Fukuzawa sat back in his chair, looking at Chuuya, Dazai, and Marina. "I'm happy you all have settled in. It's been a big change for all of you, but you've taken it in stride."

Chuuya was still smirking, the praise filling his head almost better than the wine. "It's been wonderful, actually." He took another sip, glancing at Dazai and admiring how he still squirmed. He touched his thigh, running his hand up. He wasn't disappointed with how the man spread his legs, allowing him more access. "I can't thank you enough, Boss."

He tilted his head, nodding slowly. He moved his plate to the side, folding his hands and getting ready to say something else.

That's when the lights turned off, making Chuuya pause during another sip. It wasn't just the lights. They had lost all power. The fridge sat dumbly in the corner, finally stopping the quiet roar of its motor. Even the fan above them slowly came to a stop. He carefully set the glass down, standing. "That's...odd..."

Marina looked around, frowning. "Really odd."

"Let's not panic," Fukuzawa said as he stood. "Let me go investigate." He walked towards the storage room door by the stairs. "I believe I had left some flashlights in here for you."

Atsushi stood quickly, the chair falling backwards from the force. He breathed in deeply. "We've got company."

Dazai frowned, standing as well and following his apprentice to the windows to peek out. Chuuya couldn't see past Dazai and Atsushi, but he knew it wasn't good by the way they stiffened at the same time.

"Chuuya...get upstairs with Marina."

"What is it?"

"Upstairs. With Marina. Now."

"WHAT IS IT?!"

Dazai turned to him slowly, his eyes narrowed. "Upstairs."

Chuuya ignored him, pushing Marina towards the stairs. "Get up and hide in our room, Marina. Don't come out until Dazai or I come for you." He joined Dazai at the window, pushing him and the weretiger out of the way so he could see what they were staring at for himself.

He stiffened the same way they had, but he didn't start to panic or tell people to hide, because it was no use. He balled his fists at his sides, narrowing his eyes at the man standing on their front lawn like he had any kind of business being there.

It was all his fault anyway. He shouldn't be the one cowering in the bedroom with Marina while everyone else fought for him. He should be out there now, staking his claim on this new life of his.

He looked at Dazai, the other man seeming to be caught in what to do. Fight? Hide? Whatever was going through his mind left his face blank and his eyes wet and glitter. He was gazing around the room, probably trying to get his thoughts together.

Chuuya didn't have time for this, grabbing Dazai's arm and shoving him into Fukuzawa. "Get upstairs. If I don't come up to get you, leave out the window." He looked down at the weretiger, pushing him back next. "All of you. This is all because of me. Now go!"

"Well well well, Chuuya...fancy finding you here. Living a common life now?"

Chuuya shut the door behind him, smirking softly. "I don't appreciate you showing up uninvited, Mori. I had other plans today." He glared at his former boss who was still stood in the middle of the driveway, his arms behind his back. "How'd you find me?"

"You really think I would have allowed you to leave the Mafia without a fight? I knew you'd go crawling to the Agency after your little friend, I just didn't know when or how." Mori looked at the house. "You don't really think you're happy here, do you? This isn't what you really want."

"I'm starting to like it. It's a lot better than being chained to your bed at night like some dog."

"And your clothes...you're not the fierce Executive I knew. You're losing yourself, Chuuya. Come back to the Mafia. If you'd like, we can even bring your little friends for you to play with."

Chuuya glared at him, shaking his head. "I won't go back. I'm staying right here."

"You really think the Agency will employ you? After all that you've done and what's been done to you? They don't understand you, Chuuya."

"Dazai does." He took a step towards Mori. "And I don't need anyone else knowing me, Mori." The ground under his shoe buckled under his weight, taking another step forward. All around were divots and holes from his training with Dazai. Didn't Mori see them and realize that Chuuya hadn't been sat on his ass all day waiting for him to kill him? "Now...you're scaring my guests...I think it's time you leave."

"Are you going to make me, Chuuya?"

"If that's what it takes." Chuuya stared at Mori, who shrugged and lowered his hands. Scalpels were clutched between his fingers, looking like claws. Six shiny blades glittered under the moonlight, aimed right at Chuuya

"Then let's get this over with..."

Chuuya dodged Mori's first attack, the man rushing him and trying to pin his back against the house. He had to get him away from it and not let him have the opportunity inside. Hopefully someone had the bright idea to lock the door, though that wouldn't keep Mori outside forever. He'd simply find another way in.

