[2.7]
-Connections-
"He is probably scarred for life!"
Kunikida watches the car with the office staff get picked up by the grape trees from John's ability. He was waiting for the right moment since he was cloaked in Tanizaki's ability. Raising his hand gun he takes a shot at Lovecraft who falls to the ground right after, Tanizaki's ability pixelating away exposing Kunikida. John turns around shocked after hearing his partners body hit the floor. Taking another shot aimed at John, Kunikida wastes no time trying to knock the enemy down, John brings up roots to block the bullet before he can get hit.
"Naomi run!" Tanizaki orders pulling at the rots around the car door they were crushed in.
"Brother!" Naomi yells happily smiling at her tense brother.
"A passenger train is passing by in a few minutes" Tanizaki informs cutting away at the branches to make more room for their escape. "I'll convince them to wait for just a moment, you need to jump on the train"
Helping the women out Tanizaki waves for them to run which they do, Naomi looking back a few times.
"Run! Don't look back!" He yells sending a worried glare at his sister.
...
John stood across from Kunikida who still had his gun drawn. The two blonds stare each other down.
"I thought this might happen" John sighs, the branches and vines protruding out of his neck made Kunikida feel a little nauseous. "My sources weren't reliable"
Given what I have seen of his ability, as soon as he connect with the woods he'll be able to manipulate the roots at the base of the hill and stop the train Kunikida thought to himself trying to figure out a way to catch the American off guard. I just have to make sure he doesn't touch any trees for five minutes so the staff can escape.
John shoots out a root at Kunikida who fire two bullets at it before it wraps around his wrist, the gun falling to the ground.
"Kunikida-san!" Tanizaki shouts worriedly from behind John.
"You just thought 'I'll win if I don't let him touch any trees while the two girls run away'" John deduced quite accurately making the blond stiffen. "You simplify your understanding far too much, your behavior becomes easy to read" He smiles pleasantly at the Agency detective.
"Indeed" Kunikida responds calmly, glasses glaring in the midday sun. "I'll have to write that in my notebook later"
"By the way, did you just have this thought?" Kunikida inquires "'Slap away his pistol and he'll have no means of attacking me'" He mirrors the other mans words. Kunikida reaches into his vest pocket pulling out a pre-written notebook page activating his ability. Green flashes by his hand while a hand gun materializes. Which he uses to shoot the root instantly breaking free from John's hold. Running forward before he can react Kunikida flips John over his back slamming into the ground forcefully. Kunikida points the gun at his forehead making the American clench his teeth angrily. The roots holding the car disappear causing the car to fall down almost hitting Tanizaki.
"You simplify your understanding far too much, your behavior becomes easy to read." Kunikida repeats the other mans words calmly.
"A secret organization abducting people abroad, I see" Kunikida looks down at him.
"That hurts to hear" John mocks glaring back at him. "You know, information about that little roommate of yours is worth a pretty penny" John smirks seeing Kunikida's brows furrow into a glare. "My boss already told me that the Guild isn't an organization that does good things" They know she lives with me as well, so they were tracking her.
"It's an organization that does what has to be done" John states apathetically to the blond who's hand tightens its hold on the gun. Lovecraft slowly stands back up his eyes rolling back in his head.
"Kunikida-san behind you!" Tanizaki yells watching the creepy looking man in horror. Kunikida turned around confused on how the man he already shot is now standing. Pointing the gun at him Kunikida shoots his chest seven times while Lovecraft continues to walk towards him.
"You're late, Lovecraft" John says watching the gaunt man walk forwards. "What were you even doing?" He raises an eyebrow at him.
"I was sleeping" Lovecraft's deep voice croaks "My apologies" Holding his hands out yellow light bursts from his palms.
"Tanizaki—use light snow!" Kunikida orders glaring at the redhead behind him. Not even a second later the tentacles from Lovecraft's hands encase Kunikida and Tanizaki holding them many feet above the ground.
"Should I kill them?" Lovecraft asks feeling John standing just behind him.
"I don't know" John sighs putting his hands on his hips "Shall we catch the girls first, then ask for orders?" His roots stabbing through the concrete into the ground.
"I'm borrowing your sister" John calls out playfully to Tanizaki who gets a dark look on his face.
"What are you doing with Naomi?" He asks his eyes more manic than before.
"I wasn't assigned to her so I don't know yet" John replies simply "Confine her...torture her.."
"Don't think you can get away with this!" Kunikida yells struggling in the tentacles.
"A jobs a job" John shrugs his shoulder watching Kunikida get progressively angrier.
