back comfortably as he reaches his bag for a piece of candy and offers it out to the girl. "I'll give you this if you stop crying."
His offer earns a bewildered stare. Violet eyes blink incredulously, looking down at the piece of candy, back up to Ranpo's face, then down to the candy - before she finally accepts it with a small puff of her cheeks, fiddling with the wrapper as she looks away from the young detective's face. "... I wasn't crying..."
Ranpo beams. "You say that, but your eyes are red and irritated. Even if you use the excuse it's been raining and you're super soaked, that can't be covered up. Unfortunately for you, you can't lie to me!"
"Hmph... Why is that?"
"Why? Well, ain't it obvious? 'Cause I'm me!"
"Eh? That doesn't..."
"See there ya go, saying 'Eh? Eh? Ehhh?' again. What's your name? Not 'ehhhh-chan' right?" He offers out his hand, palm up and inviting. "My name is Edogawa Ranpo! You can just call me Ranpo, okay?"
The girl starts to lift her hand, but pauses halfway in apprehension. She studies Ranpo's face, as if trying to look for some ulterior motive, some underlying reason why he would want her to take his hand - Ranpo knows she's thinking this because, with his glasses on, there's nothing he can't notice or know at a glance. He can tell that she ran away from someone for some reason, that she's most definitely a nurse despite her age, but even so...
Well, she has no reason to be crying alone in an alleyway, right?
"C'mon, c'mon - you know how to shake someone's hand, right?" Getting impatient, he grabs the girl's hand, shaking it with so much eagerness the other squeaks in surprise. "Nice to meet you~! Won't you tell me your name?"
"Ah..." His company relaxes as she processes the warmth of his palm, head shrinking down between her shoulders. "Yosano... Akiko..."
"Yosano-san, huh? That's a nice name! Then, take this, Yosano-san!" Ranpo grabs the handle of his umbrella, putting it in the palm of Yosano's hand and forcing her fingers to curl around it before he pulls her to her feet with him.
"W-Wait, what are you...!"
"Do you wanna keep crying here?"
"Eh?"
"Jeez, there you go again!" Ranpo puts his hands on his hips, leaning forward with a childish pout. "What good is it gonna do you to cry here alone? I dunno about you, but if it were me, I'd like to get outta the rain - and I'm on my way home right now, so why don't you come with? My Fukuzawa-san will be happy to help you!"
"I…" Yosano shifts where she stands, wringing her hands around the umbrella handle nervously.
Ranpo tilts his head. "No good? We're eating yakiniku ramen tonight. Don't want any?"
"I'm not-"
A gurgling noise cuts off her words. Silence falls over the duo, and a bright red color starts to take over Yosano's face. Ranpo, despite this, gives a haughty grin she can't help but want to punch off his face.
"What were you gonna say? 'Not hungry'?"
Yosano grits her teeth. "B-Be quiet! I'll go! Are you happy now?"
Ranpo raises his arms into the air. "Yup, I sure am!" And then, his arms lower, one of them held out to offer a hand. "It's this way, I'll take you!"
Yosano is less hesitant this time in grabbing his hand, but she still gives a noise of surprise when the boy is so quick to turn and hurry along down the sidewalk. She's sure, had he not been holding her hand, she would've tripped.
There's a small scowl given at his back. This guy… He was so arrogant, not considering others as he went about his business-
And then, Yosano's thoughts come to a halt when she notices the rain falling down against Ranpo's outfit. It makes a pitter-patter sound as it bounces off his cloak, soaking his sleeve that's holding onto her hand. She digs her heels into the concrete and tugs at his arm, forcing the boy to a stop.
"W-Wait! If you let me use your umbrella, you're gonna get all wet!"
Ranpo stares. He looks briefly up at the sky, then back at Yosano. "So? It's just water. I'm not gonna die."
"Then it won't kill me either if you just take this back."
"Ehhh? But you're a girl."
Yosano's brow twitches. "So what? Are you going to treat me like a doll because I'm a girl?!"
"Whaaaat? Of course not! It's just, well-" Ranpo pauses, tilting his head with a gentle, wistful smile. "My mother up in heaven would get mad at me if I didn't treat a lady with respect, y'know? Ain't nothing about treating you like a takane no hana."
"... You don't have a mother?"
"Nope. No mother, no father." At one point in the not-far-distant past, such a thing would have been difficult for Ranpo to say - but things are different now. He won't let that hold him back.
"Then, the person you're talking about-?"
"Fukuzawa-san is Fukuzawa-san."
"What does that even mean..."
Ranpo beams, tugging at Yosano's hand to continue down the sidewalk. "You'll see when we get there!!"
The girl can't help but give a smile at his back. She gives a small giggle, taking a quick two steps forward to try and share the umbrella. "You got it wrong, by the way."
"Huh? Got what wrong?"
"A takane no hana has nothing to do with being treated like glass. They're more treated like no one can reach out to them..."
"That so? Guess you're nothing like that." Ranpo lifts up his hand that is holding Yosano's. "After all, I reached out to you!"
Yosano shakes her head in amusement. "You really are a strange one."
[align=center]❀ ❀ ❀
The front door to Fukuzawa's house rattles as it's slid open, pulling the bodyguard's attention away from the stove where he's finishing up the last half of dinner for himself and Ranpo. Slowly, his gaze drifts towards the clock on his wall, dully noting that the boy he had taken into his care almost a year ago had been away for much longer than usual.
Just what was so interesting in all this rain?
Really, he didn't want to let Ranpo leave in the first place, but that boy was so awfully insistent when it came to what he wanted. If only he'd apply that to his detective work appropriately...
"I'm back~!" Ranpo's voice rings loud and clear, breaking Fukuzawa out of his thoughts.
"Welcome back, Ranpo." Fukuzawa answers in kind.
"- Ah, you can leave your shoes and the umbrella here, okay? Don't worry so much, he isn't as scary as he sounds at all~"
... Just who was Ranpo talking to, anyway?
The swordsman arches a brow, eyeing the hallway that led into the kitchen from the front entrance. There's Ranpo's footsteps - and someone else's. Another child, given the lightness of it.
"Who did you bring back with you?"
Ranpo's head pops out from the hallway, expression cheerful. "As expected of you, Fukuzawa-san! You noticed right away!"
You also talk loud, the man thinks, but he says nothing and decides to stare expectantly as Ranpo eventually leads their guest into the kitchen: a young girl seemingly around Ranpo's age, with her hair cut in a black bob and a butterfly pin in her hair. More importantly...
"That's a military nurse uniform." A statement, not a question. He's seen it before in the company of a certain distasteful man.
Ranpo doesn't falter in the face of his lacking response, gesturing to the girl at his side with a hand. "This is Yosano Akiko! I found her in the rain all alone, so I thought it'd be safer for her if I brought her home."
This is a first. Ranpo had an invasive personality, but he didn't get along with other people very well - especially in the initial meeting. That in itself has some merit, so Fukuzawa decides to go along with Ranpo's actions... as usual. He sets down his cooking utensils, walking over to stand in front of the girl, taking note of how she flinches when he kneels down to be more eye level with her. Internally, he frowns at the possible reasons why.
"I am Fukuzawa Yukichi. Though Ranpo is a bit difficult, he's telling the truth. You are safe here for however long you stay." Silver eyes shift to the boy. "Her clothes are soaked. Do you have any to spare so she can change and warm up?"
"Already planned on it~! Of course I do!"
And just like that, Ranpo is off dragging the girl further into the house with a squeak of surprise from the back of her throat. Fukuzawa watches them disappear with a sigh as he stands to his feet. His expression is stern, as if something else is lingering on his mind, but he decides to deal with that later and instead continue to focus on dinner. First things first, they'd need a third bowl -
"- In here, Yosano-san!" Ranpo chirps, footsteps echoing against the wooden floor as he turns into a room to his right. It leads into what looks like a bedroom, though it looks too neat for someone as energetic and flighty as Ranpo...
Still, Yosano asks, "Is this your room?"
"Technically speaking, I guess?" Finally, the boy releases her hand in favor of crossing the room to push open the door to a closet. He gets down on his knees as he opens a chest, and from where Yosano can see over his shoulder, it seems to be a chest to hold his clothes in... How old fashioned. Had he just moved in here, perhaps? "Let's see, let's see... I know I have something in here that'd suit you - oh! This should work!"
Ranpo turns around, waving a long-sleeve navy blue dress with a black ribbon around the waist. It's a pretty dress, Yosano likes the simple yet elegant design of it. Yosano's brows raise, however, head tilting in confusion.
"Do you have a sister?"
"Huh? No, these are all my clothes." Green eyes blink behind the fabric Ranpo is still holding up in front of him. "Clothes are clothes. I wear whatever I want. We're around the same height, so I don't think it'll look too bad on you, if that's what you're worried about..."
"No, I-"
Yosano pauses, pursing her lips. Now that she thinks about, all she's been exposed to is men with a stereotypical sense of masculinity they needed to maintain... Something about this difference in Ranpo - it was really refreshing. "Thank you," she reaches out, accepting the dress and hugging it close to her chest. "Really, Ranpo-san."
Ranpo folds his hands behind his back, swaying from side to side cheerfully. "No need to thank me! Considering the rain outside, Fukuzawa-san has probably drawn up a bath. You can use it - it's to the right out this room, down the hall on the left! Can't miss it, okay? Take all the time you need, dinner still has some time before it's finished, after all!"
Before she even speaks, as if he already knows her answer, he's making his way around her and bouncing out the room. There's a wave of his hand before he disappears towards the kitchen again, and Yosano is left gawking at the door. She seems to gather herself a second too late, blinking and yelling after him after trotting up to the doorway, "Eh - uh, r-right...!"