"You were quickly becoming my favorite, Chuuya. I was almost beginning to forget about Dazai because of you, and I was willing to let you in if you didn't turn out to be just like him!"

"I'm nothing like Dazai." Chuuya tried kicking him in the stomach, Mori using a fist to move his leg away like it was nothing. He tried punching him next, aiming for his face, but Mori managed to wiggle away, slicing open his shirt like it was paper. Chuuya activated his ability before the scalpel could seriously hurt him, grabbing Mori's wrist and making gravity pull it to the ground. He hopped away, trying to lead him further from the house. He couldn't feel a cut, but when he looked down, blood was gathering on his shirt.

"You really are nothing like the man I was planning you to be." Mori tilted his head, smirking. "You haven't even wounded me, despite you being a short fuse. Does your ability not work in the Agency anymore?"

"I'm not going to kill you, if that's what you're after." Chuuya frowned, already planning possible ways to hurry his beloveds out of here. It was stupid, coming here to the middle of the woods and letting themselves get complacent with the mundane life. He glanced at the bedroom window, cursing when he saw Marina's face peering down at them.

Mori followed his gaze, smirking. "But if you have no one to protect, you'll come home." He started making for the house after throwing three of his scalpels towards him.

Chuuya ducked them, charging the man and making the ground shake beneath his feet. "So you're giving up? You're not going to fight me after all?"

"Perhaps Dazai would like to play, since you seem to be already forgetting how to fight to survive."

Chuuya got between him and the door, narrowing his eyes. "You're suicidal now too? I have to keep Dazai from drowning in a puddle of water every time it rains, and now you?"

Mori smirked down at him, holding a scalpel towards his throat. "You're an Agency lapdog now, Chuuya...you're nothing anymore. Dazai might still remember how to be a good boy...and that pretty lady you've been keeping to yourself...she might be a wonderful doll if she's properly trained."

Chuuya's eyes widened, images of his nightmares flashing before his eyes before red peeked out in the corners of his vision. He growled, shoving Mori back and adding just enough force to it to send the man flying. He'll bruise like hell, but he shouldn't have anything seriously damaged. He laughed as Mori hadn't once lost his footing and fell. He instead slid back on both feet, managing to stay upright. "Fuck you. You're not getting either of them."

"Oh? And you're going to prevent me with your weak moves? How adorable..."

"If you're trying to make me lose it, Dazai's been wittling down my patience for three months. I have tougher skin now." Chuuya smirked at him. "If you want Dazai, you're going to have to go through me. I can go all night."

"Ahh..." Mori tilted his head, humming. "You and Dazai together again, then? Having a happy life with your little boyfriend? I wonder how many times either of you have called out for me instead."

Chuuya frowned at him, crouching slightly and trying to figure out why...why was Mori here? How did he find them? And why the hell wasn't anyone leaving the fucking house to escape? "You should leave, Mori..."

"You keep saying that," Mori sighed. He looked at the redhead, tilting his head. "But I think I've found out your weakness. You can't handle the idea of that woman being my new toy. I wonder how long I can keep her quiet before Kouyou notices her. And if I could have all three of you..."

"That's not fucking happening!" Chuuya shouted as he stood straight up, pointing at Mori. "I won't let you take her, or me, or Dazai, or anyone else!"

Two scalpels came flying towards his face. Chuuya caught one, sending the other high into the air. He was about to throw it with a little extra help, stopping when he saw Mori rushing him with his remaining one. He was wedged exactly where he didn't want to be, back against the house, the door right behind him. If he moved, he would expose the door and Mori would just come right inside. He was hoping that someone had been smart enough to lock it, but he couldn't be for sure.

It didn't take a genius to figure out where his loves were hiding either. The stairs were obvious, as well as the only occupied, lived-in room.

Chuuya sent the scalpel right back to Mori, watching it land in his shoulder. He kept coming, which made Chuuya crouch down next and throw everything he had into his fist, driving it into Mori's chest and sending him backwards.

"Do you need a break, Chuuya?" Mori was laughing as he climbed back to his feet, smirking at Chuuya's arm.

A single long scratch from his shoulder to elbow bled freely onto the grass, dripping off his fingers, but Chuuya couldn't feel it. He was busy glaring at Mori, and so what if he had to fight through a little bit of pain? He'd had to fight through a lot worse. Maybe his adrenaline was finally doing something...

"If you want me to kill you so badly, then come on! Let's get this over with!"

He didn't let Mori come to him. He charged him, pulling out his own knife from its holder on his belt and trying to stab it into his hand, keep him on the ground and let his loves get an open window of time to escape. Mori dodged out of the way, running towards the door.

