'Choose five. '

Chuuya 's head whips away from the few dozen black-and-white-clad blank-faced Mafiosi waiting for orders and to Kouyou, who is busy tapping away at her iPad a few feet away in the courtyard of the mafia base. 'What do you mean choose? ' he asks. And then a little quieter: 'I thought I was supposed to work with them. '

'That would have been the safest choice, yes, but our boss does not like safe. He likes insane, so choose your subordinates. And take your time. You 'll not only be stuck with but responsible for them. '

Sucking in a deep breath and lifting his chin, Chuuya nods. Okay. It 's more responsibility than he anticipated, but leading people is something he is familiar with. He approaches the group of people and scans their faces. Most of them are his age, but one or three look like they 're already in their forties. A diverse mix of people that are now apparently supposed to listen to him as if he wasn 't their enemy just a few weeks ago. (And technically, still is.)

For a moment, Chuuya considers what qualities he views as important, what sort of traits he appreciates in his friends when they pull off a scheme together. Several moments pass before he speaks.

'Who is scared of heights? ' he wants to know. 'Be honest, or you might come to regret it. ' What sounds like a threat isn 't supposed to be one. He 's actually doing them a favor by giving them a chance to back out.

Five tentative hands raise. Crossing his arms, Chuuya jerks his head towards Kouyou. 'Step aside. ' After they do, he inspects the rest of them. Seven left, so two more have to go, and right now, he can only rely on a sort of speed interview to pick out the right people.

When Chuuya slides his hands into the pockets of his pants, he half-expects Kouyou or someone else to stop him because what he 's about to do probably borders on breaking a few dozen rules. However, it 's the fastest and most efficient way to find out, so.

Tapping his foot on the pavement once, the pearl-colored concrete pavement around Chuuya shatters, creating a gigantic crater. It 's loud and powerful, and Chuuya feels the attention of the other people in the courtyard snap to the scene that is unfolding, but he doesn 't bother to check their reactions. His focus is only on his potential future subordinates.

One guy falls down, arms flailing helplessly. Then he starts sobbing.

A girl with short, bleached hair smoothly avoids tripping because of the tremors and helps an older woman dodge her downfall by sheer clumsiness.

The sharp edge of the split almost leaves a boy with a lithe, toned body tumbling into it, but he 's not only quick on his feet but skilled with his body too, doing an effortless flip to safety. The girl next to him doesn 't show off the same athletic skills; she does seem to have pretty steady feet, though, simply taking a few smart steps to the side.

A young girl avoids any falls, although she pretty much runs off in the other direction and doesn 't look back. That 's one way to go about this, too.

And the seventh candidate, brown hair with shaved sides '

Is gone.

'Make it stop, ' someone hisses right next to Chuuya.

Correction: they have managed to sneak off and locate the source of this little earthquake.

The trembling stops and Chuuya turns to them with a smile. 'Good job. Your name? '

'Handa. '

'With me, ' Chuuya says before turning to face them again, nodding at the people who were neither clumsy, cowardly, or selfish. 'You 're with me, too. The rest of you ' ' He 's not sure what will happen to them. He hopes that they will get assigned to someone else and not get disposed of. No matter how useless he finds them right now. In a world that 's kinder than this one, they would probably have a life that doesn 't require them to look for jobs in the mafia.

Chuuya finds out the names of his new teammates. Miura. Costa. Shiraki. And Handa.

'That 's four, ' Kouyou remarks when she rejoins him, patting her kimono, 'and that 's property damage. '

Chuuya grins sheepishly. 'I 'm sure you guys have someone on dial to fix it? '

With a sigh, Kouyou shakes her head. 'If you think four are going to be enough, then I 'm not going to force more on you. We ' '

'Actually, can I ask for someone specific? '

Kouyou raises her brows. The only reply he gets.

'Remember that boy in our meeting with Ace and the brothers? His name was Karma. Can he be the fifth one? '

'No. '

'Why not? '

'Because I told you so, ' Kouyou replies, but Chuuya crosses his arms and lifts his chin, imitating that weirdly effective glare she uses to get people to do whatever she wants. Kouyou might be terrifying. However, Chuuya is stubborn. 'Because he is Ace 's and I assure you Ace is not about to give away anything of his to anyone. Least of all to a brat like you. '

'But you 're an executive, ' Chuuya says.

'So is he. '

'But you 're a better one. '

'Do not try to flatter me, boy. '

'Fine. Dazai doesn 't really like him either. I 'm sure that means you have more say than that greasy-haired fucker, right? '

'Language, ' Kouyou reminds him. 'I have far more important favors to trade in with Dazai than asking him, so you will get some nobody as your subordinate. That boy has been working as a servant his entire life, by the way. He will be useless in the field. A liability. '

His entire life '

Chuuya blows out his breath through his nostrils. 'Fine. I need to get something from the apartment before we leave, though. '

'Be quick. ' Kouyou nods, albeit with a narrow-eyed expression, clearly not buying the whole I forgot something excuse. She 's right to do so. 'Your car is leaving in twenty minutes, and you cannot be late. '

Twenty minutes.