He really is a fast-paced person, isn't he?
Well, she doesn't dislike that. Unaware as she is of it, there's a smile on Yosano's face.
Violet eyes lower to the floor in thought, but there's a momentary pause when she notices water drops on the polished wooden floor. That reminds her, his clothes were soaked for her sake, weren't they? Yosano hesitates, brows furrowing in confusion. Even though he was soaked, he was telling her to warm up first... What a reckless person-
A shiver wracks the girl's frame. Ranpo quickly leaves her thoughts, replaced with the deep need for a warm bath. "Uh, let's see... he said it was down this way, right..."
❀ ❀ ❀
Ranpo's presence is heard first before it is seen. His footsteps are as loud as ever, not holding anything back from the man in the kitchen who pauses mid taste-testing the ramen he's in the process of making. He hears the wet thud of Ranpo's cloak being thrown over a chair, but the sound of Ranpo sitting down never comes.
He decides to speak then:
"It's been in the back of my mind since you came home, Ranpo," Fukuzawa starts, setting down his chopsticks. There's a certain heaviness in the air, conjured by both of them. "You've been wearing your glasses since you came in. There's something more to bringing her here, isn't there?"
Silence. That's a strange thing, from Ranpo. Fukuzawa glances over his shoulder, taking in how the boy is smiling underneath his hat, but at this angle, the man cannot see his eyes - those eyes that sit behind the black frames sitting on his face.
"... She's an ability user from the military. Considering her position given her outfit, I'd assume she's a rare ability user that has the ability to heal others." Ranpo says at last, voice even. There's a maturity in his tone that surprises Fukuzawa a little. "Though I can't pinpoint the specifics - she ran away from someone because she's scared of them. A man, probably, considering how she flinched when you got too close."
Now it's Fukuzawa's turn to be silent. He stares at the young boy sitting at his table. Somehow, it feels as if he's neither here nor there, as if he could disappear in an instant if the swordsman were to blink his eyes. There is an unimaginable depth to Ranpo that perhaps even he hasn't realized yet... but it may have been better if he never realized it. "I see," Fukuzawa says at last. "But what does this mean in reference to your reasonings towards bringing her here?"
Ranpo removes his hat, setting it on the seat of the chair nearest to him. "To tell you the truth, Fukuzawa-san... I don't really like humans. I don't like adults either. You're the only outlier for a special reason, and even you should be aware of why that is," Because you're my savior, because you made me realize the truth, because I would be dead without you- "But, I can't ignore people like me... I don't want to. I don't want to watch anymore kids my age get hurt and used because they have amazing potential, so..."
"... So?"
The raven hesitates. Fukuzawa notices that Ranpo's hands are clenching at the bottom of his shirt, then soon relaxing as the boy walks closer to stand before him -
And gets down on his knees into dogeza.
That effectively throws Fukuzawa for a loop in every sense of the word. He takes a small step back, eyes widening.
"I know I'm selfish, I know I'm a brat and always frustrating you - but I don't want to watch another person my age end up like Oda Sakunosuke." That other person who saved him. Ranpo is sure that that assassin isn't even aware of the impact he had on Ranpo, and perhaps they'll never meet again, but Ranpo would never forget what Oda had done to help Fukuzawa save him -
Ranpo lifts his head, if only to meet Fukuzawa's gaze with pleading green eyes.
"You said I could help people with my ability, didn't you, Fukuzawa-san? I want to do that right now - for that girl. Even if it means working twice as hard for the agency we started together, I'll do it!"
The boy's expression is stern now, determined and set in his ways already. Even if Fukuzawa were to say no... Well, he's sure that Ranpo wouldn't listen to him anyway. For some reason, Ranpo felt he had to do this. For the first time since he had taken Ranpo under his wing, Ranpo was willingly reaching out to help someone else for the first time, despite how jaded he was towards society.
"... You just met this girl." Despite the resolve he senses in Ranpo, Fukuzawa needs to be sure. He can't let something this serious be on another whim of the boy-genius. "What makes you so certain that this is the right decision instead of taking her home?"
"Because - my deduction says so." Ranpo lifts a hand to his glasses, pinching at a temple of his glasses before pulling them carefully off his face. "I think we need Yosano-san, and more importantly, she needs us. She does right now, most of all."
Because his deduction says so, huh... That's a difficult thing to argue. Ranpo's 'Super Deduction' was certainly amazing, the fact it wasn't a real ability aside. Anything he predicted was exceedingly accurate and the truth. For him to say with so much conviction and confidence that his deduction said they should protect this young girl... How could Fukuzawa argue? There was no way to prove such a thing wrong, at least not yet. The only thing left standing in the way was human will, was it not?
"... Very well," Ranpo lights up at his words immediately, so Fukuazwa is quick to continue, "However, the choice is hers alone. If she declines your invitation, you must take her back where she belongs. Are you fine with that?"
Ranpo jumps to his feet, throwing his arms around the older man's middle in a hug. "Yes! Thank you, Fukuzawa-san! You won't regret it!"
Fukuzawa coughs at the impact, lowering his head to watch Ranpo nuzzle into his yukata like a cat. A ghost of a smile makes its way onto his face, letting fingers run through wet black hair. "Go change your clothes and dry your hair now, before you get a cold."
"'Okay~!"
Just like that, Ranpo is off and running again down the hallway and out of sight. The silver-haired man watches him go, files the smile on Ranpo's face into his memories to look back on later.
❀ ❀ ❀
Yosano stares at her reflection in the mirror of the bathroom. Her eyes look more puffy than she had anticipated them to be - or maybe she was just trying to still deny she had been crying not too long ago before Ranpo had found her. To think she had been dragged so easily into someone else's home like this -
But...
She runs her hands down the front of the borrowed dress she was now wearing. It was warm and a bit big on her, but comfortably so. These clothes, this place... It felt like the closest thing to home she's ever felt in a long time. How that boy managed to make her feel so safe and comfortable despite just meeting - she doesn't know, but she doesn't hate it either.
The thought makes her pick up the butterfly-shaped hairpin sitting in front of her on the bathroom sink. Her expression turns forlorn, stroking the golden wings carefully as if they might break under the pressure of her fingers. Her dirty, bloody, evil fingers -
"Yosano-san? How are things?" Ranpo's voice.
Yosano jumps, hugging her hairpin to her chest as she walks towards the bathroom door and opens it. Ranpo has changed out of his clothes from before, now sporting a white long-sleeve shirt, brown capris, and what she assumes is knee-high socks. A towel is sitting on his head, which he soon pulls off to place it atop hers.
"H-Hey-"
"You gotta dry your hair properly or you'll get sick, Yosano-san."
Yosano relaxes at his words. She studies the soft smile on his face as he rubs the towel against her hair. "... Ranpo."
"Hmm?"
"Why are you helping me?"
"Why..." Ranpo pauses, expression unreadable as he studies the girl's face. "Do you want the truth?"
"Of course I do - what else would I want?"
Ranpo smiles. "That's true! Well, if I'm being honest... I'm an ability user, you know. Like you."
The girl pales. "That-"
"My ability allows me to see the truth in anything. That means I know where you're from, what you do, the gist of your ability - but I'm not scared of you. We both want the same thing."
"The same..."
"Yep!" Ranpo pulls the towel away from Yosano's hair, seeming to be satisfied. "To help other people since we can do things they can't - right?"
Violet eyes widen, blinking incredulously and staring. She opens her mouth to speak, but nothing comes - she's stunned into silence, and that silence is only broken by the faraway voice of Fukuzawa.
"Ranpo, it's done."
Ranpo leans out of the bathroom to shout down the hall, "Coming! Just a sec!" He looks back at Yosano, pointing in the direction of the kitchen. "Dinner's done. You're still hungry, right?"
Oh, right... That's how all this started - because she was hungry, and the next moment Ranpo was dragging her along down the sidewalk. She nods in agreement, and starts to follow him down the hall towards the kitchen.
"Oh, I almost forgot-"
Yosano blinks.
"The dress looks nice on you! You can keep it!"
"What? But-"
"Nnnnope, no buts here! It's just a piece of fabric, it ain't gonna bother me. It looks better on you anyway."
"You really like calling the shots, don't you?"
"Hmm - only when I know the outcome will be good!"
Yosano hums, nudging into the boy's side with an elbow. "Is that all the time?"
"Haha! No way!" A pause, "Almost all the time."
His comment makes her snort into a hand as they make their way into the kitchen where Fukuzawa has just finished setting down all three bowls filled with ramen and meat. Ranpo cheers as he climbs into his seat, patting the empty spot next to him for Yosano who joins him with a bit of hesitance. Fukuzawa sits down across from the two, expression pensive.
They could easily pass as siblings, he thinks.
Ranpo doesn't ask Yosano anything right away, the man notices. Instead, the boy carries casual conversation as they eat and talking about anything and everything like the flighty person Edogawa Ranpo was. The more he talked, the more Yosano seemed to relax, with her shoulders falling slack and a small smile on her face. It's interesting to watch how Ranpo worked when he was truly aiming for something - despite how terrible he was with people on a personal level, if he had a goal in mind, he could interact and coerce people rather effectively in a manner that was comforting on the other individual.
It's nearly hard to imagine that a young boy with such awful manners could be as polite as he was, but then again, Fukuzawa noticed Ranpo had a soft spot for girls. The woman known as Fumiyo, Ranpo's mother, had truly hammered it into his head to treat girls with a sense of respect, didn't she?
Well, Ranpo's father was another matter entirely. He's not going to think about that famous, incomprehensible detective of legend.