Chuuya flung the knife at him, shouting as he only caught Mori's flapping coat and ripping it. He forced his legs to move faster, forcing his body lighter so he could intercept the Mafia boss. He caught up to him, grabbing his throat as he drove him to the ground.

"Almost good enough, Chuuya." Mori kicked him off, laughing as he sat up. "You still don't want to kill me? What has the Agency told you? That you're free of your past sins if you never kill anyone again?"

Chuuya ground his teeth, looking away. He told himself he didn't have to answer, but...he was getting really annoying with how much the boss was talking, especially with how hard he was breathing just trying to keep him away from the fucking house.

Mori was just running his mouth, trying to find something that wouldn't just bounce off Chuuya's skin. Something that would wedge into his brain and drive him mad.

Turns out, Mori didn't have to try very hard at all.

Atsushi was hurrying Marina and Dazai to the SUV, Fukuzawa heading to the driver's seat. Chuuya's blood went cold, watching Marina stumble and fall against the SUV. Dazai was trying to get into the other seat, yanking on the locked door. Fukuzawa was searching for his keys. Atsushi was howling like a dog stuck in a trap as he jumped up and down. Now they left the house?! NOW?!

"What the hell?!"

Mori stood quickly, shoving Chuuya out of the way to get to any of them.

It didn't matter who he grabbed; it would be enough to set Chuuya on fire. He stood for a second, dumbstruck as Dazai's beautiful doe-eyes turned to look at Mori, fear lighting them up.

Marina's own eyes were wide and scared as she fumbled with the locked door of the SUV. Her scream was all he needed to hear to get his feet to move.

Chuuya drove Mori back into the ground, holding him there and adding extra gravity to fight. He'd kill him, then, if that's what he wanted so badly. He'd kill him right here and show Fukuzawa he wasn't meant for anything more.

Who was he kidding, anyway? Using gravity to help people? He was better at killing. This was his true calling, anyway. He shouted at them to go, to leave him behind.

Marina shook her head stubbornly, crying for him and holding her hand out. "I'm not leaving you! Come on, Chuuya!"

Chuuya stared at her, sighing as he let himself get lost in all the fantasies he had with her in it. If he had been any good or any use to anybody, maybe they could have lived happily together.

Mori laughed underneath Chuuya, looking at him. "So...you're going to stay behind? You'll be my good boy after all? You'll just have to take your medicine..."

Chuuya stiffened, swallowing the taste of acid as he looked away. "You can do whatever you want to me. You just can't hurt them. I won't let you! Take me instead and leave them alone." He stared at Fukuzawa, who was just standing there. "Go! Go on without me! Get out of here!"

Fukuzawa unlocked the SUV. Everyone else poured in, but he still stood there. He looked at Chuuya. "Excellent job, Chuuya."

"Move your fucking ass and get out-" Chuuya stopped, looking down at Mori as he...fizzled out underneath him. He looked up quickly, snow appearing to fall around them. "What the hell...?" He turned around, starting to growl in annoyance. "This was just a game for you?!"

Dazai smiled as Atsushi became an orange-haired boy with a red hooded sweatshirt. He lowered the hood, blinking shyly at Chuuya. "I was almost scared for a second," Dazai said to the boy. "You did a great job."

Marina was shaking like a leaf in a stiff wind, and Chuuya rushed to be there for her. He held his arms out, frowning a little.

"That's why the cut didn't hurt..." Because it was never real. None of it was real. He touched his shoulder where his flannel had been ripped open, but there was nothing. He truly was safe.

"Yeah. I'm sorry. That might have been a little over-the-top." The boy held out his hand for Chuuya, smiling a little. "So sorry again. I'm Junichiro."

Fukuzawa stepped between them, frowning as he took the punch for his employee. He stared down at Chuuya's fist on his chest, moving it off him.

"I wasn't going to hit him that hard," Chuuya scoffed. He glared up at the man. "You really thought that this was a great idea? What if I killed him, huh? What if I activated Corruption and killed you all? You caused unneeded harm to Marina-"

"But you didn't. You didn't even kill your former boss." Fukuzawa looked at the hole in the earth where Chuuya had apparently just been fighting with himself like an idiot. "You kept yourself in check the whole time."

"So what?" Chuuya held Marina tighter, trying to calm his own shaking. He wasn't scared anymore, though. He was angry. "So you just wanted to see what I was capable of? That's just a fraction. What I'm about to do to you is-"

"It was a test, yes." He tilted his head slowly. "A test that you passed."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

Fukuzawa chuckled and he tilted his head. He folded his arms, sighing softly. "Let's go back inside and I'll explain. Just know that you did a good job."

