Vol. 3

Ch. 9

Give Me Your Eyes

Alu was in a good mood when she returned to where Dazai lived later on that evening. She'd parted ways with Elise-Chan, promising to stay in touch via their phones, and headed back when it was getting to be early evening. The sun had yet to set, still stretching out to showcase the late afternoon shadows on the buildings and streets.

Alu liked her outfit. Sure, it was bought with the money of some shady guy but she'd find a way to pay him back regardless once she could get some money! And besides, it was Elise who had been treating her so to speak so she just saw it as a girls' shopping trip out! She'd definitely pay Elise back by buying her stuff next time!

Alu hummed, skipping up the steps. She wondered if Dazai was back yet. She didn't feel like swooping back in through the window so she decided to knock.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

The door opened a moment later and Dazai beamed at her. "Oh?You're back!"

Alu hummed, stepping inside, wearing just her new clothes—Yosano's clothes were folded in the boutique bag she got. "Yep! Just went shopping with a friend," she said, in a good mood.

"I can tell, any other wardrobe changes I should make space for?" Dazai teased, quirking his brow at Alu's new outfit.

"Nah, this'll be all," Alu chuckled.

She set the clothes bag down near the door and she looked towards the kitchen. She smelled food. Wait, food? Like, edible? Or maybe he was trying out some new recipe…. She sniffed. It smelled like noodles and vegetables?

"Well you look confused," Dazai said, amused, as he went back to the kitchen, to resume what he'd been doing before she'd arrived.

"Uh," Alu blinked. "Is…are you cooking?"

"You know, I do actually know how to do some basic functions of living," Dazai chuckled, stirring the pot with a ladle. That's right. Fake it till you Make it. Dazai's favorite mantra when it came to performing any basic cooking.

"Huh… I guess," Alu snickered. "I try not to judge books by their covers but you really have one of those slip on and off cover protectors, huh?" She joked, referring to how books could sometimes get special cloth protectors so the books themselves wouldn't get damaged. She remembered them from a long time ago, when she used to go to school.

A long time ago.

A different life.

She quieted, and Dazai sharply caught it. "What? Oh, I never thought of it like that but yeah, I guess I am like that," he agreed, turning off the stove now. The soup and noodles were ready. Had he done this entirely himself? Sure.

Had he panicked and called Odasaku before hand so he wouldn't fuck it up and burn the place down? Yes. You bet he did.

He could tell Alu was impressed and he felt his ego get a bit of a boost. He didn't want her to be the only one with cool tricks up her sleeve! He hummed. "You're not allergic to noodles or anything, right?"

Alu shook her head. "No, I'm not allergic to anything," she said, sniffing the air. "Dang, your noodles smell so good! I can't wait to try them!"

Dazai basked in that praise. He actually didn't really cook for anyone but after a talk he'd had with Ango and Odasaku a long time ago about cooking, he wanted to have something to show for it, since Odasaku seemed to have faith in his abilities at the time. "They'll be ready in a few minutes!"

"Oh, I'll go wash up," Alu said brightly, and she headed for the bathroom.

Dazai looked at the bubbling noodles. He had a small smile though. Usually he was alone here or on a rare occasion, he'd have a woman over but they usually only wanted one thing… but having Alu here felt nice. It was different. He didn't feel suffocated. Is this what it felt like to just breathe? He always knew how to breathe before but this felt light and effortless. That girl is good for my health, although she does cause some worry, he mused.

Alu dug into the noodles when the table was set. "Thanks for the meal!" she eagerly slurped into the noodles, not wasting any time. Dazai just nibbled, enjoying watching her more than anything. After earlier when she had cried, he had felt so helpless. But to know that something as small as his cooking was keeping her mood up made him feel like maybe he was doing something right.

Alu felt a lot better after a good meal and the time she spent with Elise. She decided to be useful and do the dishes. "I'll do the dishes since you did the cooking!" she said, cheerfully.

Dazai wasn't gonna complain since he usually didn't have many dishes to do to begin with. His diet was mostly well, alcohol and easy to make food. He didn't tell her, but he had kinda branched out for their dinner tonight. He wanted to tell Odasaku that he didn't mess up, and that he was really excited that he could actually share his cooking with someone—maybe Odasaku next time!—But he knew he had to limit his contact with Odasaku.