"So, Yosano-san, what do you plan on doing after this?"
Ah, and there it comes.
"After this...?"
"Yeah. Are you gonna go back to wherever you ran away from?"
Fukuzawa takes back everything he just thought about Ranpo. This brat really has no tact whatsoever.
Unsurprisingly, Yosano hesitates at Ranpo's question. "That..."
"You don't wanna go back, right? You don't have to. You can stay with me and Fukuzawa-san. I asked him earlier, and he said he's fine with it!"
"Yes, and I said the choice is ultimately up to Yosano-kun."
Yosano twitches, one of her chopsticks dropping into her bowl. "Can you... not call me that, please? Yosano is fine..."
"Ah... Of course. My apologies." Fukuzawa and Ranpo share a look, but nothing is said.
Ranpo sets down his bowl and chopsticks, turning to face Yosano in his chair. "I don't know the specifics of why you ran away outside of trying to avoid someone, but you'll be safe here. You don't even need to use your ability - I could care less."
That was the first time Yosano had ever been told that. She can't hide the fact she's taken aback, sitting up a bit straighter to keep his gaze. She didn't need to... He didn't care?
Ranpo leans forward a bit with a smile on his face and a sparkle in those bright green eyes of his. "A few months ago, Fukuzawa-san got an ability permit from Natsume-sensei. I'm going to be the greatest detective in the world with my Super Deduction, so you can rest easy with us! I'll be doing all the hard work - heh, not that it'll be hard at all for me~"
"Ability permit...?" Violet eyes shift to Fukuzawa, gaze questioning.
"It's something needed when a business wants to have employees who are ability users and need to use those abilities on the job. Ranpo uses his 'Super Deduction' to solve cases. We've been doing that for a year independently now and recently earned a permit through an acquaintance."
"So what do you say, Yosano-san?" Ranpo's smile seems to rival the sun itself as he offers out a hand. "Will you join the Armed Detective Agency? You'll never have to feel alone or scared anymore!"
Never...
Yosano lifts a hand and lets it hover over Ranpo's.
Never feel lonely or scared again -
We both want the same thing - to help others since we can do things they can't.
She does want that. She wants to help others, but not like that place. Not with that person. She wants to help in a place that's warm, full of light, where she doesn't have to blame herself if she doesn't want to use her ability, if she's too tired mentally, physically, emotionally -
Tears well in Yosano's eyes as she grabs Ranpo's hand with both of her own, nodding quickly in affirmation.
"I will... I want to! I want to help!"
I want to be free, I want to be my own person.
And as Ranpo seems to know exactly what she's thinking, he places his other hand over both of hers. His touch is warm, and there's a thankfulness in his smile whose depth Yosano can't begin to understand - but someday, she hopes she can. If she's here with these people, she feels she may come to understand more about others... and herself.
"Then it's official! Yosano-san, welcome to the Armed Detective Agency!"
Fukuzawa shakes his head. This boy truly was a force to be reckoned with. "So things ended up just as you wanted them to."
Ranpo raises his hands into the air, still holding onto Yosano's. "Yeah!"
Yosano watches, saying nothing, stuck in a mixture of awe and confusion. He knew from the start, yet still went through the motions... He really was strange, but that ability, Super Deduction, was amazing. There was no other way to describe it. To know what will happen and choose the perfect method to ensure it does, that is an ability that can help others.
"You should finish your food before it gets cold."
"Oh, right!"
"Ah, sorry-"
"After that, I'll pull out a spare futon for Yosano."
... Not that it's very useful later on in the night.
When Fukuzawa wakes up amidst his slumber as he often did (a habit from his time as an assassin), both Yosano and Ranpo were sleeping on either side of him and clinging to his yukata. There's a smile on his face as he strokes both of their heads gently as he decides to commit the moment to memory.
❀ ❀ ❀
Months pass, and Yosano quickly gets used to life with Fukuzawa and Ranpo. Their work at the Armed Detective Agency is rather straightforward, and it's thanks to Ranpo it can function so efficiently. Every day, there seems to be more and more people asking for his help, and Yosano finds herself wanting to do more and more however she can as well. Perhaps his energy is infection, perhaps it's because she wants to pull her own weight in this place she calls her new home -
Whichever it is, she's happy here. She's happy with these people.
"Ah, that guy is here." Ranpo thinks aloud, glancing up from his manga from where he sits on a desk.
Yosano looks at him and tilts her head. "That guy...?"
"A friend of Fukuzawa-san's." Ranpo closes his book and hops off his desk. "I have mixed feelings about him, but he gives me sweets and Elise-chan is fun to play with, so I try to ignore everything else about him. Easier said than done, though."
The girl feels her blood run cold. "What was... that name you said...?"
"Hm?" Green eyes blink, studying Yosano's face. "I said Eli-"
The front door to the agency cuts off his words. From the entrance is Fukuzawa, with his hands tucked into the sleeves of his yukata. Following behind him is a man with shoulder length black hair that seems a few years younger, donned in a pristine white doctor's coat. A young blonde girl is trailing after them from behind, her smile seemingly empty - almost doll-like.
"Really, thank you for taking on this request, Fukuzawa-dono," the doctor says, smiling politely as he trails after the director. "I've been terribly worried, you see. It's been months, and none of those I've asked to assist have spotted her at all."
Yosano feels her legs start to shake. "Mori... sensei...?"
"Hm?"
The man referred to as Mori pauses, head turning in the direction of her voice. Bright magenta eyes land on her, and it makes Yosano feel as if she's suddenly paralyzed on the spot. She only feels capable of moving when Mori raises his arms out happily, walking towards her with a smile on his face - she flinches back, knocking into the desk behind her and gripping at Ranpo's cloak.
"Yosano-kun, I've been looking all over for you! I'm so relieved to see that you're safe and well - and with Fukuzawa-dono of all people!"
Without a word, Ranpo moves in front of Yosano, grabbing the end of his cloak to lift it up and shield her from the doctor's view. It causes Mori to pause in making his way over to Yosano, and the girl in question hesitantly glances up to look at Ranpo's face.
It's impossible to tell what expression he's truly making under the bill of his hat.
"Ranpo-niisan...?"
"Ahh... I see. I finally understand everything now."
"What's wrong, Ranpo-kun?" Mori asks.
His voice sounds so innocent, so ignorant - it grates on Ranpo's nerves so much he can't contain himself. He reaches out to grab the fountain pen sitting on the desk behind Yosano, whirling around to throw it nib-first towards the man's face.
Ranpo isn't surprised that Mori catches it with a gloved hand without flinching, glaring down the unreadable expression on Mori's face. It's deadpan almost, but both children are well aware for completely different reasons that it's closer to annoyance, as if he's inconvenienced.
"My my, Ranpo-kun... That's rather rude of you," Mori says after a heavy moment of silence, studying the fountain pen before pocketing it inside his coat. "But I have to admit, you can conceal your murderous intent rather well. Color me impressed."
"I can't give less of a shit if I impress you or not." Ranpo hisses.
At the new angle, Yosano can a sharpness in her friend's green eyes she's never seen before - it shakes her to her core, but at the same time, she's not as scared of that look as much as she is of the man in front of them. She squeezes harder at Ranpo's cloak, head bowed and pressed in between the boy's shoulder blades.
"Akiko," Ranpo's voice is soft - only for her, just for her, in this moment. "How long have you known that person?"
Yosano clutches his cloak tight enough to make her fingers go numb. She refuses to lift her head, but he hears her loud and clear: "Before I was eleven..."
"... I see. I'm sorry I didn't realize sooner."
Why was he apologizing? He didn't do anything wrong-
"I don't understand where this sudden hostility is coming from, but if you heard my words to Fukuzawa-dono, I've been looking for her for quite some time. I'd like to take my dear Yosano-kun back where she belongs."
"You can go choke on your own shit for all I care."
His tone is sharp, completely devoid of all of its characteristic flippancy. He's really mad.
"Akiko is a part of the Armed Detective Agency! She ain't going anywhere, let alone with a creep who likes little girls. She's not yours to hurt or control anymore, got it?"
Silence sets in faster than Yosano has ever seen. Curiosity gets the better of her as she glances over one of Ranpo's shoulders, noticing Fukuzawa is walking over to stand next to Ranpo... In front of her.
"Yosano Akiko has been a member of the agency for a few months now. Any relationship you had with her is null and void now, I believe. She's shown no interest in returning to wherever she fled from." Fukuzawa says, voice stern.
"'Fled' is such a strong word." Mori counters, shrugging nonchalantly.
"Change the subject all you want, but Akiko is staying here."
For a few moments, Mori and Ranpo hold each other's gaze. It's almost terrifying how a boy so young can keep his stare with a man so cold, but the person that was Edogawa Ranpo had so many sides to him it was hard to keep track.
"... How unfortunate." Mori says at last with a laugh as he takes a step back, tucking his hands into his pocket. His chin lifts, a condescending gleam in his eyes. "After all you did to help others, Yosano-kun... At this point, I think it's better to call you an 'Angel of Death' after all instead of an angel, wouldn't you say?"
Yosano feels her stomach lurch.
That was... No, she didn't...
"Elise-chan. We're going."
"W... Wait!"
Yosano pushes past Ranpo and Fukuzawa, a hand reaching out towards the back of the man's white coat. She didn't want to be something evil, she only wanted to help, but she... That person - !
Something pulls her back. Yosano recognizes it immediately as Ranpo's hand on her wrist, keeping her from walking any further.
"Ranpo-nii-"
"For someone so smart, you sure are stupid."