That should be enough, right?

Chuuya never runs unless someone is literally dying, but his pace as he heads straight for the elevator comes close to running. As he waits for the damn doors to open, he 's already dialing a number that Dazai left there yesterday. He doesn 't need to read to know that the 1 stands for the boss of the mafia himself. He just hopes he will actually pick up.

'That 's a surprise, ' comes from his phone at the same time as the elevator opens, and a hefty crowd of eight people comes streaming out into every direction imaginable. 'Is something wrong? ' Chuuya opens his mouth but gets cut off. 'Is someone already dead? '

Entering and pushing the second-highest button because Chuuya still has no access to the top floor, he sniffs out a huff. 'No, everything 's fine. I wanted to talk to you about something, though. '

He hears Dazai hum. 'All right. '

'So, will you let me come up? '

'I have no other choice, do I? Or do you want to do this over the phone? '

'I 'd rather talk to you face to face. '

'Understandable. If I had such a handsome husband, I 'd want to see him as often as possible, too. '

The line goes dead before Chuuya can say that he 's pretty full of himself for someone who covers up the majority of his body with bandages. Chuuya 's not sure how exactly he 'll get access, considering he 's still here, without a card, but he gets the idea when the elevator doesn 't stop moving even as they reach the thirty-ninth floor.

To his surprise, there is no one waiting for him when the doors glide open, and Chuuya 's forced to find his way to the office by memory alone. Even the guards posted outside seem to be in a good mood today, only glancing at him for a moment before granting him entry to the cave that Dazai 's hiding in all the time.

This time, Dazai isn 't at his desk but idly putting books into the row of shelves against the wall.

'This is what you 're doing while the biggest auction of the year is taking place? ' Chuuya asks once he stops in front of him. 'Redocarating? '

'I trust that the people working for me are handling things just fine. Speaking of which, shouldn 't you be getting your own ' ' Dazai 's gaze slides to the gold-watch around his wist. ' ' right about now? '

'About that. '

Dazai tilts his head. 'Any complaints? '

'A demand, actually, ' Chuuya says.

That finally seems to be interesting enough to get Dazai 's attention. He stops with the damn shelving and turns his body to Chuuya, a hooded smile dragging up the corner of his mouth. 'A demand? Do tell me what it is, Chuuya darling. I 'm dying to hear. '

'I want someone specific in my team. His name is Karma. He works for ' '

' ' Ace, ' Dazai finishes without even a beat of hesitation. 'I know who he is. '

Chuuya files away the information that the boss of the mafia remembers someone as small and as low in the ranks as Karma for later before continuing. 'I met him on my first day. He 'd make a good fit for my team, and I ' I only have four members right now anyway. '

Several seconds pass; a blank lake of silence between them, that lets Chuuya doubt himself forever coming up here because there is no way Dazai will agree to something like that, especially if he is aware of Chuuya 's intentions with the mafia. He is standing here, wasting time and '

'What will I get out of it? '

Chuuya blinks. 'You? '

'Yes. ' Dazai shrugs innocently. 'I can make Karma happen ' no pun intended. ' Curling his hands into tight balls of fists, Chuuya stifles a snort. He absolutely refuses to laugh at his jokes. 'But my favors come with a price. '

'What do you want? '

Dazai considers the question briefly, then spins on his heels and starts walking towards his table. With a puzzled frown, Chuuya follows him. 'I have a meeting with some ' affiliates next week. Terribly irritating people that suck the soul out of me. ' Dazai cranes his neck back to offer him a breezy grin. 'If I had one. You will take my place in that meeting. '

'Hah? ' Chuuya steps forward to make sure he didn 't hear wrong. 'Why in the world would you want that? '

'The right question to ask is why in the world I wouldn 't want that, ' Dazai replies, sitting down behind his desk. 'Those people bore me. And now that I have a husband, and therefore a co-captain to steer this ship, why bother going there myself? You are now as responsible for this organization as me. '

There are a thousand reasons why Dazai should bother going there himself. For one, Chuuya started here a week ago. He doesn 't lack confidence in things he trusts himself with, but this is bordering on insanity, as Kouyou so accurately put it. There is no way he can accomplish the same thing that Dazai would. Not to mention that no one will respect him, knowing his name or history.

