"Hello again, (Y/n)."
"Let's get this over with." You greeted your current boss gruffly. Mori simply smiles flatly at your response, ignoring the tone in your voice.
"Well you're as lively as ever."
"...Mhm. Sure."
You realize it's actually been a while since Mori called you into his office. He hasn't beckoned for you once since you started working with Dazai. If you remember correctly...it's been about a month? Give or take.
The office hasn't changed in the slightest. It's still as gloomy and drab as ever it seems...Except for one thing:
You manage to crack a small smile as you attempt to wave at a small, blonde child in the room.
"Hi, Elize." You say, much more warmth in your voice and expression than when you spoke to Mori.
"Hi, (Y/n)." She says, waving back fondly.
"Why, Elise dear-It seems you always get along better with (Y/n) than me..." Mori feigns wiping a tear from his face to drive home those pity points.
"Yeah, well DUH, Rintaro. " She puffs up her cheeks and faces away from Mori. She crosses her left arm over her right arm, pouting.
"Oh Elise, how you wound me..."
"Hmph! Give me a break. Just do your job already." Elize turns and quickly stalks off. Mori calls after her mildly desperately, but the girl ignores him, the exception being the stink eye she leaves him before walking out the door.
You waited and watched silently through the minor Elise ordeal. You and Mori waited until she left to resume your meeting. You're the first one to speak.
"It's been a while, Mori. What do you need from me?" You cock your head to the side as you await an answer.
"Hopefully, it's nothing too much to ask." Mori's expression straightens from his earlier smile. His expression falls a little more serious.
"'Hopefully'? What is that supposed to mean?"
Mori clears his throat before speaking. When he finishes, he says, "I have a favor to ask of you. As you know, you have a very special ability."
You raise an eyebrow. Okay, exactly where is this going? You can't help but be wary of what Mori is going to ask of you.
"Uhm...Mori, where are you taking this?"
"Let me finish. What I wish is simply to study your ability."
Oh god. A freaking lab rat- Welp. This ought to be a real drag this time. Internally, you started crossing your fingers that Mori just needed a one-time thing or something. Anything but weeks on end with testing.
"You want me to be some...uh...guinea pig???"
"More or less. I don't need much though. An idea came to mind that I want to test out. For now, all I'll need is a small, tiny thing from you."
"And that is?"
"A sample of your blood."
A couple mixed emotions filled your being. On one hand, that seems surprisingly reasonable. Studying something that's yet to be understood is an important part of science and development. You realize there's even potential benefit for you if Mori studies your power as you may understand it better yourself.
On the other hand, this means having to let 'that' guy watch you squirm while getting your blood drawn the first time. Jeez. You've wondered about feeling pain for over the past decade of your existence, and now that you've become acquainted, you're kinda avoiding it.
Is it the pain you're really afraid of, though? Or perhaps your fear is more directly of Dazai...? Hm.
You shake your head at your thoughts. It's not a threat this time. You just give your blood and that's that.
"Okay fine, Mori. I'll give you a donation of my blood. It's not like I have much of a choice anyway, right?"
He chuckles and folds his fingers into one another as usual. "Good to know we're in agreement."
You sigh softly. You had different expectations from today's meeting. That's for sure. You were expecting him to hand you some sort of mission or maybe even even to fire you. (Though that second one may have been too go to be true.) A question weighs on your mind as a result of your curiosity.
"Mori, can I ask you something? What is your idea behind studying my blood?"
The man thinks on it a moment. However, the expression on his face says he doesn't care to tell you all that much.
"Let's just say, if my hypothesis is correct, the Port Mafia may have acquired a very special weapon."
Mori's expression goes crazed. His eyes widen along with his usually much more controlled grin. Whatever the full extent of Mori's idea may be, it must excite him almost as much as dressing up Elise.
Woah. Okay then...?
"I see then. Thank you." You tell him. Mori then waves a hand gently at you.
"That's all I needed. Bye now, (Y/n)."
"Bye." You turn around quickly and walk out. There's no need to loiter in this place. Calmly, you close the door behind you as you fall into deep thought.
You ponder on the question of whether Mori's request will be something that yields good results or if it'll be something that further restricts you...In either case, you must say you are actually interested in hearing about what he discovers. If it happens to be bad...well, you'll figure it out if that time comes.
Note to self: Try not to make your 'Great Escape' from the Port Mafia before getting those results.
"Well, someone's daydreaming~"
"What???"
"Hi there, (Y/n)!"
（＾ν＾）
Dazai greets you with a funny smile. He's dressed the same as he always is: black coat, black pants, white button up, everything. You notice the fresh blood stains on his outfit. They were tiny splatters that ran across his waist up to his chest.
"Eh-?! You're here?" You ask as your normally annoyed or indifferent tone with him gets forgotten completely.
"I'd say it almost sounds like you don't want to see me."
Nope. No freaking way. No. Nuh-uh. Nah. Ahem*
"No way, really???" You blink dramatically and innocently, driving home the sarcasm in your tone.
"Aw. How cruel."
As always, Dazai shrugs off your cold responses. Oh well. You'll get under that skin of his one day. And you're gonna savor every moment of it when it arrives.
A brief moment of silence falls between you and Dazai. It truly is short though, as Dazai filled in the silence quickly.
"Meeting with Mori?"
You nod, "Yeah." Dazai responds with a soft chuckle.
"I see...What about?"
There's genuine curiosity in his tone. It's almost...innocent the way he asked.
"Oho? For once you don't know what's happening?"
"My, (Y/n). Now who said that?" Dazai's genuine curiosity turned into a playful sarcasm. A smirk formed on your face. Mirth spread from the creases of your mouth and reached to the edges of your eyes.
"I know I'm right. Ha!"
"Oh fine fine~ You got me. I truly have no clue what you and Mori met about."
"Hey-So you do know."
"Your blood, yes? Well, have fun with that (Y/n)~If you're sCaReD I'll be right there with you to hold your hand." Dazai says with a devious grin.
Man. You thought you had him- Welp. Nothing to say. It's still Dazai we're talking about here after all...
"As if." You retort to him. You puff up your cheeks childishly. Hm...your own behavior kind reminds you of Elize? Dang it-
"Wow.~ How adorable. You're like a little kid."
"Shut up."
He laughs teasingly. It's a little more than his mischievous chuckle, but it's still reserved in its own way.
"No can do this time. I've got to fill you in on something."
On instinct, your senses sharpen hearing this. While Dazai sounds nonchalant, he sounds like he's got something more substantial to say now.
"Fill me in? What for?"
"Get ready (Y/n). We've got a job tonight."