Mori stops a few feet from the door, glancing over his shoulder to look at the boy. He says nothing, but his expression alone is an inquiry in itself.
"Akiko isn't an angel. She's just a normal human." Ranpo steps forward to stand beside her, but his grip remains firm against her wrist. "She'll never be able to save everyone, and that's fine. It doesn't make her a bad person. Not even I can save everyone despite how amazing my ability, but that's fine - 'cause we're human, and we're gonna mess up who knows how many times in life. The only difference is that unlike you, Akiko has people who will be there for her when she blames herself. You don't feel that sort of thing, so it must be pretty damn boring, huh? Not that I pity you. It can't be helped you're incapable of caring about anyone other than yourself. Even your ability is selfish."
Mori sneers, visibly amused.
Ranpo doesn't fall into the taunt. He lets go of Yosano's wrist in favor of letting his hand rest atop her head with a smile. "And if she's really an Angel of Death, that's fine too. After all, she's got the world's best detective and a trained killer at her side. That's still better than whatever you could give her."
"... She'll be quite at home then among those sorts of monsters, no?"
"Mori-sensei." Mori's gaze shifts to Fukuzawa, which the swordsman deem acknowledgement enough to continue, "Consider your request declined after all. More accurately, consider any alliance of ours void as of this moment. Do not come here again, do not try to approach Yosano ever again."
Yosano whips her head to look at Fukuzawa, eyes wide. Alliance? Because of her, he was willing to destroy that?
"That's rather unfortunate. Are you certain that is what you wish?"
"Yes. Goodbye, Mori Ougai."
The doctor smiles, finally turning back to face the door as he continues to leave. "May we meet again in the future, Fukuzawa Yukichi-dono. Do take care."
And just like that, Mori and the blonde girl at his side leave the room. No one moves or says anything for a few moments, and then -
Yosano falls to her knees. Ranpo catches her halfway on her way down, kneeling next to her with a look of concern on his face.
"Akiko, are you alright?"
"I'm... fine." Yosano sniffles, then falls into a fit of hiccuping and sobbing - she was crying. Ah... This was the first time she had cried since meeting these people, all because of that person. "I'm fine, I just - I'm s-sorry... I'm sorry, Fukuzawa-san... Ranpo-niisan..."
"Hey, hey, sorry for what? You didn't do anything wrong - The agency is a family, you know. Fukuzawa-san and I will do anything for you." Ranpo cups Yosano's face, expression surprisingly stern. His thumbs wipe away some of her tears before squishing her cheeks hard enough to pull a squeak from her throat. "Don't forget that, okay? No matter what, this is your home now."
This is your home now.
Somehow, those words make Yosano tear up more. She throws her body forward to wrap her arms around Ranpo in a hug, crying into his shoulder. He doesn't stop her, only coughing out a breath at the impact and resting a hand atop her head.
"It's okay, everything's okay," he mutters, looking up at Fukuzawa with a smile. "Everything'll be alright now."
Fukuzawa understands those words are not just for Yosano, but for him as well. He nods his head slowly in silent agreement, which Ranpo returns before looking back down at Yosano.
The little bird Fukuzawa remembers just hatching from his shell has certainly grown in the short time they have known each other, shedding his downy feathers more and more each day.
That reminds him -
"Ranpo, the case today-"
"Oh yeah! The theft!" Ranpo quickly rises to his feet, pulling Yosano up with him. "I can't leave that alone, I already accepted it after all. We should get going." He looks down at Yosano, tilting his head with a smile. "Wanna come with us this time?"
Akiko is a part of the Armed Detective Agency.
And the agency is a family, you know.
"... Yeah."
If this was her new home, if this was her family now, she wanted to help them. She wanted to walk beside them, not wait on the sidelines and only be useful one way. She wanted to stand on the same stage as them.
"I want to go! I'll work hard too!"
"Great! Then let's get to it!" Ranpo bounces where he stands before running off towards the front door, Yosano chasing after him with a smile on her face, tear stains fresh, but already fading.
Fukuzawa walks after, not bothering to pick up the pace. They were smart children who knew not to wander too far from him.
Instead of one hatchling, it seemed there would two under his wing from now on. Not that he could say he minded at all.
Just to be very clear: I don't ship Ranpo and Yosano romantically, I just see them as best friends or platonic soulmates - they're family. Also, I ended up writing a sequel to this... it'll be the thing I post next. cx
☾
Comment vous dire... La vérité finit toujours par se découvrir. À chaque jour suffit sa peine, chacun trouve chaussure à son pied. Le temps blanchit les têtes sans mûrir la raison.
How do I tell you... the truth shall always be discovered. Each day has enough grief, everyone finds bespoke shoes for their feet. Time whitens heads without ripening reason.
[align=center][div style="width:450px;text-align:justify;font-size:11px;margin-top:10px;color:#000;line-height:100%"]Once again, they meet in the rain. Sequel to the "What Could Have Been" story.
The sound of heels clicking against the concrete is drowned out by the pouring rain, Yosano's gasps heavy in her ears as she dashes with a bag hanging from her shoulder and her medical bag in her free hand. She takes shelter under the closest shop awning she sees, setting her bags down around her feet and exhaling a sigh.
She was wearing her new heels today, how disappointing.
After a moment of studying her surroundings - an empty street, with not a soul to be seen; there's nothing but rain, rain, and more rain - she kneels down to open her medical bag, shuffling around past the various knives and weapons to pull out a handkerchief. While she usually had one on her person, she had given one away earlier that day to a teenaged girl that had been crying in the bathroom of the train station. (Apparently, she'd caught her boyfriend cheating on her. Ugh, men are pigs.)
She presses the handkerchief against her face first, wiping away all the excess water from her face. She continues the process with the exposed skin of her arms, then to her soaking wet hair. Her violet eyes are skyward as she absentmindedly strokes at her hair to dry as much as possible, seeming to be lost in a trance. She's been stuck many times somewhere without an umbrella like this on a rainy day, but it's been quite a while since it's felt so intense.
The sound of water hitting metal pulls her out of her thoughts rather quickly however, making her pause. She lets her head tilt back, noticing a small tear in the veranda she had took shelter in. No doubt the rain had managed to slip through - and land just right against her hair pin. She takes the piece of fabric into her mouth, lifting her hands to unclasp the hair pin from her hair and hold it in her hands.
It's covered in water just like the rest of her, but the metal still gleams beautifully despite it all. Something about the thought warms her heart, just a little.
On a day like this, because of the same sound of rain against her most cherished possession, she met the person who changed her life. It wouldn't be farfetched to call him her savior, but he's far more humble than he acts in front of everyone else.
"I told you it was gonna rain."
Speak of the devil.
Yosano raises her head. Standing in the rain with a clear umbrella is Ranpo. A plastic bag is hanging off an arm, which he reaches inside to pluck out a piece of candy and offer it out to the doctor with a smile of amusement.
"I'll give it to you, if you stop making that worried face."
The woman can't stop herself from smiling at his words that sound so nostalgic - on purpose, surely - as she reaches out to accept it. It's a brand name chocolate, wrapped in bright red wrapping paper that nearly glitters even when there's no sunlight shining down on it. "I wasn't worrying." she says, unwrapping the candy and pressing it against her mouth. She doesn't chew it, instead letting the sweet melt on her tongue.
Ranpo gives a loud laugh, resting a hand on his hip and puffing out his chest. "You're still trying to lie to a master detective, after all this time? You just don't learn! Shall I deduce the truth in your words?"
"Won't you do it anyway, even if I were to tell you not to?"
"Exactly right - it's good we're on the same page," the man grins, reaching under his inverness for his glasses and flicking them open with a practiced flair. Yosano has seen him do this hundreds of times, maybe even over a thousand at this point. He never lacks the amazing ability to have the air change around him with a simple pair of glasses they both know do not help him control any ability.
(Of course, he says it is for his own reasons, and she lets him. She's glad to finally be confident in thinking it was an act, and not still him being caught in the delusions needed to help him survive the trauma of his childhood.)
Ranpo points at one of the bags at Yosano's feet, beaming confidently. "There's something in there that needs to reach someone within a time-limit, but it can't get wet either. You don't care about getting soaked in rain, after all. Probably... important documents, hm?"
A sigh falls from Yosano's lips as she bows her head. There was no lying to this man. "I suppose my not being myself when I left and ignored your warning was more than enough to tell you that." Really, she expected to be back already, in and out as quickly as possible, but it just had to rain like this.
"Well, that's true too. You planned to be back by now, but I knew you'd get caught in the rain. Mother nature is a pain like that."
"So you came to get me?"
"Of course not." The detective gestures to the bag hanging from his arms. "I left to get some snacks and heard you while making my way back."
Yosano arches a brow in a silent inquiry: heard what?
Ranpo smiles, leaning forward and tapping gently at the butterfly hair clip she holds in her hands. "That sound - I'd never mistake it. After all, it's what brought me to you all those years ago." His gaze doesn't lift to meet hers, but there's a softness in his green eyes that tells Yosano everything she needs - everything she didn't know she needed right now.
He knows her better than she knows herself, but like the mystery he is, he never tells her what she's missing and makes her realize it on her own instead. She supposes that's his way of helping her hone her skills as a detective that works alongside him. Though he's arrogant and conceited, she knows that Ranpo could never look down on her - they are equals, in his eyes.
Yosano stares, letting her eyes linger on her friend's face before it moves down to the handle of the umbrella he's holding over his head, then to the plastic bag hanging from his arm. She blinks, and she swears his clothes are black - black like the police academy uniform he used to wear in his youth.
And she laughs.
"It's like that time all over again, isn't it? Here you are again, to save me from the rain when I look like such a mess."
