Story: Mafia Black
Summary: The whispers are everywhere... boss Dazai and his favourite boytoy Chuuya just broke up. Now if only Akutagawa could find a way to take advantage of the situation without getting himself shot by the boss. Dazaku Dazagawa implied Soukoku au where Dazai never left the port mafia and therefore ended up the head instead of Mori. Port Mafia Dazai. somewhat dark
Chapter 1 – Almost No Chance
"…my mind forgets to remind me
that you're a bad idea."
-lyrics from "Sparks Fly" by Taylor Swift
Late morning light streamed in through the window where Chuuya stood, getting ready to leave for his mission. Blue eyes glanced back as he felt and heard his subordinate walk up beside him at his usual orderly pace as he put on his gloves. Akutagawa was silent for a long moment as he stood there– nothing Chuuya wasn't used to already. The other was a man of few words, most of the time.
"I'm sorry to hear about what happened… between you two."
That did surprise Chuuya and he paused in what he was doing to look sideways at Akutagawa. No one else in the port mafia had dared bring up the taboo subject with him so far.
Then again, Akutagawa had always had a weird code of his own when it came to things like that. The man wasn't looking at him when he said that though. He had his hands in his coat pockets per usual and he was staring out the window as though there were something terribly fascinating out there holding his attention.
"Thanks," Chuuya replied shortly fastening the clasp on his other glove. "It's all for the best." No point playing dumb now that the subject was up.
Akutagawa turned to look at him and Chuuya realized then how that would have sounded. There was a whole queue of people who would have given their right arm to take Chuuya's place as the boss's lover.
The months they had been together – could he even call it that actually? – well, whatever it was, it had been tumultuous to say the least. He wasn't sure how to go about explaining to the other man that the only thing he was feeling now that everything was over was relief.
"It's… not easy being with that man," he said succinctly. Well, THAT was the understatement of the century but he had somewhere to be and it would have to do for now.
When he shut the door behind him as he left, Akutagawa was still standing in the same spot, staring out the window at nothing.
Akutagawa decided to gather his courage that very afternoon. It was a bit tasteless, they HAD just broken up. But this was Dazai and he didn't know how much of a window he had before Chuuya's position was taken.
He didn't exactly know what that position was, mind you – nobody did. It was just the way they looked at each other and rumours of what someone had heard someone else say they had seen them doing… in a public restroom, in Dazai's office…
Akutagawa shook his head violently to keep the blood from rushing to his face. There was no point getting ahead of himself. There was almost no chance Dazai-san would want to even be near him except for training. He was reasonably certain the Boss thought he was dirt beneath his pristine boots – he had certainly always treated him as such. But he had a chance - a tiny chance - to make sure, and he would hate himself if he didn't even try.
Dazai didn't leave the office till very late and Akutagawa had just been assigned to a mission so this was the only time he would get today and unfortunately, Dazai's office was the only place the conversation could happen.
He knocked and received the curt response to enter. Clenching his fist to keep his hand from shaking, he did enter and quietly shut the door behind him, the hairs on his neck standing up like they always did when he knew his mentor was looking at him.
"Dazai-san," he said shortly, standing at the door, hands in his pockets, looking all business. Dazai was in his chair, black coat hanging off his shoulders as always, bandage over one eye, deep in thought, probably plotting something Akutagawa could never begin to understand even if the other were to take the time to explain it to him.
Dazai glanced up at him and this was it. He had to say it, now or never. Had his hands always been this sweaty? Akutagawa tried to wipe them off subtly inside his coat pockets.
"I wanted to say… that is-"
Dazai's eyebrow went up. Akutagawa's forehead was suddenly beaded with sweat. He was fumbling. Like a moron. Pull yourself together, idiot, he told himself in his head through gritted teeth that Dazai could probably hear him grinding all the way across the room.
"I wanted to say that now that Nakahara-san is no longer…"
Dazai's one visible eye narrowed. Akutagawa just barely convinced his legs not to hightail it out of there.
He took a deep breath.
"I wanted to offer my services… in his stead… should you ever have… need of them."
For a moment, time seemed to freeze. The sentence hung in the air before them.
Then Dazai blinked and time resumed. Akutagawa valiantly tried to convince himself his face wasn't flaming red and that that wasn't the stupidest sentence he had ever said. He turned away, turning the doorknob. What did that even mean, why would he even say that, oh god what if he had ruined his-
"Akutagawa."
He froze just as he was, back and Rashomon tensed as if anticipating a bullet hitting him at any moment for his audacity.
"Tonight, my house, 8 pm."
He snatched his hand back as if the doorknob had just electrocuted him. He whirled around, Rashomon just as bewildered as him.
Dazai had a wry, unreadable smile on his face… and that look in his eye that Akutagawa was so familiar with, sent shivers down his spine, which was something between a blade and evil. "Don't be late."
Akutagawa nodded jerkily and got out the door just as fast as he was able.
A/N: Feedback is very welcome! Those who are familiar with my writing know this won't lead to any place wholesome, so be warned. Thanks for reading!