Dazai felt lonely. But, that girl helped distract him from missing his other friend, just a little. Alu was humming some tune he didn't know while she did the dishes. Dazai just smiled into his hand, resting his elbow on the table, chin in his hand. His phone rang.

He blinked. He didn't recognize the caller. He was going to hang up but he got a text. It read: This is Fukuzawa. Please answer.

Dazai made a noise of surprise. Odasaku gave the Head of the Armed Detective Agency his number? Ugh. Dazai would have to cancel this phone and get a new phone after this. He didn't like being traced as it was. He wondered if it was important for Odasaku to give out his number like this. Normally, Odasaku would be a lot more tight lipped about giving away important information considering everything. Dazai picked up. "Yeah?"

"I'm sorry to bother you," Fukuzawa sounded stiff and agitated.

"Is it about Odasaku?" Dazai asked, sharply.

"No, it's not. He's fine, I promise you," Fukuzawa quickly reassured Dazai over the phone. "This is about that girl, Alu. Odasaku said she is staying with you—is this true?"

Dazai quieted. "I'm not going to do anything uncouth if that's what you're calling about. I don't need a lecture," he said, with an irate huff.

"No. Odasaku trusts you," Fukuzawa said, still stiff and formal, "I don't know much about you, but he believes in your character—-so we'll leave it at that, for now. Where is she?"

Dazai wondered what this was about, then. "Alu is safe. Doing some dishes from our dinner, why?"

"She was in the hands for a day it would appear…of Ogai Mori," Fukuzawa said serious.

Dazai felt his blood run cold. "What?" His voice almost raised an octave from horror and shock. Alu continued to hum in the other room, still cleaning dishes. She wasn't aware of the conversation happening between Dazai and the president.

"According to Ranpo, nothing bad happened—he would have deduced as much if it had. However, she is apparently growing attached to that damn ability of Mori's. My concern is that he'll use that to manipulate her. Please, keep her away from his ability. That's all I ask." Fukuzawa said, tone grave and urgent.

Dazai grit his teeth. This "friend" Alu went shopping with earlier…could it have been? Dazai refused to let that bastard take anyone else from him! His anger boiled. That damn Ogai Mori, what was he plotting on roping Alu into? No, he clearly wanted her for her ability—anyone would. Dazai had warned him about using his friends as pawns for his schemes. This included that girl. "She was …out earlier with someone she called a friend…do you think?"

"Did she identify who she was out with?" Fukuzawa asked sharply.

"No," Dazai kicked himself feeling so stupid for not getting a ny details. He hadn't really thought it was his business—but now he was going to make it his business. "She just came back with some new clothes on. I assumed she just had a friend or something…"

"It's fine. Figure out who her friend is before we panic," Fukuzawa said, soothingly. "I'm at least relieved to know she is with you and not that man. I'll take the lesser of two evils."

"Ah, I'm a lesser evil now?" Dazai asked, bemused.

"That depends on you," Fukuzawa tersely replied. He sighed. "Keep me posted. I don't care how you do it. But please convince her to come back tomorrow. My agent Miss Yosano insists a young lady shouldn't stay with an older man."

"She's probably right," Dazai sighed. "Not that I was going to do anything," he quickly added for clarification.

"See to it that you don't or I'll castrate you," Fukuzawa said coldly and he hung up. Dazai sweated a little. He didn't fear death—but he found himself fearing not having his jewels intact because of that old-school judgemental samurai. Dazai got the feeling Fukuzawa really didn't like him still… he sighed a mushroom cloud. To be fair, considering everything he didn't like himself.

"Who were you talking to?" Alu asked, leaning in the entryway of the bedroom-living room space.

Dazai looked at her serious. "That was the president of the A.D.A.," he said, bluntly.

Alu's eyes flickered. "Oh? I didn't know you had his number…" Alu was surprised. She didn't think that Dazai was working with them—but maybe he was? "You gonna join?"

Dazai blinked. "Me? Join the A.D.A.? I don't think my lack of structure, boundaries, or morality would allow it," he said, waving a hand dismissively.