"So Atsushi wasn't even here."

"No." Junichiro declined Chuuya's second attempt to fill his glass with wine, holding his hand over the top. "I was pretending to be Atsushi...and when the president gave me my cue, I made it appear that we had lost power, then I had to conjure Mori in the lawn, and see how you responded."

Chuuya frowned a little. "What if I just killed Mori? Flattened the house?"

Fukuzawa sighed, finishing what tea he had left. He let Dazai pour him more. "It was risky, testing you. But I had to see how you'd react, especially if any of us were in danger."

"I wasn't protecting you." Chuuya narrowed his eyes at him.

"But you did tell 'Mori' that you wouldn't let him take anyone else, so...in fact, you were." Fukuzawa smiled as he drank his tea, closing his eyes.

"And I had to be in disguise because you already know my ability."

Chuuya had recognized the snow and his stupid face almost immediately, which had just made him want to punch him more. "Yeah...stupid ability..." He glared at Dazai. "And when did you figure out the whole thing and neglect to tell me?"

"It wasn't until Atsushi wasn't asking me what he should do and how he could help you." He smiled at Junichiro. "Your impression of Atsushi is excellent, but he asks a lot more questions."

"Well the whole thing felt real to me," Marina said. She was still trembling as she clutched her own cup of tea.

Fukuzawa watched her, sighing. "I wish I could have told you that it wasn't real, but your genuine reactions would have helped Chuuya pass or fail. I needed to see what his knee-jerk reaction to you being in danger was."

Dazai smirked, folding his arms and looking at Chuuya knowingly. "You made a good call."

"No, I used my fucking brain." Chuuya snorted. "If I killed Mori, the Mafia would stop at nothing to get even."

"You were willing to sacrifice the life you wanted to protect all of us," Fukuzawa said quietly. "You did a good thing."

Chuuya stared at his neck, frowning deeper. The scars were still there that he had seen earlier...he hadn't imagined them. "Uh-huh...so now what? I passed your stupid test. What does that mean?"

Fukuzawa smiled and he looked at him, chuckling. "You're a full Agent now. You've done better than anticipated, and now you're being rewarded."

Chuuya stood up slowly, his eyes wide.

Fukuzawa watched him. "Welcome to the Agency, Chuuya Nakahara. If you would like, I believe your new coworkers would love to welcome you."

Chuuya watched as a second car pulled in and the real Atsushi and Kunikida climbed out and walked up the path towards the door. He held it open for them, smirking at the little weretiger.

"What a mess you've made of the lawn," Kunikida said as he gazed around.

"I'll fix it later," Chuuya snorted. "Get in here and quit your bitching."

Fukuzawa had instructed the Agents to come if they liked, though Chuuya was informed that the party would be slow to start as they did their best not to draw suspicion to the safe house. Agents would come two at a time, thirty minutes apart. "Not everyone is coming, just those who choose."

Chuuya sat outside with him, frowning down at his cigarette. He flicked the ash off, listening to Dazai and Atsushi laugh, Kunikida and Marina talking quietly by the window...he looked at Fukuzawa again, sighing. "Your ability."

Fukuzawa looked at him, tilting his head. Mama was in his lap, purring loudly as he pet her. "Yes?"

"Let's say I use Corruption..."

The man chuckled, shaking his head. "I don't believe I have control over a god...Dazai will still be your best bet, I'm afraid. How about we refrain from using Corruption until I learn more, mm?"

Chuuya scowled down at the ground, stomping on one of the holes and making the earth rise back up to fix itself. "Whatever." He set the cigarette in his mouth, inhaling. "So what of your scars?"

"Mm?"

"Around your neck." Chuuya looked at him, frowning. "I have its twin. If Dazai ever undid his damn bandages, he has one as well." He touched his choker, carefully taking it off and showing Fukuzawa. "I've been covering mine. Dazai's always had his covered. But you..." He lifted his eyes slowly, frowning.

Fukuzawa sighed as he pet the cat, pulling his eyes away from Chuuya's throat. "I don't let anyone get hurt the way I did." He drank his tea, setting the empty cup aside.

"Tall talk, seeing as two of your employees now have been hurt in the exact same way you have."

"But you're not hurting anymore, are you? And I'll never subject you to that kind of hurt ever again. I don't mind what you do as my employee. You can exist how you like, as long as you stick to my rules."

