Spirit - Bungo Stray Dogs Fanfiction - Atsushi Love Story - 1215

Episode 15

The second Ranpo entered the building, he headed straight to the board room where Dazai met him so they could spread out the files Ranpo picked up and look at them together. I was called in shortly after, and we had luckily just finished cleaning. For Ranpo, he probably wouldn't care enough to put two and two together like he could. Dazai probably already suspected we were fooling around like idiots, though.

I dropped off a bag of snacks for Ranpo, "Looks like you had an eventful morning, Ranpo-san."

He sighed, picking up the first thing he laid eyes on and shoving it in his mouth, "It sure was."

"This is some amazing intel. It's worth its weight in gold." Dazai commented, "How would we make use of this to take down the Guild at its core? Infiltrate with a bomb?"

"No good. Our communications will give us away, and we'll get shot down."

Dazai took a moment to think and I found myself going over the probability in my own mind as well. Then, Dazai set the paper he held down, "You're right. How about Kenji-kun?"

"No. It leads to a stalemate in a ground battle, and we'll be fighting over time."

"Ayame-san?"

"No." I replied for him, "Though I can be good a negotiating things, my ability won't give me enough manpower necessary to fill in for unexpected turns during the expedition."

"Atsushi-kun, then."

"Yes, it could work with light snow." Ranpo replied through chewing his old fashioned plain donut.

"Well then, I'll get right on it." I watched Dazai as he threw his little paper airplane across the room, and turned to glance behind me at the little cat peaking in.

Did he really think none of us knew he was right there?

"Do we end in the mountains?"

"At sea."

Dazai stood, "Roger that. Atsushi! Get in here! Ayame! You'll be sticking with me."

I took a breath, glancing at Ranpo, but he didn't even flinch. If he wanted me with him, he would have mumbled some other nearly incoherent command, but he didn't, so I was going to shadow Dazai from here on out.

After the debriefing, Dazai took his leave and Atsushi was set to go the opposite direction with Tanizaki to begin the expedition.

As I followed him out the door, Atsushi grunting from the rough pat on the head he received from his recruiter, we made eye contact again. It was quiet, quick, and I started to remember all the other times we'd looked into each others eyes. It was getting more common now, wasn't it? Like we were both desperate for it.

"Good luck, Atsushi-kun."

"You too, Ayame-chan." He said it simply this time, without stuttering, and my heart jumped. I hid it well - at least I hope I did - and I continued to walk past him to follow Dazai's trail.

To a flower shop. Great.

"You're baiting someone."

"What? What makes you think that?"

"A full bouquet, a basket of expensive gift fruit... it's not for a grave yard visit."

He grinned mischievously, "It's for an old friend of mine, Ango. He's in the hospital after a horrible car accident he suffered."

"Weren't you also in that accident?"

"Well, I have Yosano don't I?"

I glared at him, almost trying to look into his mind, to see if I could get an actual solid answer. He was harder to deal with than Ranpo somehow, "You also have some weird ability to avoid dying, despite being suicidal."