"Huh, woulda thought you'd try to find a job that helps people," Alu remarked, shrugging her shoulders thoughtfully.

Dazai just gazed at her, trying to gauge how to bring up the topic of her "friend" without setting her off. "Perhaps. In the mean time, why don't we get ready for bed?"

Alu blinked. "I'm not ready to sleep yet," she pouted. "Jeez, what are you? A little old man?"

Dazai pouted. "Hey, beauty sleep is very important for the complexion, you know!"

Alu snickered. "Yes, and you'd know all about that?"

"Naturally! I'm told I'm a very beautiful man!" Dazai huffed, and he moved over to the bed sheets to lay them out, mostly for a distraction. He started with his own, since that was mechanical. "Anyways, since you're not sleepy yet, why not tell me about your shopping venture? It looked like you had fun."

Alu perked up. "Oh yeah, it was fun," she giggled, smiling.

Dazai felt a pang. He actually hoped this "friend" wasn't that ability of that bastard's. At least then he could put this to rest and they could talk about something else. "Your friend got a name?" He asked.

"Oh, yeah, her name is Elise," Alu said, stretching.

Dazai felt his blood temperature just drop. He hoped, beyond hope, that it was any other Elise. That it was just a coincidence. "Oh? Maybe I can meet her, sometime…think she's my type?"

He joked, trying to lighten his mood.

"Oh, no. Not unless you wanna be called a pervert too," Alu rolled her eyes. "Honestly. You hear a girl is involved and you just have to know if she's single, don't you? You're such a guy," she snickered.

"Why would her type make me a pervert?" Dazai pouted.

Alu raised her eyebrows. "She's twelve, Dazai."

Dazai felt his body plummet like a sand bag into the ground—at least mentally. Physically, he just gripped the bed sheets so tight his knuckles were white. Though his back was to Alu so she couldn't see. Was he starting to tremble? No. He was composed. He was good. This was fine.

"Oh? You're friends with kids, like always, like a magnet," he said, teasing.

"You think?" Alu asked, thoughtful. She came over and took her sheets out as well, laying them out, back to Dazai. "I guess so. I mean, I do like kids. I dunno. Guess my own age group and I don't get along well," she shrugged. "That and most adults are stingy and judgemental. Always trying to be your boss or whatever claiming it's in your best interest when really it's just about control."

Dazai finished smoothing out his pillow for the upteenth time, letting Alu talk. "Hey," he said, finally unable to hold it in anymore.

Alu quieted. Dazai sounded tense. "Dazai?" She asked, frowning. "Is…something wrong?"

Dazai looked at her. His expression was dead serious. Even his eyes had no light in them. "That Elise you met… stay away from her. She's bad news."

Alu blinked. Then she just smiled. "Thanks for your concern," she said, lying down on top of her bed, arms behind her head, relaxed. "But it's not needed. I already know she and Dr. Pervy are most likely working in some underbelly organization."

Dazai's eyes flickered. It was an amusing nickname but nothing about this situation was comedic. Calling Mori 'Dr. Pervy' and not dying? Oh yeah, a normal person would have gotten the sharp end of his scalpel. This girl was really sharp—but the fact she wasn't being more cautious concerned him. "If you know they're dangerous—then why did you go stay with them yesterday!"

Alu blinked. "Huh? How do you know about that?" She frowned, sitting up.

"A little bird told me," Dazai said, crossing his arms, frowning at her.

"Ah, I see," Alu sighed. She wondered how he found out but she wasn't surprised, honestly. "Well, tell the little bird to stop getting into my business."

Dazai grit his teeth. "This isn't a joke!"

Alu flinched, looking at Dazai, tense. Dazai grimaced. He didn't mean to raise his voice, but she just wasn't understanding the severity of the situation. It felt like this to Dazai and this bothered him. He honestly did feel like a big brother worrying about his little sister. This is why getting close to people was dangerous. Would he lose her too? That fear made Dazai's chest clench.

"Dazai…? Hey…calm down…"

Dazai ran a hand through his hair, just looking away, forcing himself to calm down. "Sorry. I'm just worried. You don't …have any idea who they are, do you?"