"You moralists wouldn't understand"John smirks up at the two's annoyed and blank faces. A truck starts approaching their side catching Johns attention we don't want witnesses.
"Sure the Agency has morals" Tanizaki says blankly making John look towards him. "But Naomi is different to me" He states with a scarily blank tone. "Justice, morals and ego no longer stand when put next to her, it would be unfair to compare anything to her..." He mutters the truck approaches faster confusing John, it hasn't noticed us yet?
"No way!" John shouts watching the truck get within a foot of them "Do we look like part of the road to the driver?!"
The truck rams into the two Guild members, Lovecraft's ability drops Kunikida and Tanizaki who slam onto the floor.
...
[Train Station With Atsushi & Dazai]
The empty train station was silent except for the occasional bored sigh from Dazai who had his arms behind his head leaning against the bench.
"The train is late, the one they are supposed to be on" Atsushi observes concerned for the other members of the Agency.
"Mori-san from the Port Mafia is the human embodiment of streamlining" Dazai remarks calmly "He controls the situation with cold mathematical detachment, I'm sure he will take advantage of the fact our guard is down"
"I must do something of the most importance" Dazai says with completely seriousness before he put his hands on his crotch jumping up and down a bit "I have to use the bathroom!" He shouts running off leaving a confused Atsushi behind.
...
Dazai walked into the empty station building noticing a familiar blond woman standing in front of him, seconds later a knife is pressed against his throat which made Dazai smile.
"Gin-chan, you've grown taller" Dazai observes calmly to the assassin just against his back.
"So you knew we were watching?" Higuchi infers still holding the brunette at gunpoint.
"I was the one who created the Port Mafia surveillance techniques" Dazai smirks not feeling threatened at all in this situation.
"So then, what do you want from me?" He asks Higuchi who stares back at him blankly.
"Isn't this gun enough to tell you what we want?" She asks getting a pleasant smile from him.
"Afraid not" He responds with a playful edge. "For a group of assassins you've recruited some lousy members" He insults.
"Gin-chan, could you please put this away..." He sets his finger on the blade pressed against his throat "Its dangerous"
Gin does as told putting the dagger back into its hold standing behind Dazai silently. Higuchi clicks her tongue putting her gun away.
"You're correct, that's not why we are here" She informs "I have a message from the boss"
"From Mori-san?" Dazai raises an eyebrow acting a little shocked. "I wonder..."
"The message is: Dazai-kun, would you be interested in returning to the Port Mafia executives?" It's silent for a moment before he starts laughing, his shoulders shaking a kind smile on his face.
"What a kind invitation" Dazai says still chuckling, a closed eye smile.
"I've seen your records" Higuchi says "Your blood is Mafia black, more so than anyones"
"People change" Dazai sighs tilting his head slightly. "I mean look at Gin-chan! She was a dainty little girl and now she's this tall" He holds up his hand to her height. Gin blushes under her mask turning away from Dazai abashed. Higuchi blinks dumbly at the odd action from an assassin.
"Please don't change the subject" Gin says embarrassed looking off to the side.
"G-girl?" Higuchi mutters the blood draining from her face.
...
"Something isn't adding up" Dazai mutters trying to think of what plans Mori has. "Why would Mori-san set people aside for this charade?"
"To protect you" Higuchi states simply shocking Dazai.
"Protect me...?" He asks raising an eyebrow at the woman.
"The boss set Q free" Higuchi informs tensely, Dazai stiffened his eyes wide in horror.
"Impossible" Dazai breathes out "Do you have any idea what he has let lose?"
"Q is a walking catastrophe" Dazai continues his shoulders tense. "He will go for anyone friend or foe"
"The Port Mafia doesn't choose its means to reach the end" Higuchi responds to Dazai's obvious worry.
"Do you know why Q was imprisoned in the first place?" Dazai says darkly " He has one of the most repugnant abilities of them all. Mind control"
"Q's curse attacks the minds of his victims with hallucinations" Dazai continues. "They begin to attack anyone around them no matter if they are familiar or not— its triggered by the destruction of the doll"
"Only the receiver is cursed when that happens" Dazai furrows his brows trying to make sense of the new information. "In order to be a receiver you must hurt Q..." Dazai's eyes widen in realization.
"You mentioned protecting me...so that must mean" Dazai turned around "Atsushi!"
...
Running out of the room Dazai see's Atsushi holding Naomi a foot off the ground by her neck.
"Stop Atsushi-kun!" Dazai yells "Look carefully!"
