𝓪𝓷 𝓸𝓬𝓽𝓸𝓫𝓮𝓻 𝓵𝓾𝓵𝓵𝓪𝓫𝔂 | 𝘥𝘢𝘻𝘢𝘪 𝘰𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘶

𝒾𝒾. 𝒻𝑒𝒷𝓇𝓊𝒶𝓇𝓎

(Surname) (Name) isn't surprised when Mori declares that her, Dazai Osamu and Nakahara Chuuya will be working as partners from now on. Some sort of Underworld dream team of havoc.

She has worked mulitple times with both of them now, producing more than satisfactory results on each count. No one else is quite able to keep up with the peculiar style of combat she has developed.

Her training has wired her for solitary work, but the two boys are adaptable in different ways that manage to utilize her brand of abilities regardless.

So it's decided without any input from the three of them, although neither boy is particularly bothered by this development.

Chuuya because he claims her to be infinitely more tolerable than his original partner.

And she suspects Dazai doesn't mind because it means more opportunities to over-analyze her over every mission they carry out.

Not to say she isn't doing the same. He is plenty interesting in his own right. Harder to read than anyone she has come across, but easy in certain moments as well.

The boy's a walking facade, wearing nothing but fake smiles and pretty words to hide someone she can only manage to catch mere glimpses of before he shuts himself down. And he's gotten so good at pretending, (Name) doesn't think that even he remembers where he ends and his mask begins.

Without a doubt, she decides that Dazai Osamu is the saddest thing she has ever seen.

And somehow, regardless of their stupid bet, she finds herself wanting to understand. To figure out how his mind works the way it does and to know what he hides away before anyone can see.

So, perhaps, it's not so bad to be grouped with these two boys, who bicker as much as they breathe but also blend together seamlessly when the situation calls for their prowess. They go from two to three, and the Underworld buzzes with talk of Triple Dark, now featuring (Surname) (Name).

She understands that Chuuya and Osamu make for a phenomenally effective duo that can get just about any job done with the most fluency, so Mori must've seen something in her skillset or personality that could possibly benefit the dyanmic duo, so to speak.

The man sees more than the rest of them can fathom in an instant anyways.

And, in some respects, she sees that in Dazai as well when he looks at her like he can see right through her.

It's terribly disconcerting to feel so bare in front of a stranger when there are so many things she regrets having done that she fears he might see. She doesn't need another person who fears her as though she is nothing more than a monster.

"Penny for your thoughts, (Surname)," Dazai butts into her thought process, reminding her of his taller stature by leaning over her shoulder so he can peer at her face, an unassuming smile plastered on his face.

She pauses, simply staring at him in consideration for a moment. "I was thinking about you," she admits finally, standing still as he moves to stand beside her rather than behind.

An eyebrow arching, he shoots her a wide grin. "I'm flattered to have a lovely maiden think of me," he purrs, unfazed when she rolls her eyes at him, "but what I have done to warrant the pleasure?"

"Made a bet with me," she quips, continuing on her path to Koyo's quarters for tea.

Dazai chuckles, hands in his pockets. "How is that faring for you, by the way?"

"Wouldn't you like to know."

"I would," he says, voice light and airy, bouncing off the walls of the empty hallways, resounding starkly with the pushed amusement against the gloom that hangs like a perpetual cloud over the Mafia headquarters. "I've learned plenty about you, you know."

She raises her eyebrow at him. "Oh?"

"Indeed, (Surname)." His smiled widens, taunting and victorious as he watches for her reaction. "Or should I say 'Aries'?"

For just a second, she tenses, and he notices judging by his satisfied smile. But she inhales deeply and nods.
"That should be my title now," she agrees slowly, refusing to allow him the power to hurt her. "Well done, Dazai."

He dips his head in faux gratitude. "I just learned something else, too."
Heaving a sigh, she waves her hand for him to continue. If he wants to attempt damage, it'd be best to just get it over with.

"You're guilty," he whispers to her secretively. "What sins have you committed, (Surname)?"

She glances at him from the corner of her eye before turning to face him fully. "None worse than your own, I'm sure, Demon Prodigy."

Smile dropping for the quickest second, he recovers almost instantaneously and shoots her a close-lipped, almost sarcastic smile-- the only appraisal she receives for her jab.

Dazai hums thoughtfully, studying her before his shoulders drop. Just for this instance, she sees a crack in his facade, and she frowns because it's no accident. He lets her see him as he is, if only for a brief moment, amd she doesn't know why.

"You pretend like sabotage and safety can be the same thing if you try hard enough," he says finally, knowing in a way that makes her freeze warily.

"And what makes you think that?"

Now, he smiles again, but it is unlike his usual mask. This smile is sad-- just as much as he is, and pained in the same way too.

"I do the same."