"Haha, it sure is kinda the same, huh!" Ranpo grins, offering out the umbrella to Yosano. Drops of water start to color the fabric of his clothes a shade darker. "So this is for you. That way, your documents won't get wet and you don't have to bust a lung running back to the agency."
Yosano smiles gently, endeared. "And what are you going to do if I use the umbrella?" she asks as if reciting from a script, but despite her words, she accepts the umbrella by the handle anyway. (It's a familiar one, worn and faded from her childhood when she had found a light within that pitch black darkness.)
"It's just water. It won't kill me!"
"If it's just water, it won't kill me either."
Ranpo gives an over-exaggerated pout. "My mother up in heaven would beat me up if I let a woman walk in the rain like that, you know!"
A chuckle. The doctor bends down to pick up her bags, throwing one over her shoulder while the other is gripped tightly within her hand and knocks against her thigh. "I suppose so. Fumiyo-san would give you quite the scolding."
"Right? At least you know that now."
Yosano gives Ranpo an amused look as she steps out into the rain, this time shielded from the rain thanks to the umbrella overhead. Ranpo turns to walk at her side, tucking his hands into his pockets as the rain slowly but surely starts to soak his clothes.
Yet, he looks so pleased with himself.
Violet eyes close, and the woman focuses on the sound of their footsteps against the sidewalk. A warm smile tugs at her lips. "You've grown into quite the responsible man, Ranpo-nii-san."
"And you, a responsible woman. The agency wouldn't know how to survive a day without you, Akiko~"
A moment of silence passes.
Then, they both grimace.
"... We've really long since grown out of those, huh?" Ranpo says wryly.
"No kidding." Yosano agrees.
"We'll just stick to Ranpo and Yosano-san then. Sound good?"
"Of course, Ranpo-san. Also..."
"Also?"
"Thank you, for coming to find me."
"I told you, I wasn't! I just happened to find you on my way back to the agency." Now he's the one lying, but she doesn't mind that side of him at all. He pretends to act like a boy to throw people off guard, to make up for what he has lost, but he is still very much a man with his own pride to hold onto.
Yosano laughs. "Whatever you say."
"Don't laugh! I'm serious!"
"Of course, Ranpo-san."
Ranpo huffs, squinting at her unhappily before glancing away. "Whatever... Anyway, I always will."
"Will what?"
"No matter where you go, whether you give me a warning or not, I'll always find you and take you back home. That's the promise I made to myself the day you decided to stay with Fukuzawa-san and I. Don't forget that, Akiko."
More silence. It's not because Yosano is stunned, nor is she embarrassed - rather, she's taking a moment to treasure the words, even if she's heard similarly phrased things before. After what feels like minutes, she finally reacts, side-stepping to knock into the detective's now-soaked shoulder. "Thank you, Ranpo."
☾
Comment vous dire... La vérité finit toujours par se découvrir. À chaque jour suffit sa peine, chacun trouve chaussure à son pied. Le temps blanchit les têtes sans mûrir la raison.
How do I tell you... the truth shall always be discovered. Each day has enough grief, everyone finds bespoke shoes for their feet. Time whitens heads without ripening reason.
[align=center][div style="width:450px;text-align:justify;font-size:11px;margin-top:10px;color:#000;line-height:100%"]I've also been thinking a lot on what could happen in the future chapters of BSD... It's now been revealed that he wanted Yosano all along, but I was thinking - naturally, before it was confirmed - it could've been her, Dazai, or Ranpo. This fic is pretty much another "What Could Have Been", but doesn't fit the canon because it draws from the backstory I wrote myself.
For helping the agency and protecting them from the government and their Hunting Dogs, one member of the agency must be transferred to the Port Mafia.
It's a declaration that's been hanging heavily over everyone's heads since Nakahara Chuuya made the announcement, only made even more serious in the presence of Mori Ougai, no matter how congenial he was being for the sake of being their protector - for the time being, at least. The interim director was missing, and ever since Atsushi and Kyouka made their way to the safehouse after being so generously 'picked up' by Akutagawa while they were on the run.
Ranpo was missing too - until recently, a few hours ago when he had managed to zero in on a business owned by the mafia and use their phones to somehow get back to higher-ups that could come into contact with Mori. A clever, sneaky man he is as always, and Atsushi can't help but admire him... but the heaviness in the air around the detective left him anxious.
He supposes it's well-warranted, as Ranpo hasn't said a word or showed much reaction when told about the situation with Kunikida. Ranpo was emotional and volatile when it came to those he cared about, if his outburst relating to Oguri before this incident was any inclination of how he felt about those he referred to as 'friends'. Furthermore, considering the news, Ranpo no doubt willingly chose to avoid getting Poe anymore involved in his life - at least for now.
With Kunikida gone, the Director who knows where, and Dazai arrested... That left Ranpo as the leader; a last resort, a wild card that not many would anticipate, considering the personality most see on the surface.
"So, everyone's accounted for." Mori's tone is all too calm and casual as he walks into the room, arms folded behind his back, scarf swaying with every graceful step he takes into the bunker room. There”s a heavy silence. His magenta gaze narrows briefly before he adds, "Well, almost everyone, that is - but those who have the ability to attend are here."
More silence. It makes the boss laugh.
"You all are giving me such awful looks, it's making me feel bad." Of course, his voice doesn't actually express such a sentiment. Mori continues his pacing, every click of his dress shoes against the concrete seeming to add another small weight on everyone's chest. "With a situation as difficult as this, doing something without being given some compensation isn't a very wise or rewarding choice. As Dazai-kun has surely told some of you, I'm a man of the most optimal decision first and foremost. This is the only way I felt obligated to help you all. If it consoles you any, I can assure you Fukuzawa-dono agreed to my terms with a heavy heart knowing it may be difficult on you all..."
Finally, someone speaks - Atsushi. "Who is it that you want to take with you?"
This question makes Mori stop, coincidentally right in front of Yosano, as if he anticipated the question to be asked. Their eyes meet in what looks like a silent conversation, and there's a small look of defeat in her eyes that is soon followed by the older man offering out a hand towards her.
"Yosano-kun, it's been some time since we've worked together, hasn't it?" It's more of a statement than a question, one that bears no genuine fondness that his smile seems to try to express. "Would you not like to work alongside your former teacher once more?"
The temperature seems to drop. There's a shared glance around the room between the other members of the agency, excluding Ranpo who keeps his gaze deadset on the hand Mori has offered out to his coworker and most trusted friend. She stares, mouth opening to say something - but it never comes. Her lips purse instead as she holds out a hand...
But Ranpo's hand clasps tightly around her wrist before she can ever touch the pristine white gloves of Mori Ougai.
Yosano blinks. "Ranpo-san?"
Her heart leaps into her throat when she looks towards him and takes in the expression on his face. There's no light in his eyes, staring Mori down with a calculated coldness she's never seen before.
"Mori-san, can you cut the shit already?" Ranpo says, a humourless smile making its way onto his face.
Chuuya finally reacts, taking a step forward from where he's in the doorway to snarl. "Oi, watch your goddamn mouth you-" he starts, but is silenced by his boss holding up a hand in an unspoken order to stand down.
Mori keeps Ranpo's stare, accepting the challenge written in the words. "Oh? Whatever do you mean, Ranpo-kun?"
"Fukuzawa-san may have said that one of the agency members could join you, but he's no longer the man in charge. Our interim director is unfortunately missing, thus the position of leadership is given to me. As the temporary leader of the agency, I don't authorize this choice." Ranpo's voice does not waver as he speaks, but his grip around Yosano's hands loosens just enough in a silent order to lower it - and she does. "Moreover, Yosano-san isn't the one you really want - is she now?"
Atsushi tilts his head. "Ranpo-san, what are you talking about?"
"I agree, what ever do you mean?"
Green eyes glower, unwavering. "You've known me and Fukuzawa-san for more than ten years. Even after the detective agency was established, Fukuzawa-san continued to protect you as a bodyguard or work at your side for four more years until your position as the new Port Mafia boss was established. Throughout those years, you always praised me, jokingly asking Fukuzawa if you could take me under your wing instead." A pause, and the detective moves to step in between Mori and Yosano. His hands tuck into his pockets, back straightening to make him seem a little taller. "You wanted someone like me to help build your ideal Mafia, but when you couldn't have me, you found a replica in Dazai. Dazai left you, and you're without an advisor to further your goals with intelligence that is just as exceptional as yours. What can Yosano do? Heal your subordinates over and over? You ultimately don't care about losing numbers so long as you achieve your goal. Moreover, it means nothing to heal people and save them from dying if you don't get anywhere. You're really aiming for me - that's why you asked for Yosano, because you know I won't let that happen."
Ranpo stands up onto his toes, sneering arrogantly, mockingly. "Dazai was your original choice, but unfortunately, it's not a choice that can be fulfilled when he's in a high-scale prison over in Europe. Isn't it amazing, what lengths he'll go to make sure you can't have him under your thumb anymore? Well, that's expected. He won't forgive you for what you did to him."
Mori's brow twitches minutely. No one can notice it but Ranpo, the detective is sure. He presses closer, taunting - out the corner of his eye, he can see Chuuya's body posture tensing.
"Dazai's not the only one that knows what went down back then, you know. So really, why not get your original choice from way back when? The true genius instead of your molded prodigy."
He can feel the confused, worried, and even terrified stares on his back. Ranpo can map out which feelings are coming from who, can see the concern and shock on Yosano's face out the corner of his eye, but no one speaks. Hell, it doesn't even sound as if anyone is breathing until Mori does as he breaks into laughter, throwing his head back for a moment.
