Withering Rose (Dazai x OC)

Chapter 8-Dark Era

Two Years Later

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It's been two years now and the three of us are eighteen. Dazai and Chuuya became known as Double Black and I got my own unit in the Mafia, the Extraction Unit. Odasaku was working heavily as a low-level Mafia member but he seemed to enjoy it, well... more than if he were a higher up it seemed. And even though Odasaku was busy all the time (like all of us) he seemed to be taking care of me, Dazai, and the orphans like we were his own. We honestly didn't deserve my brother.

In our free time, it was usually me and Dazai since Chuuya and him still didn't like each other. And when it wasn't just us... Odasaku and our newer friend, Ango, would join us at a bar where we'd drink and talk about our day. Well, I didn't drink anything alcoholic because my brother always gave me a dirty look, yet he let Dazai (somebody else underage) drink! It was not fair!!

Also over the past couple of years, Dazai and I have grown extremely close. As Mori put it, we were inseparable, 'intertwined in our darkness'. I don't know if that's a good or bad thing coming from him, but he wasn't wrong. Dazai and I were just two peas in a pod. That's why (on Chuuya's birthday, yes it was purposeful) Dazai asked me out and we began to date. We've been going strong for the past couple of months even though Chuuya would throw in a comment about our relationship here and there. Those boys just can't help themselves with teasing each other!

Tonight Dazai had dragged me to our regular bar, Lupin, cause he said he knew Odasaku and Ango would show up or something like that. I didn't really care, as long as I got to spend time with him everything was well with my life. Though seeing my brother would be nice, I felt like I hadn't seen him in a while. Actually, that might just be because I haven't been home in a while. I've been out of the country on a mission for the past two weeks.

"Here's your drink, young lady." The bartender says handing me a wine glass that held Sierra Mist. He knew I felt left out when the others drank their alcoholic beverages so he always served my nonalcoholic drink in a fancy glass.

"Thank you!" I chirp giving him a large smile as I take the glass from him. He smiles back at me and goes back to work. Spinning in my chair, which was on Dazai's left, I turned to face him as he looked down at his drink sadly. "Why the long face?" I ask leaning closer, setting the glass on the counter.

"No reason." He sighs, turning to look at me. "I just have a feeling this will be the last time we're all together." My face scrunches in worry. Could what he is saying be true? Will we all not be together after tonight? "If you keep your face like that it's going to get stuck." He chuckles trying to lighten the mood as he ruffles my hair. "Smile for me, my little rose~!" He coos as his hand fell from my head to cup my cheek, gliding his thumb back and forth soothingly.

"Anything for you." I chuckle giving him a beautiful smile as I lean into his touch. "I love you."

"I love you too, Ro." He smiles leaning forward and kissing me on the nose which causes me to giggle. Suddenly footsteps are heard coming down the staircase into the bar. Dazai resumes his position looking at his glass and I stand up and go over to the stairs. Once I spot that it's my brother I jump into his arms.

"Big brother!" I shout happily as he holds me in his loving embrace. "I missed you." I say squeezing him tighter causing him to chuckle at me.

"Missed you too, little red." Odasaku says as he pulls away to mess up my hair as Dazai had done minutes before.

"Hey, Odasaku." Dazai calls out to my brother, flicking his glass afterward causing a ringing noise. After hearing the noise the cat that sat on Dazai's right stretched and lept from the chair which was Odasaku's spot. "Sorry, Sensei." Dazai speaks to the cat as I resume my spot on his left.