Chuuya frowned, sighing and tapping out his cigarette on the concrete step beneath him. "Let me get you another cup." He picked it up, chuckling. "You seem stuck under Mama."

"We might as well head in," Fukuzawa said as he lifted Mama into his arms, standing with her. "She's not a bother at all." He tickled behind her ears, chuckling.

"You and Dazai love cats too much." Chuuya waved his hand. "I want a dog, and the suggestion about made Dazai vomit." He snorted softly. "He's scared of dogs."

Fukuzawa chuckled softly, shrugging. His eyes drifted to the garage. "Have you worked on the motorcycle at all?"

"Haven't had the time with work and...other things." He chuckled as he looked at Fukuzawa, smirking. "I've had my hands full."

He sighed softly. "I figured putting you in a house with your former boyfriend and your current partner would lead to this. But it gives me some confidence that you won't run off."

"I'll never go back." Chuuya held himself, glaring at the ground. He went around, fixing the holes he could as he thought. "Not if it gets those two in danger. I can't trust that Mori will be comfortable with only me, especially if he knows it only takes putting me in danger to bring Dazai running, and the other way around. If I protect those two, I can keep us all safe." He looked through the window, smiling at Dazai as he laughed at Atsushi's apparent discomfort, the boy trying to back away and escape from him.

"I do have one more reward for you, of course."

Chuuya turned his head, frowning at him. He watched Fukuzawa pull something from his sleeve, handing it to him. He blinked, taking it and looking over it. It was a debit card...he stared up at him, his eyes widening.

"You've been buying your own groceries from your paycheck. Now you have access to all of it. If you order something online, send it to the Agency under Dazai's name. We'll have someone deliver it to you." He smiled at him, tilting his head. "You technically should have gotten it sooner, but I couldn't make enough time to test you until today."

Chuuya blinked, smiling as he tucked the card into his pocket. "Fair enough..." He looked at Dazai again, sighing. "I...heard what happened with Dazai." He glanced at him.

"I believe I had given him the wrong impressions...on numerous occasions." He sighed softly, touching his scars. "I've been keeping my distance because of that, in case he slips again."

"I wouldn't worry about keeping your distance." He waved a hand. "He already knows how much I despise you two being fuck buddies." He sighed when Fukuzawa started to protest. "Of course I know nothing actually happened but believe me when I say that if I catch a single word about you seeing him naked, I will find you. There's nowhere you can hide from gravity." He grinned at him. "Boss..."

Yosano frowned, standing in the kitchen with Dazai. They were holding Marina's antidepressants up to the light, Yosano's eyes narrowing.

Chuuya couldn't bring himself to care or even tune into their conversation. Marina was sleeping against his side and he was already finishing insert-number-here glass of wine. He lost track, didn't care, and didn't want to know how many he had had already. He was already starting to feel the effects and it was glorious...

Yosano walked over to him, touching Marina's chin as she tilted her head up. "Chuuya, can you not be drunk right now?"

"Not drunk." He frowned, watching her. His fingers twitched, wanting to slap Yosano's hand away. "Let her sleep. She's exhausted. Those antidepressants are-"

"Those aren't the antidepressants she was taking. I don't know what they are, but this isn't normal. How often does she fall asleep like this?" She moved Marina's head, frowning. "Have any of you been taking any medication?"

So many fucking questions... "Dazai's been taking birth control if that's normal." He smirked at her, setting his glass down and moving Marina back against his side. "She's just tired...and sick. She'll..."

Something was nagging in the back of his head and he scowled, looking up at Yosano. "You're really killing the mood, actually..."

"Fine. Don't be helpful. Just sit there and be drunk."

"Not drunk." Chuuya pulled Marina into his lap, holding her closer and letting her head roll onto his shoulder. He rested his head on hers, closing his eyes. "When you wake up, we're going to have so much fun..."

Yosano dug through the medicine cabinet, setting aside the open bottles to search through. She examined each label, scowling. She had been the one to pick up her prescription, and she should have known that the pills looked off. They should have been green and white pills, not pure white tablets.

She opened each bottle, checking inside and shaking the pills out into her hand to examine them. Most of them seemed normal.

Most of them.

One of the bottles of pain killers was identical to whatever medication Marina had been taking.

Dazai stood in the doorway, watching her. "Those are Chuuya's. He had them in the apartment."

"These aren't pain killers." Yosano held the bottle out to him. "What happens to Chuuya after he takes these?"