"As expected of you, Ranpo-kun. You really can see the truth in anything, even someone like me." Mori says with a lilting smile, head canting in some twisted fondness for the younger man. "Well, that should be expected of someone who's known me the longest outside of Fukuzawa-dono..."
The boss offers out his hand again, this time towards Ranpo.
"Let's not waste any more time bantering back and forth. You know what happens from here on, don't you?"
Finally, Ranpo's gaze lowers to focus on that hand - that cold doctor's hand, concealed with a pristine white glove. His eyes close with a sigh, and he reaches out to accept it, gripping tightly and shaking it. "Of course I do."
It's only then that the other agency members react: Atsushi steps forward, and Kyouka shakes her head slowly as her hands clasp together in some silent plea for him to stop. Tanizaki sputters, and for the first time in a long while, Kenji does not have a smile adorning his face.
Yosano, the closest to the detective, grabs at the wrist of his free hand. "Ranpo, you don't have to do this. If he wants me, I can go-"
"He doesn't want you." Ranpo's words are sharp like glass, digging into the ache that has its claws around Yosano's heart. Her breath hitches when he turns to her, expression solemn and serious - nothing like the cheerful detective that kept the agency together.
But no... Even without his smile, his pride wasn't wavering. He wasn't giving in or giving up.
The older man sighs, lifting a hand to grasp at the bill of his hat. He studies it briefly before setting it atop Yosano's head, then pulling it down hard enough to cover her eyes. "I'm sorry." From what Yosano can see past the hat on her head, there's a wistful smile on her best friend's lips. "It's a bit selfish of me, but I'm leaving you in charge now, Yosano-san. Take care of that until I get back, okay?"
"Ranpo-san, what about Fukuzazwa-san?" Atsushi shouts, distraught. "He wouldn't want you to do this!" Perhaps it's a cheap shot, perhaps it's inconsiderate, but letting the pillar of the agency go to that side -
"We can't wait for Fukuzawa-san. He expects us to stay alive, to prove our innocence. You can't do that here, and this guy won't let you leave unless his end of the bargain is upheld." Ranpo reaches inside his vest pocket for his glasses. He doesn't put them on, but grips them tightly. His other hand lifts, pressing against his chest proudly as he stubbornly ignores the leering stare on his back. "Stop standing there with your tails between your legs and listen up! You're the Armed Detective Agency!"
The words hold an echo, one everyone can recognize that is the strength and charisma of their director.
"Do anything you need to to stay alive. As your stand-in director in place of Kunikida Doppo, this is an order! And, as the pillar of the agency... Know that so long as I'm living and breathing, this agency will not fall. I swear on my life," his expression hardens. "I swear on the ability that founded this agency that you'll get out of this. We've gotten out of tough situations before, and now will be no different. Does everyone understand me?"
Silence.
"I said - do you understand me?"
Everyone bows their heads, hearts heavy. It's enough of a response for him to take as a 'yes'.
"... Good. I'm relinquishing leadership to Yosano until Kunikida or Fukuzawa's return. Stay together, stay alive. You know what are connections are, and make use of every asset we have left. I won't let you do anything less, even from the other side."
Ranpo turns. Mori has already made his way towards the door next to Chuuya, watching with a smile full of mirth. His patience knows no bounds, and surely he finds Ranpo's nearly heroic display something worth mocking at a later date. He takes a step towards the two mafiosos, but someone of smaller stature runs up from behind with their arms wrapped around his middle. He recognizes it right away as Kenji, turning to meet the blond's fearful face.
Ah... To have this kid of all people looking at him like that, how cruel.
"Kenji-kun, it'll be fine." Ranpo smiles. "After all, if I'm alright, everything's alright. Nothing will happen to me."
"Ranpo-san..."
Kenji is reluctant to let go, only doing so when Tanizaki walks up behind him to gently pull him away.
Ranpo gives one last look towards the agency members. They all exhausted, stressed, pushed to their limits... He can only hope that his choice to go so willingly will earn them a time to rest in safety until the coast is clear. With a small nod to everyone, and a final stare at Yosano, he turns to join Mori at his side as they walk out the room and disappear into the darkness of the hall.
The metal door of the bunker closes behind them, and Ranpo is left alone with the boss of the Port Mafia and his most loyal of executives he can feel boring a hole into the back of his head.
"Are you excited, Ranpo-kun? That morally grey streak in you and impulses you need to control because of your temper - you don't need to hold them back anymore. Not on this side." Mori asks after a moment of silence, amusement in his voice.
Ranpo exhales, finally opening his glasses and sliding them on his face. "It's certainly been a long time coming for you, Mori-san. The genius you wanted so badly for so long is finally here - you better make use of it while you can, because once this crisis is over, don't think I won't go back home."
A hearty laugh ensues, one that echoes through the halls like the call of a madman. "Chuuya-kun, you're in for quite the show in the near future!"
The executive merely flashes a wary glance towards his leader. He doesn't like the way that sounds - it sounds like a new job, a new hellion to babysit. "...Of course, Boss."
☾
Comment vous dire... La vérité finit toujours par se découvrir. À chaque jour suffit sa peine, chacun trouve chaussure à son pied. Le temps blanchit les têtes sans mûrir la raison.
How do I tell you... the truth shall always be discovered. Each day has enough grief, everyone finds bespoke shoes for their feet. Time whitens heads without ripening reason.
[div style="width:450px;text-align:justify;font-size:11px;margin-top:10px;color:#000;line-height:100%"]hELLO. i will never stop raving about how much i love the og trio... omg.... bless them. anyway, this short thing i wrote is just about yosano, ranpo, and kunikida reminiscing about the first time kunikida was ever healed by yosano's 'thou shalt not die' ability lmao... i.. shouldn't laugh @ his trauma, but :'^)))
"Yosano-san!"
Haruno's sharp cry disrupts the lull of silence in Yosano's office. The doctor recognizes the edge in her tone right away, and doesn't hesitate to set her papers aside and stand to her feet - just in time for the secretary to rush in with an anticipated look of concern.
"What's happened, Haruno-san?"
"Kunikida-san - he was injured while accompanying Ranpo-san on his case!"
Yosano sets her jaw. "Where are they right now?"
"Ranpo-san was just on the phone with us - they're coming up the stairs right now!"
The stairs? The elevator is working though.
She doesn't have time to think about the details. Yosano pivots on a heel to reach for her bag. "Ranpo knows where to bring him. I'll be there waiting for them when they arrive. Thank you, Haruno-san."
"O-Of course!"
And just as she says, of course Ranpo knows where to bring the newest member of the Armed Detective Agency. The short detective pushes open the double doors leading into Yosano's operating room with a young, blond man using his shoulder to keep himself upright.
Such is the recklessness of youth, she thinks, but she can't put much fondness in the thought when urgency in regards to the current situation is a must.
"Yosano-san, sorry to barge in on you!" Ranpo greets with a lopsided smile, helping the man in his hold towards the woman's operating table to sit on it. "Kunikida unfortunately got shot by a greenhorn policeman during our case while chasing the criminal."
Yosano folds her arms, scrutinizing the bleeding wound on Kunikida's side. It has long since seeped into his dress shirt and slacks, but it doesn't seem fatal in spite of how the blond is sweating and taking heavy breaths for air due to blood loss. That's both convenient and inconvenient, all things considered.
"I'm s-sorry, Yosano-san..." Kunikida rasps, bowing his head. "I'll be in the care of your ability, I'm afraid."
"You aren't just yet."
Her words earn a confused furrow of the younger's brows as Kunikida watches her rummage through her bag.
"That's right, Kunikida, you can't be in her care just yet!" Ranpo agrees with a cheerfulness that feels unsettling all of a sudden. His hands rest on Kunikida's shoulders, reeling the young man back until he's laying flat on the operating table. "Here, lay back like this so she can work more efficiently!"
"What do you...?"
"Hm, what shall I use today, Ranpo-san?"
"Uhhh, whatever will get it done the quickest. We have another job in the afternoon."
"Er... hello?" They're ignoring him. His new seniors are ignoring him as he's bleeding out on a table-
"I see. Then the chainsaw it is."
...hold on, the what?
Blue eyes shift to focus on the doctor who has her back turned to them. She bends down , picking something up from the floor - and when she turns around, there's a chainsaw with a striking red motor in her hands. Kunikida attempts to sit up, but is quickly shoved down again by Ranpo. Now, the man looks far more devilish than his puerile appearance would allow people to believe. Kunikida feels dread settling into his system the same moment Yosano pulls the chain of her chainsaw and revs it to life.
"R-Ranpo-san?!"
"Well, that's how 'Thou Shalt Not Die' is, you know. If you're not already half dead, she can't heal you. That being said..." The detective smiles. "So sorry, but please die a little, Kunikida-kun."
His own expression of terror reflected in the polished metal of the chainsaw is the last thing he sees before he passes out from shock.
[align=center]✴ ✴ ✴
"Yosano-san. Oiiii, Yosano-san, snap out of it!"
Ranpo's voice and the snapping of fingers wakes the woman from her daze. She blinks once, twice, then gives a quick glance of her surroundings - she's in her office, standing in front of Ranpo and Kunikida who are sitting in one of her infirmary beds. There's a small pile of bandages soaked with blood in between them and their shirts are either covered in dirt stains or in tatters.
Her violet gaze lift slightly to meet their faces, and she is met with the sight of a pair of blue and green eyes studying her curiously.
"Sorry. What were you saying?"
"Well, letting go of the applesauce packs would be a good start before talking." Ranpo answers. He tugs at something in Yosano's grasp, and she finally remembers: she was giving them something with vitamins mixed in to help make up for the blood loss they suffered before being healed.
