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

Episode 21

After finishing my cake, I decided to indulge in a little detective project of my own instead of turning right back to my work. After all this time, I never considered anyone else would know how Atsushi feels about me - because unless he brought it up explicitly, no one would really indulge in it. That is, if Dazai didn't force something out of him. Even then, I wouldn't want to ask around because one - that's creepy and two - what if all I found out was that he didn't like me? It's basically the same, if not worse, than being outright rejected.

I never wanted to read Atsushi's mind. I just wanted to hear him say he loved me, of his own accord.

This time though, because of the way Kyouka slipped up with her speech, I had reason to believe that Atsushi wasn't just talking about me with others in idle conversation, but talking about his feelings for me. My observation skills fell entirely short whenever I was thinking about Atsushi, or whenever I was standing close to him. But now that I've been snapped out of that trance, I can actually attempt to look at this from an outside perspective.

The president approaching me about my feelings might have been the only coincidental thing here. Dazai realizing I liked Atsushi isn't surprising - but pushing me to confess, asking me particular questions... that's different. He was the type to sit back and watch how the games played out, in a half torn throne with a chipped crown and a wicked smile. Dazai liked chaos, he liked unpredictability. So why would he say anything to encourage me when he was the type to want to see how things played out on there own? Only if someone else had spoken to him about it.

I wasn't going to interrogate Kyouka. Mainly because she was with Atsushi now, but also because she already did enough. Since she lives with Atsushi too, it'd be too risky to try and talk to her, because even though she's well trained she would no doubt tell Atsushi what he wanted to hear if he asked kindly.

I don't blame her. I probably would too.

"Dazai." I began, kicking the door of the filing room shut and locking it behind me.

He smirked, "What's this? Locking the door on me? Am I in trouble?"

"We'll see." I edged, my heels clicking daringly as I walked towards him, "Atsushi seems to be spending a lot of quality time with you recently."

"You think so?"

"He's always suddenly running off to have a word with you." I added, recalling how he suddenly ran off claiming he needed to talk to Dazai right after friend zoning me, "What might you be talking about?"

He just smirked, "Don't you think it's a bit overzealous to be thinking we're just talking about you?"

"I wouldn't be here asking like this if I didn't think that I was at least one subject mentioned between you two."

He sighed as he plucked out some files, setting them on the ledge above him before pushing the drawer shut. He contemplated things for a moment and I let him, "Atsushi definitely has mentioned you."

"In what manner?"

"What ever might you mean by that?"

I glared at him as he glared back, "Why is he speaking to you about me, and what questions is he asking? He's the one who got me that cake because he felt like he should gift me something. No one else has ever done that here at the agency - no one here is too nervous to be direct when gifting someone something. But I know that he wouldn't be sure what my favorite cake was without help. You've been around me more than he has."

"Well, sure I encouraged him to buy you a slice of cake. But not even I know what your favorite is. You order a different kind everyday. I did try and see if there was a pattern to it once, but there isn't." He flipped through the files with his thumb, humming, "He has asked me things about romance. It's cute that he thought I had lots of experience. But he didn't ask me about the cake."