The night was eerily quiet as Yukichi Fukuzawa walked down the street with a purpose. The moon shone bloody red at the horizon. He stopped outside the bar and paused before he took the place in. This was a place frequented by some members in the port mafia, he knew that. Some would say he was poking his head in the lion's den, but desperate times called for desperate measures.
As he waked in, he was greeted by the mellow light that was strangely calming. The bar seemed to be almost empty at the moment, so his eyes almost instantly zeroed in on the red headed girl that he had come to meet. She sat at the counter, her back turned to him. She was dressed in a black cloak that was symbolic of the dark organization that she served. The emerald pendent round her neck shone in the dim light over and caught his eyes almost immediately. She didn't look up as he took the seat next to her.
"Hello Fukuzawa-san" She greeted quietly, without looking up from her drink that she didn't seem to have touched.
"Hello Ms. Brontë" He replied with a nod.
"Oh please, call me Jane" She asked finally looking up at him with a grin. As he watched the beautiful young girl, it was easy to forget for a moment that she was in fact not as innocent as her features made her out to be. Even though she was working with the organization for years, he knew for a fact that she had, till date, not taken a single life. In fact, she had minimized the death toll whenever avoidable; and that, gave him hope.
"Jane." He said with a node before frowning at her drink. "Are you old enough to be drinking that?"
She burst out laughing before replying, shaking her head. "Really, Fukuzawa-san? You're taking to an almost executive of the port Mafia and you think you think drinking before legal age is the worst crime I've done?"
"Almost Executive? So, you haven't accepted the job yet, I take it?"
"No" She replied, her tone taking on a somber note. "Not yet."
"You're having doubts then. You want out of the mafia?"
"What makes you say that?" She asked with a smile that didn't quite make it to her eye.
"You have something that is detrimental to anyone working for the Mafia, my child. You have a moral code."
"Oh, so that's why you're here then?" She said, letting out a bark of laughter. "You're going to try and guilt me into working for you?"
"I had to try." He admitted with a shrug. "I'm going to form an organization. An agency of gifted people that will protect this town. And I think you will prove to be valuable addition to the team."
"I'm flattered." She said, with a sincere smile before sighing. "Really, I am. But all things considered, I'm afraid I'm going to have to turn you down."
"I was afraid you would say that." He said with a sigh before getting up. He pulled out a card and held it out. "If you change your mind, you can let me know."
She accepted the card before getting up and bowing to the man who she respected greatly. He smiled at her sadly before making his way out.
She sighed before turning back to her drink. She was never much of a drinker and had to admit, drinking alone was really depressing. She wondered where her usual company were. The trio almost always made it to the bar around this time. She had a bad feeling when she thought about it. Odasaku at least should have made it by now. She wondered what was keeping him.
She finally sighed and gave up on completing the drink alone and decided that it was better to leave and see what was keeping them as she got up, she remembered the card that she still held in her hand. She looked at it and felt her lips tug at the corner in amusement as he took in the name of the agency Fukuzawa had apparently picked for his agency. It was unique, she had to admit
"The Armed Detective Agency, huh?" She said to herself with a grin as she waked out the door.
It had been two days Dazai had buried his buried and it had taken him this time to finally make up his mind. He had finally changed out of his blood soaked cloths, and now that he had, he couldn't bear to put on his usual black attire; instead, he found himself putting on anther only other coat he had, a tan trench coat that was gifted to him by his only remaining live friend.
He smiled despite the glum mood that he was in for the past days as he thought of the girl. At the time that she had bought him the coat, he had pointed out to her that he would probably never get to wear it, after all, the black coat was almost like a uniform to the mafia and in his case, it was actually handed down to him by the boss, so really, there was little chance that he would stop wearing it. She had replied with a knowing smile 'You never know.'
He wondered if, it was this that she was in fact hoping for. It wouldn't surprise him, really; Both his friends had kind hearts that didn't belong in the mafia. He had been too late to save Odasaku, but he promised himself that wouldn't be the case for her. He wouldn't let the darkness consume her too.
As he walked through the near empty street, his steps were confident. He knew exactly where she would be. The one place she would be sure he would go. To see her.
He didn't pause before going into Lupin. And once he was inside, he immediately found her sitting, not at their usual spot, but at counter in the corner of the bar. Her eyes met his almost immediately as he made his way over to her. Her faze was cautious as he took him in and if she was surprised at his wardrobe chose, her face didn't give it away.
"Nice coat." She commented with a small smile.
Dazai felt the corner of his lips turn up, despite himself. It was good to see her again.
"You know what happened." He said and it was not a question. He knows that by now, she would know ever detail of what had happened that night. After himself, she was the most resourceful person the wretched organization.
She nodded in response before breaking eye contact with him and looking at her drink, that she had yet to touch. This was a conversation she needed to be sober for.
"You know what Mori did." He continued in a somber tone before reaching out to take her drink and taking in a sip.
"Yes, I do. I wish I could say I was shocked." She said looking back at him with a sad smile.
"You also know why I'm here." It wasn't a question either. She knew him better that anyone.
"I wish I could." She said with a sigh and looking away. "But I can't. Not yet."
"You can't stay here anymore, Jane." He said. Let's leave this whole thing behind. Come with me. Please."
It was the final word that made her look up at him in surprise. He almost sounded desperate. "I can't leave him behind, Dazai. He needs me; You know that."
"You're actually going to choose Chuuya over me?" He asked with a wry smile.
"You know its not like that." She answered with a tired sigh. "He needs me more that you do."
"What if that's not true?" He asked quietly and when she looked up to meet his eyes, she found it burning with a rare intensity. They were both quiet for a moment as they seemed to fathom the weight of the statement.
"I'm not going anywhere Dazai. If you need me, I'm right here." She said with a grin before getting up and standing next to him
She seemed to hesitate for a second before pulling him into a tight hug. It was slightly uncomfortable, with him sitting, but neither of them seemed to mind as he returned the hug with the same intensity.
They stayed in the position for what felt like a long time, neither of them wanting to let go before she whispered in his ears. "For what its worth, Osamu, I'm glad you're finally free."
She let go and slowly leaned back as Dazai reluctantly let her go. They both smiled sadly, the note of desperation still hanging in the air. Before she finally let out a resigned sigh.
"I need to go now." She said looking at her watch.
"Oh? Mafia business?" He asked with a frown.
"Something like that." She said with a shrug. "Bye for now Dazai. I'll see you later."
"I'm sure you'll be able to find me." He said confidently. Even though he would have to lay low for some time, he was sure she would be able to find him.
"Of course." She grinned back at him before making her way out.
It was only after she had walked out of the door that Dazai realized his pocked felt heavier than it should. As he retrieved the item that had been skillful slid into it by his fried, he was surprised to find what it was - her emerald amulet.
As she walked out, she took out her phone and dialed the number she had recently added into it.
"Hello Fukuzawa-san" She greeted him before he could say anything. "It's Jane."
"Hello Jane." He seemed surprised. "Have you had a chance to reconsider my offer?"
"I wish." she said with a laugh. "But I might know someone else who would make an even better addition to your team."