The Tiger and Her (Bungou Stray Dogs Fan-fic)

Chapter 2

Atsushi was having a pleasant dream about chazuke and baby tigers when her cell phone woke her up. Cracking an eye open and reluctantly moving her body out of the warm covers of her futon, she took her cell and glanced at who was calling her.

It was Dazai.

Despite having a bad feeling about the call, she answered the call hesitantly.

"H-Hello...?" She was still partially asleep.

"How's it been Atsushi-chan? Did you sleep well?"

"Y-yes...I'm pretty sure I would sleep well at my own apartment." Atsushi doesn't know where Dazai is going with this.

"That's great. I actually have a favor to ask of you, can you please come to the location I tell you?"

"Sure...?"

Dazai's easygoing tone was completely opposite to his words. "Thanks, I'm actually dying here, so here are the directions..."

Atsushi's eyes shot open. "Wait what—!"

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"Ah, now that you're here can you lend me a hand?"

If Atsushi wasn't fully awake then, for sure she is now. She is trying to think of a way to properly respond to what's in front of her.

Dazai said he was dying but she didn't really expect this.

Dazai was casually smiling as if he weren't stuck in a metal barrel with no way to get out on his own. His legs were up in the air as his body slowly descended down. If Atsushi remembered correctly, this was a torture technique.

But Dazai would eventually die from it. Wasn't his wish was to die?

"Um, but didn't you want to die? Isn't this the suicide you wanted?"

Dazai glared, as if Atsushi said something horribly wrong. "I may want to die, but I don't want any pain. Are you stupid?"

Atsushi had a blank face. Her friend always sang praises for this man, but she can't see any of those praises in this situation.

"Can you please hurry, I'm almost at my limit."

Atsushi took a few more seconds to just stare before proceeding to kick the barrel onto the ground. Dazai gave an 'oof', his body sliding out from the force of Atsushi's kick. As Dazai stood up and brushed the dust off himself, Atsushi decided to ask a question she should have asked earlier.

"You did ask your colleagues from the Agency for help, right?"

"Yup, but they just told me to die and 'good for me' when I asked. Such horrible people, am I right."

Atsushi didn't know how to respond. Dazai began to walk away and Atsushi, having nothing else to do followed.

"Where are we going?"

"The Armed Detective Agency, of course. I said I was going to hire you yesterday, didn't I?"

"Yes, but I'm still unsure if I really want to join."

Dazai waved her off. "I'm sure you'll fit right in with us. There is an entrance exam you have to pass, though."

"Is there? What kind of exam?"

Dazai's smirk only worried her, especially when he put a finger to his lips. "That's a secret. It wouldn't be fair if you knew what kind of exam you would get, after all."

Atsushi nodded nervously. "If that's what you say..."

Dazai stopped walking, turning to face Atsushi confidently. "There is no need to worry. Just listen to me, Dazai, the most trusted and revered person in the Agency and the one the people count on the most—!!"