The Change ; A Tachizaki Fic

Chapter 2: Goodbye Banners

JUNICHIRO TANIZAKI POV

As I stepped outside into the fairly dense air of yokohama, my head turned to the list i had been giving for the Agencies necessities.

"Tanizaki, these are the things we need:
Bleach
Sweets (Ranpo)
Bread
Butter
Coffee
Bandages
Milk
Scissors
Cups
Cake
..."

The last thing on the list made my heart drop to my feet. I had completely forgotten that in less than 4 days, one person from the Agency would be gone. Turned into a merciless killer.

"Goodbye bannners."

I reluctantly put the sheet of paper back into my pocket before setting off to my first destination, it was a simple store just around the corner from the agency building itself. It was the kind of store where the people inside knew who you were, and the people sure did know what you needed considering the fact that people from the agency had been going there for years.

A sharp pain flew through my head as I trudged my way along to the shop. However, it didn't really bother me as that's what usually happens when I get stressed. But stressed was an understatement. The mafia was a place for nobody in the agency, except for the person Dazai used to be. It's strange to think that such a lively, highly respected man used to be a blood thirsty killer. Yet, I knew someone who had a craving for a massacre. Someone who could take the utter anger built up over years of pure pain and suffering out on someone else and use that thorough fury as the drive to murder an innocent human. At a flick of a switch they could use any initiative to kill if it meant protecting a certain someone close to them

I was that someone.

Yeah, i'm a detective who works on cases of murder and crimes every single day, the same as your regular detective. However, other detectives don't take the thought of what could've drove someone to kill someone into a count. I do. The amount of murderers i've let get away with no charges solely because of their reason is ridiculous for one of the most trusted people in the city to work on crimes.

I wiped away a bead of sweat staggering down my face as I paced to the front of the store and entered with a swift push of the metal doors. The familiar sound of the bell ringing brought me away from my agitating thoughts, it was a comforting ringing noise that reminded me of where i was, and who i really was in that moment in time.

I picked up the essentials and of course i couldn't forget the sweets for ranpo, dear god he would've gone insane at me if i didn't get him those. It's funny to think that just a month ago, Poe bought him an entire sweet shops worth of food and he's already managed to eat every last one. Thats Ranpo for you. Saying that though, he solves more problems than anybody else i've ever met in my entire life.

"Ah, well if it isn't Junichiro Tanizaki"

I jumped slightly at the sudden noise not even a meter away from me. The voice was a fairly low and whispered, but i didn't recognise it. Not until i turned around that is. A fiery red head, not much dissimilar from my own hair colour (but his was definitely box dyed), he was barely taller than me but nonetheless still managed to somehow look down on me. His clothes looked slightly worn down, a forest green jacket hugged his shoulders and complimented the shine in his amber eyes. The eyes. That's when i realised who it was.

I reached down into my jacket pocket, my hands slightly trembling and placed my hand on the pistol that sat there, pretty unused. Although, I wasn't a slight bit afraid to use it.

He must've managed to notice what i was up to when his eyes widened in the slightest.

"Woah, woah aren't we rushing into things here? Listen, i'm not here with intentions of hurting you, let alone kill you." he mumbled in an attempt not to let the shop owner hear anything.

"You're from the Port Mafia, Black Lizard. Tachihara was it?" I stammered as i took my hand off the gun at his declaration of not wanting to hurt me. While most wouldn't believe, i knew a liar when i see one. Also, he hadn't came armed. His usual wear of a waistband with places perfectly fit for duel guns was replaced by a simple belt with a rhinestone star at the front.

"Well you're quite the smart one aren't you, not surprised you're the talk of the port mafia right now." Tachihara marvelled, opening a fridge and grabbing a bottle of red wine from inside. It wasn't cheap either.

My eyes jolted wide at that point. My hands shaking and my breath hitching. I, Junichiro Tanizaki, a simple detective who didn't work on very serious cases, was the main talk of one of the most bone-chilling gangs in the city. A part of me wanted to break down, mentally aching and running back to the detective agency in pure horror, crying right then and there. Yet, another part of me knew that this was going to happen. My ability (Light Snow) was nothing but perfect for assassination, said by a black lizard member themselves. He then met up with me not long after and made a request for me to join the black lizard, which i told nobody about. Of course i denied his request, which he was eerily accepting of considering how cold of a man he seemed to be. I've also come dangerously close to killing their boss. During the cannibalism incident, i was more than prepared to slash a knife right across his throat and what i didn't realise then, is that i wouldn't have felt a hint of guilt in the slightest.

"I'd thought you'd be more surprised at that, but I guess the old man spoiled shit for you, yeah? he fumed, letting out a disappointed sigh.

"Old man?" My voice quacked, despite the fact i had an idea i would move to the mafia, it was never certain. And I held onto that thought. However the only thing i had been doing for weeks was tell everyone else how they're not the one going to the mafia.

"Yeah! The tall one who gave you the offer to come to the black lizard?"

"Ah, I see."

He went quieter as he searched for what he had came in for, clearly not having much luck finding it.

"Do you want me to help you find what you need?" I inquired. Yeah, he's a mafia member who i shouldn't be offering help too, but i would also be someone like him soon.

"Well you're quite the helpful one then aren't you?" Tachihara snarked

"Do you want help, or not." I snapped, in an angrier tone than i had originally intended.

"Woah there, let's keep our heads on shall we? Also, yeah! That would be really helpful actually. It's chuuya's birthday soon so i need to get him something. I can't lie to you, the man's fucking petrifying, but he's actually really nice if you get to know him well enough. He likes red wine, any clue where i can get something like that?" Tachihara said with a small smile on his face.

"I wouldn't say you would get good wine here, it tastes way off and there's a cheaper way to get even better wine from somewhere else, i can take you there if you want me too?"

"Wow! Is the master detective a wine drinker?" He laughed, clearly trying to piss me off.

"Are you trying to piss me off, Tachihara Michizou?"

"Maybe? You're kinda funny when you're angry." he laughed slightly but it was a fairly breathy laugh.

"Right, right. Hurry up then are we going to this place or not Tachihara!" I yelled at him, standing close to the door after i had payed for my things for the agency.

"Yeah yeah i'm coming mom!" He joked.

With that me and the pure assassin left the store, as if we were bestfriends living perfectly normal lives strolling through the bustling streets of Yokohama.

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word count: 1440
A/N 💕
THEY MET!! I know it's probably a bit early but i've still got chapters before the whole change happens, and while it happens and then also the aftermath so there should be quite a lot of content!
Bye bye for now! <3