'You 're nuts, ' Chuuya snaps, slapping his hands on the desk to shoot Dazai an incredulous stare. 'You just want to see me fail, don 't you? That why you 're doing this? '

Dazai shamelessly smirks back at him. 'Although the entertainment of seeing you flounder is great, it does not outweigh the risk of losing important partners. '

'Then why ' ' Teeth coming down to grind together, Chuuya stops himself. There is no use asking Dazai why he is doing this or that, he 'll never fucking open up about any of his motives, and Chuuya should start getting used to that. After all, he will never be 100% honest about his own intentions either. If this is what it takes to get Karma on his team, then Chuuya will simply have to trust that it will work out somehow. And even if it doesn 't? That 's not his problem. It 's port mafia 's. 'Fine, ' he ends up saying, straightening his back. 'Okay. '

'Great, ' Dazai chirps, 'we have ourselves a deal. What do you prefer we do: spit on it, make a blood pact, or the good old-fashioned seal it with a kiss bargain? '

'Neither, ' Chuuya mutters, a little grossed out. 'Can we just skip to the part where you get Karma so I won 't be late and Kouyou doesn 't murder me? '

'Karma will join the party later, so go on. Don 't stir Kouyou 's wrath. '

Chuuya would prefer to have Karma here now in case Dazai decides to be a backstabbing bastard and not go through with it, but right now, he has no other choice but to believe that Dazai will honor their deal. 'Fine, ' he huffs and turns around.

'And Chuuya? '

He pauses to look back over his shoulder. 'What? '

'I like the new outfit. The color suits you well. '

His

color.

Dazai 's. The one he always wears around his neck.

Chuuya 's face flushes with heat as he mutters out a dry, 'thanks ' before leaving.

***

Dazai could probably send one of his devoted underlings for Karma, but even he is not as sadistic as to let them deal with someone like Ace. Besides, the man would probably delay the entire process by three hours.

Usually, he leaves the scarf on his desk. As lovely as the color complements both his eyes and all the dirt on his hands, it gets suffocatingly hot with the coat and the bandages. However, Ace is a man hungry for power, and the scarf is power incarnated.

On his way out of the office, Dazai 's phone starts buzzing ' his private one ' and as soon as he sees the name on the screen, he already feels like declining the call. The only reason he doesn 't is because '

'Albatross. Is something wrong? '

Because Albatross is working with Chuuya today.

'No, boss, ' a cheery voice on the other end of the line tells him, 'everything 's okay-o. Just want to check in that I 'm all set up and have eyes on your boy toy. '

'That 's it? Then I 'm hanging up no ' '

'Wait, wait, wait. '

Dazai does, albeit silently. The only sound is the electrical hum of the elevator.

'Oh, dang. You really waited! Now I forgot what I even wanted to say. '

Dazai sighs loudly.

'You know, I wouldn 't be so annoying if you ever picked up when I called you the other times. ' Dazai regrets the night he ended up giving Albatross his number. It was a moment of weakness. A tragic accident. And Dazai has learned a crucial lesson from that mistake: never give anyone, especially someone this talkative and chipper, his number ever again. 'Wanna grab a drink this week? '

The word no is on the tip of his tongue faster than any other thought, but Dazai catches himself before saying it out loud because this? This is an opportunity.

One of the reasons Chuuya is still so reluctant about opening his heart and devotion to the mafia-like Dazai knows he will eventually is because he thinks they ' that Dazai hides in his office while he lets his people die for him. And there is nothing Chuuya hates more than cowards that have the blood of their spinelessness on their hands. While all of that is true to an extent ' Dazai only bothered leaving this building four times ever since his ascension to the highest floor ' it can be changed.

Dazai 's not scared of dying. He 's scared of it happening before all his plans are set into motion. However, death and his plans are crassly intertwined.

'Actually, yes, ' he ends up saying. 'I 'll come tonight. '

'Woah, woah, woah. I was thinking of something on the low, y 'know, like at the base and not out in the open where everyone can shoot you as they please? '

'No one will shoot me. The guests of the auction aren 't barbarians, Albatross. '

'Tell that to the last business partner that tried to assassinate you! '

Dazai snorts. That would have been indeed a close call if he hadn 't seen it coming from miles away. 'Then I 'll simply have to make sure there is someone there to protect me. ' A soft ding informs him that he 's finally arrived in one of the mafia 's most pretentious and shiny parts: Ace 's lair of jewels, slaves, and money. 'Keep Chuuya in the city hall after he 's done with the cargo, will you? I have another job for him. '

Albatross makes an unhappy noise on the other end of the line. 'I hear scheming in your voice. This ain 't good. '

'See you later, ' Dazai says and hangs up as he steps out of the elevator.