Yosano releases both packs silently in favor of crossing her arms over her chest, watching as the detective eagerly takes the cap of the applesauce pack into his mouth and makes an audible, annoying sucking sound.
"You looked rather out of it for a moment there, Yosano-san..." Kunikida follows, mimicking Ranpo's actions, though he's more polite about making any obnoxious noises.
"Ah... I was just remembering something."
"Remembering something?"
Yosano smiles. "The first time you were healed by my ability, actually."
Kunikida promptly chokes on his applesauce and coughs into a palm to gather himself. He can feel Ranpo's amused gaze on him, which he answers with a small squint of his own. "I'd rather not remember that time in particular... it was more horrendous than it should have been."
"My, my, don't make Yosano-san seem more terrifying than she really is!" Ranpo scolds, wagging a finger.
"Ranpo-san, you were the one behind my being shot that day," Kunikida counters. "You went through the trouble hiring someone to pose as a policeman on the force helping us that day - and then you purposely used the stairs so I bled out more."
"But you lived! And anyway, I was testing you!"
"There were hundreds of other ways to test my deduction skills and resilience without paying someone to shoot me!"
"Kunikida, you lost quite a bit of blood. Don't get too excited." Yosano scolds.
Her words effectively make the blond relax. He casts a lingering frown at Ranpo, but it doesn't last long. He can't remain angry at Ranpo long, not when he understands that, in the long run, it was for a reason. "That was some time ago, though... it's been four years now, hasn't it?"
Ranpo throws his head back with a sigh. "Feels so much shorter when you work as much as we do."
"Back then," the blond's expression softens. "I remember I flinched away from Yosano-san's touch because of the additional harm that needed to be inflicted so she could use her ability. It's embarrassing to think about now... surely I hurt your feelings quite a bit, if Ranpo-san's reaction wasn't enough."
"Ahhh, that's right," Ranpo follows, speaking with the cap of his applesauce caught hanging from his teeth. "I got real irritated you kept avoiding her and wanted to emphasize how amazing her ability is and why we need her, so I stabbed myself."
"You looked like you were trying to commit seppuku."
"If it's for Yosano-san's sake, I have no problem cutting myself open and ripping out my insides!"
Kunikida heaves a sigh, lifting a hand to pinch at the bridge of his nose. "Yes... you certainly made that point very clear, but I'm sure both Yosano-san and I are just as happy if you don't attempt that again just to prove a point. You're the pillar of the agency, Ranpo-san - you can't be reckless." The bespectacled man's shoulders sag a bit. "Well, that aside though, it truly is a relief that younger, foolish me could adapt to at least that much quickly. The agency really wouldn't be what it is today without you two. Maybe it wouldn't exist at all."
"That's exactly right! It's good that you know that, Kunikida!"
Yosano breaks into a laugh that causes the duo to look at her. Their expressions blatantly ask what's so funny, so she takes that as voiced enough to answer, "It's nothing, I just... I'm glad we're friends." And then, she smiles, wide and warm. "I truly am."
Kunikida and Ranpo smile in return without hesitation. Ranpo, despite how much of a mess he is, leans into Kunikida and nudges at his side with an elbow. "Yosano-san's smile makes this all worthwhile! I'd say a job well done - I love this job!"
Kunikida laughs softly, tilting his head to rest his cheek against the detective's messy head of black hair. "That's true. I don't regret joining the agency, and I'm always thankful Yosano-san has our back. We could call her a saving grace, even."
"That I do... To think, until Kyouka came along, I was surrounded by reckless stupid male ability users." Yosano dramatically presses a gloved hand to her forehead. "She's my saving grace."
"Ahh, that's rude! Yosano-san, don't bully us! We were on the brink of death just a few hours ago, you know!"
Yosano laughs, reaching out to ruffle the duo's hair with each hand. "Relax, I'm only joking. There isn't anything in the world I wouldn't do for the agency, especially you two." She leans forward, lightly flicking both of their foreheads. "I haven't regretted joining for a second - I'm happy I'm here."
And I'm happy you accept me just as I am.
Thank you.
☾
How long has it been? Hope I'm not dreaming, looking good too aren't you? It's time to unwind. Eager to catch your smile — ain't shown it in a while, so set free the mind!
Don't need no words, we'll dance the night away together. Passing hours, embrace the feeling forever. It's all ours till the sunrise signals closure, come on, don't be shy now. Won't you take my hand?
[align=center][div style="width:450px;text-align:justify;font-size:11px;margin-top:10px;color:#000;line-height:100%"]tl;dr: ranpo watches yosano make wagashi (traditional japanese sweets). it's canon that she worked in a confectionery... but they didn't specify anything else, so i used my own headcanon. ;^) aaand... this started in ranpo's pov, but somehow ended in yosano's while i was writing... i didn't bother to go and fix it though, since it seems to work. it feels right.
Aside from Fukuzawa, Yosano is the one person in the agency that Ranpo has known the longest - and the one person that knows him best. She's his best friend, his partner, and he had no qualms in calling her his soulmate in every sense of the word that wasn't romantic. (He wasn't particularly interested in anyone in that way, and she was fine with that. He wasn't her type either, as she wasn't interested in being the one spoiling her significant other as excessively as the detective expected to be.)
Ranpo knows of her life before they met, its pleasant moments and its nightmarish moments. He never asked her about it out of respect for her feelings, but as the world's greatest detective, there wasn't anything that could escape his mind.
So, he knows that before being forced into the army by Mori's controlling, relentless hand, Yosano had been nothing more than an endearing worker of a confectionery - a wagashi shop, to be precise. It made complete sense, of course, given her obvious preference for them when Ranpo went out to buy sweets for them both.
Yosano was quiet about her pain. Mentally, emotionally, and physically she was strong - but equally so, she didn't confide in anyone about it usually either. She wanted to believe it was behind her, and all that mattered now was that she was a part of the Armed Detective Agency. Ranpo understands this sentiment, as his own life before Fukuzawa and founding the agency wasn't exactly pleasant, but...
He couldn't bring himself to dismiss it either.
He loved his parents. They were his whole world, and even now, a part of him chased after the shadow of his father that was known throughout the world as an exceptional detective he intended to surpass.
Deep down, he knows Yosano hasn't completely pushed away her past either. There are things she's able to look back on fondly as she did right now, a gentle smile on her face as careful hands mold the anko in her palm into a circle. Ranpo sits across from her on the other side of the counter, chin resting against the surface as emerald-green eyes study her movements.
There's no wasted movement, her steps are exact. Even though she hasn't worked at a wagashi shop in over a decade, she hasn't forgotten about her former occupation at all.
"You really like wagashi, don't you, Yosano-san?" Ranpo asks as Yosano sets her finished treat down, adding the finishing touches of a small leaf-shaped candy atop her creation that mimicked the shape of a sakura flower.
"What do you mean, Ranpo-san?" Yosano asks, hands resting on her hips as she studies her handiwork.
"Wa-ga-shi." He repeats slowly, drawing out the syllables. He positions himself to sit upright with a content hum. "You look happy while making it."
"Do I?" The doctor's expression seems contemplative, staring down the sweet before she pushes it towards Ranpo. An action he doesn't need to question, as they both know he intends on eating it before she can do anything more with the finished product. "Well, it takes a certain amount of concentration so it comes out right-"
"I know that!" Ranpo chirps, plucking the sweet off the small plate it was sitting on and taking an energetic bite. The taste of the various flavored anko mixed with mochi is a very controlled sweetness. "But you love it, don't you? It's something from your past that can still make you happy."
She scoffs, raising a brow. "My, are you saying you and the agency don't make me happy? You'll hurt my feelings if you misunderstand them that way."
"Ehhh, aren't you the one misunderstanding?"
No, she's not misunderstanding him. She understands him completely. Rather, she's merely trying to change the subject as cleverly as possible to avoid lingering on a topic that could easily lead into something unpleasant if they weren't careful...
Luckily, Ranpo is, much more than he lets on - if only for her.
The two of them share a stare, silence falling over the room. Yosano gives in under the pressure of the unwavering green gaze, head bowing as her eyes close.
"Well... I wonder. It doesn't exactly matter much now, does it?"
"It does!"
Ranpo jumps out of his chair, making his way around the counter and pressing the wagashi he had bitten into against her lips. Her surprise allows him to push it into her mouth without much resistance, watching as she chews with a confused blink. His smile breaks into a wide grin. "It's good, isn't it? You can taste how much care you put into it. Even if you like what you do now, it doesn't mean you can never say you loved what you did before everything was messed up. I liked mine too."
His life was perfect, even if he was blinded by his own love and devotion for his parents. He was happy, enjoyed every single day... and it took a while, but Ranpo has found a new life he can be happy about. He wants that for his most cherished and most trusted friend, as well.
Yosano swallows, arms folding over her chest as she turns her head away. "Shoving something you already bit into in my mouth - you really aren't polite, are you?"
"Whaaat? Perish the thought! Besides, we share drinks and stuff all the time." He sniffs. "This isn't any different. I'm not sick, so who cares, right?"
Same as always, she thinks. From the day they first met when he had invited her to the agency, up until this very moment, Ranpo has always been unapologetically himself. He's blunt to the point of rude at times, yet honest and trustworthy. Equally so, he can be sadistic and cruel, jaded towards the world that has failed him (failed them both).
Yosano has long since been aware of his cruel side, but she doesn't condemn it. If anything, she feels that he is the perfect foil to herself, who wishes to save and protect life, while he revels in the intricacies of death and murder.
What an interesting pair they were.