Dazai took the bottle, frowning at it before looking at her. "He usually takes these at night after we fight in the yard."

"So you have no idea." She sighed softly, shaking her head. "I wouldn't take any medication right now, especially white tablets. Something's wrong." She looked at him, folding her arms. "You should have told me she was acting strange."

Dazai blinked, staring down at the bottle in his hand. He closed his fist around it, nodding once and groaning. "Right..."

"Don't beat yourself up too much." She walked by him, touching his shoulder. "You made a mistake. I'll fix it without gloating too much this time."

Chuuya watched most of the Agents leave. Nobody else had shown up, which was fine by Chuuya. Marina was waking up, still groggy and looking like she was going to throw up. She pushed at his chest weakly, trying to sit up in his lap.

"Where are you going?" He chuckled up at her, tilting his head. "You think you can scurry away so easily?" He kept her down, rubbing her back slowly and sighing. "Stay for a moment, would you? My head is spinning."

"I feel sick."

"If you throw up on me, I'll never forgive you." He didn't loosen his grip on her, closing his eyes as he laid his head back. If she really did have to throw up, he figured she could just leave his lap and excuse herself.

She couldn't.

Yosano helped Marina into bed, frowning down at her. "It's okay, Chuuya."

Chuuya was bare-chested, sitting on the bed and watching Marina breathe. He frowned down at her, rubbing his eyes. "Fuck..."

"There's no way either of you could have known. Just relax." She looked at him, frowning as she tilted her head. "She'll be better tomorrow, as long as she doesn't take more of that stuff. You were taking it too, actually." She looked him up and down. "But you don't take it as regularly as she does, apparently."

"Only when I let Dazai too close...so what have I been dosing her with? Rat poison?"

"Dazai seemed to recognize it, but he hasn't said anything."

Chuuya blinked, looking at Marina. "He smelled like the dead...holy shit..." He stood, looking at Yosano. "Mori gave him antidepressants once...allegedly. I also had medicine, a powder he'd put in water for me to drink. We were groggy, disoriented, and then afterwards, we were sick like this. I couldn't leave the bed I was chained to half the time. Dazai couldn't bathe himself after he stopped taking them. He told me the medicine would make me stronger. It made me puke more if anything..."

"You think Mori has been drugging her? Why?"

He snorted. "Because he wants me to confront him. If anything happened to her or Dazai, he knows I'll come to stop him and cave his face in. That's what he wants...to fuck with me while I'm in hiding. To drive me crazy."

Yosano sighed softly. "He knew she was on medication...probably from her apartment. He knew she'd need to take them daily, and that you'd recognize the symptoms."

"I didn't, though." Once again, Chuuya wasn't smart enough to connect a single dot. He growled, walking out of the bedroom. Yosano followed him, studying the bottles in her hand. "I'm surprised he didn't go after Dazai as well. Why not get us all drugged and sleepy?"

"Because Dazai doesn't take any medication anymore. I tried to get him on antidepressants when he first joined, but he reacted poorly. Apparently, he was finally happy."

Chuuya snorted. "How terrible for him..."

"I'll do a better job screening future medicine drops." She sighed softly, setting the bottles in her purse. "I'll let you two be alone now."

Dazai looked up, seated at the kitchen table with his phone. "Is she okay?"

"She'll be fine. Just take extra care of her." She zipped her purse, humming. "I suppose everyone else left. Kenji must have gotten a ride with someone else."

"Fukuzawa drove him. He was sleepy." Dazai turned back to his phone.

Chuuya sat next to him when Yosano left, narrowing his eyes. "I'm such an idiot."

"I could have told you that." He touched Chuuya's thigh, sighing softly. "I could have also figured out what Marina was taking, but I didn't in time. She had already taken so many. I decided to text Yosano and have her come out, but she was never not busy. So I was thrilled when she came to the party. I had to show her the pills in person, and she couldn't identify them, but I knew you had been drinking powder and I had been taking pills, and we had been in the same miserable hell together."

"She tried to get out of my lap and I just held her." He put his head in his hands, sighing. "I'm such an asshole."

"True." Dazai set his phone face down, looking at him. "But we solved it."

"You and Yosano solved it. I made everything worse." He turned his head away, snorting. "I'm supposed to help people now and all I've done is make Marina miserable here."

"And now you'll get her better." He smiled at him, touching his shoulder. "It'll be okay, Chuuya. We'll be the best boyfriends while we get her stronger."

Chuuya turned his head to look at him, keeping his head down. He snorted, smiling a little and shrugging. "Fine..."