Blackened moonflower and flourishing sunflower

Forty-six. Ryuunosuke

AN- Sorry for the extra long chapter, but this is one of the really deep chapters. Also thank you so much for your comments on this and my other story, they honestly brighten my day :)

"Feeling better Akutagawa?" Dazai mocked me as I made my way into the office. After I'd collapsed a couple days ago Yosano had forced me to stay in my dorm at the Agency. I'd been so bored the entire time, no one had even come to see me. Not even Kenji.

Although he had a good reason, I intended to question someone about that later.

I settled myself at my desk and began to finish the paperwork I'd left. A few minutes passed by with no interruptions or any noise in general. When I looked over to Dazai's desk I realised he'd been staring at me this entire time.

I slammed my laptop closed which caused Dazai to jump at realising he's annoyed me.

"I'm going outside for a mome-"

"Stop right there." I ordered, it's funny how he had to take orders from me now. He swivelled on his heels so he faced me. The annoyance on my face was obvious and Dazai looked like he knew what I was going to ask.

"Why don't we get a drink?"

~

It had been two years since I'd willingly sat in a booth alone with Dazai to have a drink.

I'd been so angry at him two years ago when he'd told me Atsushi had died. That was highly unlikely, we both knew that.

And to have the guts to tell me he was dead, when the last time I saw him he was trying to take his own life because everyone around him had failed him.

Not a single person had helped him when he'd asked for help. He'd fallen so far that he was willing to kill himself just to have an instant of peace.

We'd all failed him. But I'd failed him most...

I'd left him to suffer, to suffer for six years. Alone.

But I would make a change to that as with what happened to Kenji and then Dazai's visitor, apparently being one in the same didn't add up to a pleasant answer. Especially when the guy was someone with white hair.

"How have you been, Dazai?" I saw as a look of confusion crossed his face, he tried to respond but I immediately interrupted him.

"Good, good. I've been fine too, been ill. Been lied to for the past six years." Dazai didn't respond to my words, he simply moved his focus to the table. Using his nail to dig at the surface.

If he was trying to gain my sympathy it was too late for that. He felt guilty? Good. He might understand how I felt when I realised I'd never be able to assure Atsushi that my words from six years ago were genuine.

"Akutagawa we wanted to tel-" Hold on wait a second.

"What do you mean we?" I didn't have as clear of a picture as I thought I did. Dazai gave a heavy sigh as he leant back into the chair.

"You want the full story? Because if I tell you I'm not stopping, I won't hide anything. You understand?" I nodded in agreement, I needed to know. I was tired of stumbling through the dark trying to piece the story together.

"Right. So six years ago the Mafia was being attacked by Misao, which you are aware of." I slowly nodded in agreement, I wondered how much anyone else knew of this story.

"She had taken me as a prisoner at the time so I wouldn't be able to inform others of her plan. When we were in that apartment she had injured Atsushi so she would be able to use her blood manipulation ability on him. So when you guys took him back she'd have a puppet on the inside." Chuuya had thought it was too simple of a rescue when we took Atsushi back at the time, however he had been so shocked at Dazai's supposed betrayal at the time he didn't have time to think further on the matter. Something seemed to click in my mind at that point.