Alu blinked. She blinked again. Dazai could see the question marks all around her. She really had no idea. He grimaced. He couldn't fault her as hard when it was clear she was in the dark. "They're…no…he…that man…his name is Mori Ogai, and he's the head of the Port Mafia."

Alu gazed at Dazai. "Oh, he was your old boss?" She asked, nonplussed and curious. Dazai stared at her. She wasn't freaking out? Why wasn't she freaking out? The Port Mafia was literally the underbelly of this city. An elite organization mobilized to do the dirty work in the shadows. It was impossible to work here and not get your hands dirty.

"Yes," Dazai said, gazing at her. "And he is trying to win your loyalty by using that damn ability of his— Elise —to ensnare you."

"I know," Alu said, tilting her head. "I'm not an idiot, Dazai." She smiled wryly. "I don't care about him. I do care about Miss Elise though. I'm not being manipulated…I'm choosing to care about her."

"Don't you see? That is manipulation!" Dazai said, frustrated. He began to pace for lack of anything better to do with his building anxiety.

"You think because she's an ability, she doesn't have a say in how she's viewed or even treated?" Alu interjected, frowning at Dazai.

"Alu, I've worked with that man for four years—I know that Elise has no sentience beyond what he programs her to have!" Dazai said, curt. "You need to realize that there's a line to be drawn between who you can be friends with and who isn't worth risking your life over!"

Alu grit her own teeth, getting to her feet. Her parted side bangs shadowed her eyes.

"I see."

Her voice was level but Dazai knew she was going to counter-argue. He grit his teeth. He'd hear it, but he sure as hell wouldn't agree. "Look, if Elise was a kid under his control—it would make sense, but she's not! She's a physical manifestation of his unhealthy attraction for little girls!"

"I know that! It's all everyone seems to acknowledge when they think about her!" Alu said, loudly. She clenched her fists, and she looked at Dazai. "But I know there's more to her than that. I witnessed it. And I'm not going to let that girl wander in the dark anymore!" Alu thought of Elise's smile, her laugh, and how happy she'd been that afternoon. It hadn't all been an act; that Alu was confident about. That girl had feelings. Who had the right to tell her she didn't deserve to be cared about—treated humanely? Did treating anything humanely need to come with a label of being human to begin with? That's not what Alu believed.

"You can't help her!" Dazai said, angry. Not at her, but at how thoroughly he felt Mori had already trapped her. Was he going to lose this girl to that monster? He couldn't stomach it. He felt sick. "She's an ability! Just that! She only has a human face because that's what he gives her!"

Alu was quiet. She clenched her fists though and she glared at Dazai. "You didn't see what I saw today." She said terse. "Yeah, maybe on some level it's based on that man—but what isn't? Could you say honestly that your own actions weren't mirrored after watching others? What makes her truly different from you or I, Dazai? Are we also not sentient beings that learn from observation? That girl doesn't even know what her own identity is but I know she's capable of yearning for one! I won't give up on her!"

Dazai grit his teeth. "You're being really childish about this, you know that?" He said, frustrated.

"If being an adult means what you think it does, then I don't wanna ever grow up, then!" Alu shot back, with a hiss.

"I'm only eighteen! This isn't about an adult trying to control you! I'm not even that much older than you! If anyone is old, it's Odasaku! But you know something? He'd tell you the same thing—and he's twenty-three!" Odasaku snapped.

She stalked over to the door, and grabbed the bag with Yosano's clothes. She didn't want to be here. He was just another person trying to trap her after all. She felt a pang of sadness, but she didn't want to stay. She couldn't. She was afraid she'd say something hurtful that she couldn't take back.

Not again.

She jolted hearing a hand slam on the door above her. She slowly turned back to the door, Dazai leaning over her, and he looked absolutely angry. "I can't let you do that." Dazai said sharply. "You need to understand that you're in danger if you keep deluding yourself about his ability! She doesn't exist outside of him! Why won't you understand that!"

Alu flinched. She trembled, and she felt Juubi stir. Oh no, if she wasn't careful she'd accidentally activate him for self-defense. She had to diffuse the tension, somehow. She didn't want to fight. She began to breathe hard. She slid down the door, and put her head in her hands, trembling. "I'm sorry," she found herself saying, weakly.

