Welcome and thank you for wanting to give this fic a try!
First of, I do not own Bungou Stray Dogs, nor do I own any of the characters present in the story (wish I did)
Second, a small warning beforehand: as you probably know, Dazai is suicidal and this will be a frequent topic in the story. If this makes you uncomfortable, I suggest you don't read the fic.
The story is rated M for the strong language and mature topics that are being discussed.
Lastly: I'd like to thank the sweetiepie Kimera (nakxhara on Tumblr) for proofreading the chapters and helping with the general plotline! Some ideas are based on our plots from our role-plays on Tumblr too.

Please leave behind a small review with your thoughts. It's all I ask in return for reading the story c:

Enjoy!

Prologue

His eyes were empty.

The hazel irises and black pupils showed both colors, yet nothing. They represented pain, yet the boy had long since given up on that misery. There was a certain will, fiercer than anyone's, yet they were devoid of love.

It piqued Mori Ougai's interest. What made the boy so empty? There was no child standing in front of him. The boy was a veteran. He already fought a war. He gave his everything during that conflict, so now he wanted to find a different purpose to live.

It wasn't like the boy told him any of this. In fact, they hadn't spoken a single word as the younger stared up at the man in the white lab coat. Mori could see it in his eyes however. His eyes represented his life.

He didn't have one, he was a mere puppet, meant to be used by the evil that was called the adult world.

It was perfect.

Mori extended his hand.

"Do you want a reason to live, boy?" the man in the white lab coat asked. "I can give you one." It was all he needed to say.

The boy took the hand and nodded.

Ever since that moment, Osamu Dazai became an adopted son of Mori Ougai, famous doctor, researcher and politician. He had a lot of influence in Japan, especially Yokohama, their hometown and where the man mostly worked.

Mori taught the boy everything he had to know. Everything about the world, literature, the black market and especially how to survive.

Mori promised the boy he wouldn't punish him like his father did. He wouldn't yell at him. He wouldn't starve him nor lock him up in his room for days… like the one he used to call his parent did.

He would teach him and he would give him a different name, allowing him to toss away the one he received at birth. Mori arranged everything with Child Services. His biological father was not allowed to be anywhere near the boy any longer.

Dazai had accepted the proposal, thinking that was much better than the life he led before coming here.

Little did he know, however, that he was now under control by the enigma called Mori Ougai.

Chapter 1:

Did you ever visit the Infirmary simply to waste as much time as you could during classes? In all honesty, Dazai loved skipping classes, take long walks through the hallways and outside if he could. He was in his third year of high school and yet he couldn't be bothered less by the final exams which would take place in a few months. He would probably fail them again. In fact, he wouldn't even be allowed to attend them. He missed too many school hours to qualify for the exams.

What was the point in trying at all then? He'd find a job. Perhaps he wouldn't have a legal job, sure, but if he had something challenging, it was even more fun. At least, that was what he thought.

Currently, Dazai was on his way to the Infirmary. Upon arrival, he quickly scanned the room. Miss Yosano didn't appear to be here. She was the school doctor and a brutal one at that. Not a single student managed to avoid her or lie to her. She was too perceptive, too stern to lie to or use an excuse for. The girls gave up long ago whenever they wanted to avoid P.E. by telling Odasaku they were on their period. Oh, Odasaku was the P.E. teacher. Dazai called him by his nickname, Odasaku, but in fact, he was supposed to be called Oda-sensei. Dazai was the only one who always got away with it.

On the bed to his left, there were only two, lay a second-year student, Akutagawa Ryunosuke. He was physically weak and easily caught colds, had a cough that never went away, allergic to dust and the list went endlessly on. Because of this condition, he could take naps during class hours. How unfair was that? Thanks to him, Dazai couldn't come here to take naps himself. Well, he probably could, but he didn't want to in that case.

To his right, on the other only available bed, sat Chuuya, a third-year like Dazai. They were in the same class… ever since elementary school. Honestly, no matter what, the world refused to separate them.

Dazai flopped next to Chuuya on the bed, wanting to poke his bruised cheek, but his hand was slapped away by the fiery redhead.

"The great and fierce Nakahara Chuuya, close to hell because of his length, ended up in the Infirmary because someone finally managed to punch your face?"

That was no exaggeration. Chuuya was strong and had a reputation in Yokohama for never having been defeated.

Dazai put a hand on his mouth, sarcastically and mockingly. "Don't tell me the Small&Furious finally got beaten?! Or is it the 2 Small 2 Furious this time?"

It was then Chuuya decided to kick him off the bed, Dazai stumbling onto the ground, thinking the lame joke had been worth it.

"Prick. I beat him, of course. He refused treatment, but believe me, he looks much worse than I do." A scowl was visible on his half-bruised face, Dazai raising his eyebrows amused.

"So, what? You accepted because you didn't want to ruin that beautiful face?" He pouted playfully, earning him another kick from the fiery one as Dazai swiftly dodged.

"I got detention! All week."

"Nice! Me too!" Dazai said happily.

"Why are you proud of that, asshole?!"

"It means I can copy your homework. Odasaku is often the attendant. He doesn't really care either way."

Chuuya laughed sarcastically. "You wish. You're smart enough to finish everything within an hour. Besides, why do you always get special privileges from Oda-sensei? He's usually very stern with everyone. Why are you different?"

Dazai shrugged. "It's not that I'm different. Most teachers simply stopped caring about what I do. They probably all agreed on it." Well, truth was, they gave him an easy time to prevent putting any more stress on him, which he found laughable.

Chuuya sighed, waving a hand. "Fine, I don't care. It's just that I'll be home late because of this. I can't possibly ask Kouyou-neesan to cook for me. She'll never do that since I got myself into this trouble."