"Atsushi-san..." Naomi wheezes out from his choke hold. "Stop" Atsushi lets her go taking a few steps away from her. Horror written all over his face at what he was doing.
"No...." Atsushi whispers " I was the one being controlled" Atsushi's eyes start to water at what pain he has caused.
"I was trying to protect them... not" Atsushi's eyes flickered back to normal from the red eyes of Q's ability. Atsushi starts spiraling in his thoughts, the stained glass of the orphanage taking over this vision while hearing the head master talk, its your fault always— it's you— its you. Dazai kneels down in front of Atsushi's trembling figure after dealing with Q's doll, the weretiger's shaky hand cradling his face as he cries.
"Lets go" Dazai says quietly "Get up"
"I'm no good!" Atsushi screams his voice cracking a few times. "I shouldn't even exist..."
Dazai slaps him roughly across the face knocking him out of it.
"Listen to me, Atsushi-kun" Dazai states calmly to the now shocked teen who's face is still where the slap pushed it.
"I'll give you good advice for once, like a proper mentor" Dazai sighs "Stop pitying yourself"
Atsushi turns his head to look at the brunettes dead serious gaze.
"If you pity yourself life becomes a nightmare" Dazai continues staring at the stunned man.
"Now then..." The suicidal maniac stands up sighing with a more playful tone. "We don't have the luxury of choosing our methods anymore" He starts walking away. "If the enemy wants to play their trump card...so will we"
...
[Agency Hide Out: The Next Morning]
Everyone was still asleep except for Atsushi who laid on his bench wide awake, what he did under Q's ability still frightened him, a conversation from the walk back to the hide out resurfaced in Atsushi's mind.
"Dazai-san..." Atsushi mutters catching the mans attention, who slowed his pace to match.
"Q's ability is mind control..." Atsushi asks for clarification getting a nod. "Like—"
"Similar to L/n-chan's, yes" Dazai affirms noticing the insecurity on Atsushi's face.
"Though L/n-chan's ability works differently" Dazai starts to explain "She can only tell people what todo—physically, unlike Q who can make someone see something that is not real"
"Is this why people are afraid to trust Y/n-san..." Atsushi says quietly looking ahead at the two woman who are still recovering from the experience.
"Many people fear that if L/n-chan were to use her ability frequently she would grow power hungry and monstrous like Q" Dazai states calmly before he turns his head to look at Atsushi who stops at the eye contact.
"Atsushi-kun...do you fear L/n-chan now?"
The weretiger had been mulling over the question since the afternoon. He knows Y/n and that she doesn't want to cause any harm yet now there is some spec of fear at her abilities. She even wears an eyepatch so she doesn't but— why am I event thinking like this!? I trust her. I trust her with my life. Atsushi was only two benches away from where Y/n slept, her eyes even covered in sleep so she didn't accidentally use it. Y/n isn't Q Atsushi nodded his head firmly.
...
[Agency Hide Out: Afternoon]
Y/n sat next to Ranpo, her head leaning on his shoulder as he explains how something worked to her. Atsushi had been acting weird with her all day and it worried her, Dazai said he had an encounter with another mind control ability, I should've known. Y/n's eyes start to water which she tried to hide by listening intently to Ranpo's explanation of the various types of plans they could use. The detective stops talking feeling the woman stiffen up against his shoulder, turning his head he takes a look at her face which was getting pink around the eyes and nose from her attempt to hold back emotion.
"Why are you crying?" Ranpo asks before Y/n shakes her head, taking out his glasses he sets them on his face staring at her worriedly.
"Oh..." Ranpo mutters frowning a little."I'm sure he will come around..."
"He won't" Y/n states with a shuddered breath, chuckling hollowly "I'm sure he is scarred for life"
Ranpo's frown deepens, starting to wipe her face with his sleeve which she let him do. Atsushi had walked in and looked at her crying confused, he starts walking over before Ranpo held up his hand stopping him.
"He doesn't think you're a..." Ranpo says carefully watching her, his head muddled up trying to think of a solution when she's in such a sad state.
"Monster?" Y/n spoke with a blank face putting a hand over her eyes. "He will"
"But you aren't one" Ranpo says firmly "You aren't just your ability"
Y/n stiffens in her seat at his words, a sense of familiarity at the sentence. Odasaku... She stayed silent still hunched over covering her eyes. Ranpo looks up at Atsushi's concerned face.
"I'm sure he is just in shock" Ranpo says staring at the teen "He probably still wants to be around you" The weretiger stiffens realizing this was about him.
