Double Black

locked in my memory (you're you)

Despite how everyone else around him viewed his past, the former mafia executive had no such qualms about the course of his life. Most feared him, and what he was possibly capable of, since he had history of being with the Mafia. Not just as any other member, but as one of the Five Top Executives, the Demon Prodigy, the best torturer in the Port Mafia, and as the one who implemented their surveillance systems.

Others, mostly from the Mafia faction, either respected him or harbored negative intents towards him. As a former Executive at the young age of fifteen, the respect and admiration from juniors was warranted. As a traitor to the group, the hostility was warranted as well. 

But just to himself, in that genius brain of his, Dazai looked back at his time with the mafia with fondness, more often than not. Life in the underworld was brutal, ruthless and something no child should have to see. But the underworld, at the time, had means of the death he so desperately coveted. Yet, he grew beyond that. He came to care for things, people and concepts that weren't just his ultimate demise.

The Underworld, when he was fifteen, also had Odasaku. The first person he'd ever openly admitted to having as a friend. Then there was Ango; until his betrayal, he had been a friend too. There were also the other kids at the Mafia that came in after him. Akutagawa Ryuunosuke and Gin, two kids he brought in himself. He could've done them better, led them to a better destination in their lives.  But that wasn't a choice back then.

There was Kyouka, who Ane-san took in right after the kid lost her parents and got deemed a murderer. She made it out of there too. And of course, there was the person that trained these kids, Verlaine. There sure was history there, huh. On careful consideration, it was obvious that there were several people that Dazai had come to know in those three years he was at the Mafia. For example, meeting Randou or rather, Arthur Rimbaud, was an experience that he could never put behind him. His words had been far too important to forget.

Which now brought him to another individual that had been linked to him from the very beginning of his new life at the Port Mafia. Someone he was still so intricately linked to, that he couldn't break that bond even if he wanted to try going about it. Some bonds were too precious, too important; some people and the connection to them transcended lifetimes and timelines. 

The Underworld brought him to Nakahara Chuuya.

That short redhead, who had been his partner since day one, since before he even officially got enrolled with the mafia. The annoying hatrack who he'd spent most of his time with, be it for missions or even in some parts of their personal lives. Yokohama's most feared ability user- A5158, the strongest, the vanguard of the Yokohama's Deadliest Duo, the gravity manipulator, former King of the Sheep, one of the Mafia's five executives, and so many other names existed that described his existence.

But in the end, it was just Chuuya.

Despite all the annoyance he feigned, Dazai thought about his partner with nothing but fondness, and the often exasperation. He found himself daydreaming about the good old times more often than not. Especially when he was bored at work.

Ah, there was nothing interesting to do, really! Well, sure there was a pile of paperwork he had to go through stacked on his desk. But that was besides the point! He was in no mood to do such mundane, boring work. Maybe Atsushi-kun could take it over later? 

He was brought out of his internal ramblings and daydreams by the barrage of footsteps that suddenly started sounding against the Agency's floorboards. Soon enough, the door to the main area of the office opened, revealing their two receptionists, followed closely by a few familiar faces.

Kunikida stood up immediately, "Haruno-san, what's going on?"

The woman stepped aside, letting her co-worker take over. Naomi stepped into the office, making way for the three figures behind her, "Akutagawa-kun and Higuchi-chan from the Port Mafia are here to visit us."