Tilting his head to a side, a small smile played around his lips. "Then, stay at my place. You can cook there, unless you'd like to try my famous chicken hotpot."

"Huh?! Forget it. You're not cooking. You'll poison the entire neighborhood because of the smell only, let alone eating that garbage. I'm cooking."

"Whatever you want, princess," he replied. It was too easy to get Chuuya to do what he wanted, to be honest.

"Where is Yosano-san?" She was usually here. Students, especially first-years, often thought she lived here, which wouldn't really surprise Dazai. If he hadn't known Odasaku personally he probably would've thought teachers really did live at schools. He remembered, back in elementary school, he and Chuuya sneaked into the teacher's coffee-room because there was a rumor they had their own beds, showers and living room there.

None of it was true.

Dazai did drink his first coffee that day while they hid in the coffee-room though. Chuuya didn't like it back then, but Dazai loved it. It made him feel twice as energized. It was epic! He couldn't sleep that following night however… and their teacher ended up scolding them. Chuuya refused to talk to him all day because of that. He blamed Dazai for getting them in trouble with their adoptive parents.

"She was called. She said she'd be back soon, but I don't know when that will be."

Dazai hummed in response and poked his leg with his foot. "It's been three months ever since then," he said vaguely.

Confused, Chuuya turned to look at him. "What do you- oh…" Realization hit him. "Right. That's true." A small blush appeared, making the bruise stand out even more. "Three months since we started… our partnership."

What he meant was relationship.

"Partnership?" A grouchy voice was heard from the other bed. The second-year student named Akutagawa apparently heard them talking. "Aren't you two childhood friends? So, what do you mean by partnership?" He coughed a few times before sitting up and yawning.

Chuuya looked troubled, but quickly turned his expression into an angry one. "We were never childhood friends! He is my rival, got it?! It's important I stay close to him because of that rivalry! Three months ago, we decided on a truce! That's all!" He was trying so hard to deny the truth, wasn't he?

Chuuya and Dazai decided to date three months prior. It happened during an evening when Dazai managed to get hold of Whiskey. How, the world would never know. High school students weren't exactly allowed alcohol after all. They had gotten tipsy, Chuuya being tipsy after a few gulps, Dazai being tipsy after two glasses. What neither expected, was that both were quite honest with each other thanks to said alcohol running through their system. Chuuya confessed to him and Dazai asked him if they could try a relationship. See what it would be like. Chuuya would only accept however, if Dazai was honest about his intentions. He wasn't as low as to be in a fake relationship. He wanted to be genuinely together with him. Dazai asked him to give him a chance, because he wanted to find out what this 'romantic love' was. He didn't really understand it, but all he really did know was that he liked being with Chuuya.

Now, three months later they were still dating in secret. It went well, really. No one else knew about their relationship and whenever they were alone they genuinely acted as a couple. It took Dazai a month to adjust, let alone start kissing him and the like, but now those things were quite normal for him.

In a way, it was pleasant.

Oh, that reminded him.

"Chuuya?" He asked, Akutagawa shrugging and turning away from them to continue his oh so wonderful nap. "Mori called last night. He said he was probably going to invite Kouyou-neesan and you to dinner soon." It would most likely be during weekend, Mori hoping Dazai would visit the mansion he grew up in.

Dazai lived in his own apartment ever since he started high school. He wanted to be away from Mori's control. He wanted to lead his own life, to have something of his own. It went overall well, but Dazai suspected something else.

"He said he needed to speak to all of us about something. He didn't say what, but I think I know what it is." He crossed his legs and gazed at Chuuya, who had a focused look on his face. Oh, and yes, he was still sitting on the floor.

"What is it then?"

"Our… partnership," he simply replied, not seeing why he should prolong the answer. "I think he found out about it."

Chuuya's face grew pale. It was clear the other didn't like it, because he really didn't feel like explaining it to Kouyou, his adoptive mother.

Dazai didn't like it either. Mori already controlled so much of his life, so this was the one thing he didn't want Mori to be able to use against him.

Before they could discuss it further however, a tall woman barged in on her clinking heels. "Who is the next victim?" She asked, a wicked grin on her face. Dazai patted the redhead's leg comfortingly, before standing up and holding up his own hand, as if he was a child.

"Me! I'm on my period, Yosano-san!"

Yosano sighed. "Medicine for your headache it is?"

With a smile, Dazai tilted his head out of curiosity. "How do you know it's a headache?"

"Don't question my skills, Dazai-kun. I know it's a headache." She rummaged in a drawer and gave him a small pill. "You know the drill. Take it with water and some food. Here is a note for your teacher. You have to take it here where I can see you." Because apparently, that was the protocol here. Did that mean students tried to misuse it? He was certain of it and honestly? Dazai had cheated more than once too in the past.

Nodding obediently, the playful smile never leaving his lips, he took it with the water given, took the paper and headed back to his locker, where he could eat some of the leftover lunch he took from Chuuya earlier that day. She never said he had to eat in class, right? So, a detour was in his opinion in order.

While he watched the early Spring sun by standing in the door, he thought of what he was going to do about Mori. Of course, he couldn't be certain Mori found out about their relationship, but Dazai was good at predicting things. Everything he predicted was true. This was probably one of them. Because of it, he was certain Mori had found out and he didn't know whether he should leave it be or not.

Either way, they were going to have to face their adoptive parents about this. It was peculiar and Dazai didn't feel ready to bring it out to the world yet. He still hadn't figured this 'love' out. He had feelings for Chuuya and he learned to express them now. However, he also knew it was the one thing he didn't want Mori to control.

He wanted to have something of his own, this case being Chuuya.

Chuuya was his and his only.

Question: Do you think Mori Ougai has a motive for inviting Chuuya and Kouyou if Dazai's suspicions are right?