Dazai's eyes flickered. He groaned and he just pulled back. "Tch. Me too. I…I'm not good at this caring about other people stuff, okay?" he huffed, turning away and crossing his arms, agitated.

Alu watched him and her eyes flickered. "Don't talk like that," she said, and she slowly got to her feet, and she hugged him from behind. "You have a kind heart, Dazai. Trust in it, more."

Dazai felt himself feel a tumbleweed of an odd emotion he couldn't place. But he just let her hug him, at least if it meant she wasn't going to run away from him. He didn't know what being kind even meant. People only ever acted in their best interests after all, but here was this girl, once again, trying to shoulder other peoples' interests. "And you're too kind. You're naive, gullible and clearly a door-mat."

Alu punched him in the side and Dazai felt himself go down like a ship slamming into an iceberg. "You're such a jerk," she griped. "I just want us to agree that we disagree. Sound cool?" She huffed getting under the covers of her bed and turning her back to Dazai, to mope under them.

Dazai winced, sitting up and rubbing his side. "Hey," he said, gazing at her lump.

"What?" Alu growled from her bedsheet cocoon.

"Just…be careful." Dazai said, finally.

Alu was quiet. But she sat up on her knees, and she looked to him. "Dazai. I know it's hard to see sometimes, but I want you to know that I have no intention of letting that man manipulate me…I don't need you to agree with me. But…can't you just trust me a little more?"

Dazai quieted. He wasn't great with placing his trust in others but he could tell that this girl wasn't the kind of person to be easily swayed or apparently deterred from following what she believed in. He chuckled weakly, covering his face with his hand. He finally ran a hand through his hair and he just sat on the ground, near where they had eaten earlier, resting his chin in his hand, elbow on the table, and he nodded. "I'll trust you're getting yourself into the deep end," he said with a hum.

Alu threw her pillow at his face. "Jerk face," she said with a huff, going back under her covers. Dazai made a noise when the pillow hit his face but he held it, just gazing at the Lump le Alu in the bed.

"Yeah. But I'm your beautiful jerkface," he teased, tossing the pillow back onto her. Alu made a noise, but snuck the pillow comically into the bed.

"Hey Dazai," Alu said, from her futon.

Dazai gazed at her from his cheek resting in his hand. "Mm?"

"Thank you…for being my friend," Alu said softly.

Dazai was quiet. His eyes flickered. He felt odd again. His face muscles twitched. Was it to smile? To frown? Dazai felt a pang. He wished he knew what to say. If it was Odasaku, he'd probably say something cool or heartfelt. Dazai found that he had nothing come to mind to say at all.

A while later, the night-time spanned out. Dazai made sure Alu was fast asleep before he slipped out. Even though Alu had asked him to trust her, Dazai had no intention of waiting until it was too late to take action again. Not for anyone he cared about, ever again would he hesitate. His expression cold, he went to the Port Mafia HeadQuarters. Gunshots rang out on every level. And on every level, the body count only grew. Dazai had a gun, but he made sure only to wound, not kill his opponents. This wasn't because he cared about the Port Mafia bastards. This was because of the promise he'd made his dying friend….to become a good man. Dazai didn't care about life. But, sparing it? That was something he was still getting used to.

The elevator basked him in the moonlight of the outside through the windows. The doors opened and the men at top knew to stand aside. With a smear of blood on his left cheek, and some splattered blood on his nice clothing, Dazai looked like a man who had a vendetta.

The big office doors creaked open. Dazai stepped into the familiar room he had all but left a month ago. There, sitting at his desk, gloved fingers interlaced, bemused expression on his face, with Miss Elise perched, sitting on the edge of his desk wearing her familiar red frilly Lolita dress, was Port Mafia's renowned leader, Ogai Mori.

"Welcome back," Mori hummed. "I'm pleased to see you again, my boy."

"That makes only one of us," Dazai said coldly, and he pointed his gun at Mori from across the room.

Looks like going into hiding,— laying low like Officer Chief Taneda advised— would have to wait.

—x—-x—-x—-