"Why would he? He just experienced something so...horrific and it has similarities to my own so why would he..." Y/n bursts out, Ranpo grabs her hand holding it hoping to comfort her a little.
"I don't think you're a ...monster" Atsushi says from behind her which makes her head shoot up. She tightens her hold on Ranpo's hand realizing Atsushi heard.
"I think it just...put things into perspective for me" Atsushi tries to word it correctly.
"I would never use it on you" Y/n states turning around to look at Atsushi's small smile.
"I know..." Atsushi smiled at her "I trust you"
Y/n bit her lip at the words, the sinking feeling in her chest didn't go away even though he said he trusted her. Ranpo looks down at their hands ignoring the rather tense silence that ensued after Atsushi's words.
"Okay..." Y/n nods smiling a little looking at Atsushi who felt a small relief at her tiny smile.
"Are you feeling alright after everything that happened yesterday?" Y/n questions concerned for the weretiger, Atsushi nods slowly sitting down next to her starting to retell what they did the day before. Ranpo smiles to himself staring at their hands that were still intertwined, she hasn't let go yet.
Kunikida looked up from his phone to the three who were talking quietly, his gaze falling on Y/n and Ranpo's hands, furrowing his brows minutely at the closeness. They have been getting closer recently Kunikida thought to himself, an odd ache in his chest. Kunikida soon found himself unable to pull his gaze away, the way she had leaned against the man next to her made his stomach drop for some reason.
Why am I so bothered? Kunikida frowns the tiniest bit at the anxiety that had gathered in him. Slipping his cold hands into his pockets, he leans against the front of a table. He closes his eyes trying to quell the unfamiliar anxiety, his mind wondering through all the instances that had made this feeling arise.
Is it always Ranpo? Kunikida sighs deeply I don't feel this way when she is with Dazai, he realizes.
...
[Kunikida & Y/n's Apartment: Four Years Ago]
Y/n held onto the steaming cup of green tea with a distant look in her eyes, exposed eye trained on the rain that hit the window roughly. That night was only a year ago she took a hefty sip to try a push down the thoughts. The blond across from her was writing diligently in his notebook his tea long forgotten next his hand. Kunikida felt compelled to gaze across from him which made his concentration waver. Looking up he see's the woman blankly staring at the window, her slow even breathing pushing the steam slightly over her cup.
"Kunikida" She said quietly turning to look at his attentive eyes. Kunikida hummed at her to continue.
"Why did you save me?" She asked making him stiffen, brows furrowed in confusion.
"What do you mean?" He countered watching her set down her tea with a pained expression.
"Why did you take the long way that day? Why would you make time to save me in your schedule?" She asked completely serious making the man blink in shock.
"Wh—" He started only for her to speak more aggressively.
"I know you don't take the route by the park because it costs you twenty-seven and a half seconds longer on your commute home" She points out taking him by surprise.
"I know you constantly say how you don't help people down on their luck, and that you don't have time to deal with charity cases" Her breathing picks up as she keeps going.
"So why—" She took a shaky breath.
"Why did you save me?" She asked hugging her arms around herself feeling anxiety at the question. Kunikida gulps down the lump in his throat.
"What did you see in that shaking bloody woman hiding under a bench that was worth saving?" She asked him noticing how he moved to sit next to her. His hand lightly sets itself on her shoulder making her flinch minutely.
"I..." He bit his lip trying to formulate his thoughts into a proper response.
"I saw..." He cursed at himself as she turns to look at him, their faces only inches apart. Kunikida takes a shaky breath looking into her watery eye, which was looking at him with such heavy emotion it made him want to stay quiet.
"I saw a woman" He set his hand on her cheek to wipe away the tear that had dropped.
"And I felt she had somewhere better to be, than under a bench" He set his other hand on the other cheek sliding his thumb under the eyepatch to wipe away the collected tears.
"And I took her home" He whispered staring back into her eye, his heart been seemed to rattle in his chest.
"But..." She said just as quietly setting her hand on his own that laid on her cheek.
"I saved you on a whim" He said keeping his hold on her face gentle. "But I kept you because I enjoy you being around me"He smiled a little noticing her posture ease up.
"And..." He sighed, eyes sliding around her face until he looked at her lips.
"And?" She whispered. Kunikida felt a flush rise up his neck almost unconsciously leaning forward.
"Kida?" She whispered when their noses touched. He stayed still for a moment before leaning forward and hiding his face in her shoulder as he hugged her tightly. His heart hammered against his chest while his mind was screaming at his body for almost doing something he couldn't take back. He felt her arms wrap around him, one hand settling on the back of his head.
[3566 words]