The woman can't help but smile at the thought, at the truth in his words. There are things in her past she still loves today, despite the pain, the heartache, the trauma she pushes down underneath her desire to persevere.
She reaches out, grabbing Ranpo by his sleeve and guiding him to stand beside her. "Help me make the next set. I want to bring some back for Kyouka-chan."
"Ehhhh? But I thought you said it took a lot of concentration and patience? That's like telling me to sit and watch!"
"I don't want to make them all by myself." Then, Yosano nudges at his side with an elbow. "If it's for Kyouka, you'll do your best, won't you?"
Ranpo pouts. There's no denying he views the former assassin as a little sister, dotes on her in a manner Yosano finds so familiar. (Once upon a time, he had done the same to her. He's always wanted to be an older brother, but was born an only child.) "Mhhh... okay. But you'd better teach me right! Come on, put me to work, wagashi-sensei!"
Yosano laughs, merely leaning into him contently as she begins to instruct him on what to do first.
☾
How long has it been? Hope I'm not dreaming, looking good too aren't you? It's time to unwind. Eager to catch your smile — ain't shown it in a while, so set free the mind!
Don't need no words, we'll dance the night away together. Passing hours, embrace the feeling forever. It's all ours till the sunrise signals closure, come on, don't be shy now. Won't you take my hand?
01-08-2019, 07:00 AM
(This post was last modified: 01-08-2019, 07:35 AM by Seliane.)
[align=center][div style="width:450px;text-align:justify;font-size:11px;margin-top:10px;color:#000;line-height:100%"]tl;dr: this is basically yosano fixing/having a post-suicide-attempt talk with one dazai osamu. she may be a little bit of a sadist, but she's still a brilliant doctor who knows what she's doing; really, the people of the agency are in good hands. trigger warning for mentions of suicide and a brief description of an attempt - i don't go too in depth because it honestly makes me uncomfortable too. bungou stray dogs may paint dazai as a suicidal maniac and some of the attempts in the series may be shown in a humorous light, as he is based off of the real author - dazai osamu - who attempted suicide many, many times; but once again suicide in real life is certainly nothing to take lightly. this is just a little thing about one of the not-so-funny suicide attempts... sure, he may do it to mess with the agency members sometimes, but i feel as though he probably has seriously tried to take his life at least once. anyone familiar with his character knows that what he puts up in front of people most of the time is a well-put-together facade - he may provide a lot of comic relief but that doesn't change that he's for certain one of the darkest characters in the series thus far.
oh, and this was done as a challenge request from a friend: write two bungou stray dogs characters interacting and make references to both the manga, as well as the works by or about the authors the bsd characters used were based off of (so in this case, the two authors would be dazai osamu and yosano akiko). i won't explicitly point them out, but i will list the references made. see if you can spot them for yourself. ;^)
— "Dazai Osamu and the Dark Era" Light Novel
— "Bungou Stray Dogs" manga, chapter 35
— "Bungou Stray Dogs" manga, chapter 65
— "Akutagawa and Dazai: Instances of Literary Adaptation"
— "River of Stars: Selected Poems of Yosano Akiko"
"Honestly, what is it with you, Dazai," Yosano looked into the brunette's eyes as she finished the last stitch from his latest suicide attempt.
Dazai mumbled something incoherent under his breath and looked away. It wasn't like Dazai to be without words, without that ridiculous grin (that fooled no one, Yosano thought), or without eye contact. But when it came to his interactions with her, this was entirely normal.
There was something about her, her fierce sense of self, her seemingly uncontrollable thirst for living, that scared him. It went against everything he'd built up for himself.
"Do you talk to anyone? Who do you trust outside of the agency?"
Flashes of Odasaku rushed through his mind before he sent them hurtling back.
He beamed and played around with his arm, now stitched and taped back together, "Aaah, I know I can trust you to always do such a fabulous job!"
He stood with a flourish to make an exit, and felt something tug at his robe.
"Sit down. I'm not done with you yet."
The moment fractured, the two eyed each other. The endless amount of time it took Dazai to reseat himself on the stool in his kitchen felt like slow motion through a whirlpool; shockingly cold, disorienting, and without mercy.
His eyes darkened, "...and what aren't you done with?"
He hated being cornered unexpectedly. He hated it almost as much as he hated himself, and he especially hated it when it was about how much he hated himself.
Yosano closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. She wasn't sure if this was a good idea. In fact, she knew it was a terrible one. But, these attempts were whittling away at her sanity, and while most of the rest of the agency had written Dazai off as a childish good-for-nothing with a flair for the dramatic, she knew all too well the horrors that haunted him. She couldn't let this go. If it just meant that even once, he hesitated, that would be enough for her.
Dazai sat still as a corpse, eyes deader still, and waited for Yosano to respond.
Inside, however, he was screaming and begging to be released from this moment.
The last time someone took any particular notice of him for more than what he put out in the world, they were murdered as a pawn for a larger game. Intellectually, Dazai knew the two weren't the same. Intellectually.
However, Yosano was no stranger to the workings of Mori and the horrors that dwell beneath the warm glow of the daylight of Yokohama. If she prises too far... if she sees too much... if she cares...—
Dazai stopped himself there.
Echoes of the echoes of gunshots, so final in their rhythm, rang in his mind as he found himself back in that dusty, bloodied mansion. He ran through the halls as quickly as his legs carried him, headed straight for that cacophony of death. He was always too late. If only he hadn't let Mori keep him for so long, if only he acted faster, if only he saw through the ultimate plot quicker, if only he sought to find protection for those little ones; if only, if only, if only.
The only person to listen to him, even when he rambled purposeful nonsense. The only person to see him for more than the disgusting "black blood" that ran through his veins. The only person to not let hierarchy get in the way. The only person he ever let in.
"...azai, Dazai?"
Yosano handed him a tissue.
He looked down at it, dumbly, not quite sure what it was or what he was supposed to do with it. Something itched on his face, though, and when he lifted his hand to touch his cheek, he realised what it had been.
Yosano pulled Dazai up and guided him over to his futon. He followed without much expression, still lost in that waking dream.
She allowed him to feel his way onto the bed, where he first sat before descending onto his side, away from the pale sun of the spring. The light from the window created shadows that stretched long into the room. It covered Dazai's back like a blanket, but left his face and chest in chilly darkness that accentuated his thin frame. He was like a skeleton, like this. She wondered when he last ate. She sat near the end of the bed and looked down at her hands.
"I won't pressure you to say anything you don't want to, but I want to know why you're so desperate to leave," she says, quietly.
"Wake me from this oxidizing world of a dream," he mumbled into the pillow. It sounded hollow.
"...what do you expect to find when you wake?"
Silence. Heartbeat.
"I believe you told someone once that we have possibilities, that we aren't omniscient. If you can see that potential in somebody else, why are you not drawn within that line as well?"
Silence. Heartbeat.
"Let's say you open this door to eternal mystery and offer yourself, what or who do you expect to receive you?"
Silence.
Heartbeat.
Yosano looked down at Dazai, barely recognisable, even for her, even after all those times before. His frame wrapped into itself, eyes were cast down. Brows suggested that he was searching for something, but she didn't know what. She couldn't begin to imagine what.
Ever since Dazai stepped into the agency two years ago, he'd managed to make a mark — a messy, wild, infuriating mark — but a mark nevertheless. The first time he went missing for over a day, the entire agency threw themselves into trying to find him. However, by the fourth it started to become something of a joke. They stopped looking for him, calling after him. Stopped retracing his steps and breaking into his apartment.
It unnerved Yosano desperately. It happened so often that after awhile she was able to gauge how alarmed she needed to be by the little things Dazai would do. If they'd had a rather exhausting day of his antics, that was usually the sign of a passive attempt and she didn't need to get involved. If he'd been quieter than usual, that usually meant that he was off investigating something on his own and that he'd make it back eventually.
It was the days that he seemed, on the outside, "normal". "Relaxed". "Calm". Those were the days that really worried her. Talkative, congenial, willing to work with Kunikida... it was these days that she had to stitch him back up, pull him back to consciousness, soothe wounds. It was those days that she spent extra time keeping tabs on him. It was days like today, when she found him in his bathtub; lips blue, breath shallow, barely coherent. Heartbeat unnervingly slow. It was these days that his "clean and painless suicide" didn't seem to matter. He'd try just about anything if it meant he wouldn't see tomorrow.
"When the flesh is weary, the spirit too gives up; and somewhere within the body a sense of indifference takes root," Dazai looked up at the ceiling, tracing the lines of the light hanging over him.
It was Yosano's turn to be silent.
"I don't have an answer for you. Or, at least one that you want," Dazai said finally, and turned his head to look at Yosano's shape at the end of his futon.
"It's not about what I want, Dazai. It's about what you need."
"No one can give me what I need."
"Not if you don't let them."
"..."
Yosano sighed, "I'm staying the night. I'll have Kenji bring some fresh produce and I'll prepare something for you that isn't canned crab and sake. You stay there, I'll get the other futon out."
"You don't have to do this, I'll be fine," he already knew it wasn't worth the argument.
"I don't have to do a lot of things. I want to do this," Yosano offered a playful smile and leaned over to gently brush Dazai's cheek with her palm, "you'll find your spirit. We'll find your spirit. I don't give up easily."
"I know."
☾
How long has it been? Hope I'm not dreaming, looking good too aren't you? It's time to unwind. Eager to catch your smile — ain't shown it in a while, so set free the mind!
Don't need no words, we'll dance the night away together. Passing hours, embrace the feeling forever. It's all ours till the sunrise signals closure, come on, don't be shy now. Won't you take my hand?
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