He 's only ever been here when Mori was still head of the mafia and tasked him with keeping an eye on Ace and his laughable inside army. It wasn 't much of a challenge, so Dazai spent most of the time playing video games or riling Ace up until he breathed fire. Today is no different.

He doesn 't bother to knock or wait before entering Ace 's office. Based on how extravagant and full of golden-shining jewelry it 's packed with, one might assume he should, but everyone here knows no amount of money will earn him the respect he so desperately lacks and craves.

Ace, busy counting bills, glances up and falters for a moment before clearing his throat and shooing the servant by his side away with one finger. 'Dazai '.sama. What brings you here? '

The boy, Karma, bows his head at both of them and tries to leave the room, but Dazai stops him with one hand, blocking his path. 'This one does. '

Karma 's eyes grow double their size as he stares up at Dazai, probably remembering all the possible violations that could have led to this very moment.

'Karma? ' Ace asks, uncertain. 'And what exactly did he do? '

'Exist. ' Dazai lowers his hand. 'I 'm transferring him, so you 'll have to find yourself someone else to make your coffee and wash your hair from now on. Or better yet, learn how to do it yourself. I heard being an adult comes in handy. '

The chair creaks when Ace jumps to his feet. 'What is the meaning of this? You can 't just take what 's mine! '

Dazai 's mouth twitches sharply. 'Really? What are you gonna do to stop me? ' His head tilts in challenge. 'Are you going to finally go through with your plans to assassinate me? Just like you wanted to do it with the former boss, hm? For years you waited, Ace, only for some bored teenager to take what was supposed to be yours in a matter of seconds. ' Nudging Karma out of the room, Dazai flashes the executive a sardonic smile. 'Just like now. '

Ace 's hands are balled into angry fists, but somehow he manages not to lash out. For now.

After they step out, Dazai turns to Karma and taps the collar around his neck. The jewel inside evaporates into crystal-blue lights before the collar cracks into two parts and falls to the floor. 'You don 't need this anymore. '

Karma, for his part, looks like he has seen a ghost, his fingers trembling when they lift to touch the place where the collar used to sit. 'What ' you ' ' His head snaps up to stare at Dazai. 'Ace always said the only way out of that collar was through death! '

'Ace says a lot of things. He likes to hear himself talk. '

After another beat of stunned silence, Karma whispers, 'thank you. '

It 's funny. This might be the first time Dazai has ever heard that word directed at him in ' years. Maybe even longer. He is not sure whether he likes it.

'Don 't thank me but the person who asked for this. '

Maybe Karma expected that this was his get-out-of-the-mafia card because his face falls again, shoulders drooping. 'Where are you sending me next? ' It 's a quiet, sad little question that tells more about his history than any background report ever could. And Dazai has read that report: born by a whore in one of the mafia 's brothels. Raised on the streets. Found and trafficked by the mafia again until he eventually wound up in Ace 's collection of human jewels.

'His name is Nakahara Chuuya. ' Dazai watches his brows furrow in confusion first, then raise weightlessly. 'I believe you have met? '

'We have! '

'You 'll be working for him now. '

And for the first time, some of the weight on Karma 's back must lift because he does something quite funny. He lets out a breathless laugh.

***

Chuuya gets his own car, away from his new subordinates. Something that doesn 't make sense to him since he is supposed to be able to communicate with his team, maybe work out a division, but that 's not really possible when they 're all somewhere else.

When he arrives at the docks, they 're already waiting for him.

Climbing out of the car, Chuuya feels his stomach curl in dread. All around them, people are already busy, dock-workers as far as the eye can see, and not as many black suits as Chuuya imagined there would be in sight. He knows his instructions, has them memorized, thanks to Dazai. The only question is ' where the fuck does he even start?

His answer comes in the form of a hand-clapping his shoulder and a blinding grin.

'Albatross, ' Chuuya remembers from that incident a week ago.

'At your service! You ready to get this show on the road? '

'Totally. ' Except that all Chuuya can do is stand there and press out an awkward smile. He knows what to do, just not exactly how and, Jesus Christ, he is so going to fail this and '

'Great, ' Albatross replies, either not noticing or choosing to look past Chuuya 's lack of planning of how to go on about this thing. 'Let me show you what you 're going to work with today. '

Chuuya nods at his group of subordinates to follow them as Albatross leads him past several containers to a separate parking lot and '

'Holy shit, ' Chuuya breathes out.

Six motorcycles. Big. Flashy. And sexy.

'They 're all yours. I, personally, worked on them to make sure they 're going to be in the best shape for today. They 've already been taken for a test drive, so all you have to do is do the job. '

Chuuya glances at him. 'Where will you be? '

'I got the fun part. ' Albatross winks. 'I 'm one of the lucky drivers with the cargo. '

Having, at least, someone who vaguely knows what he 's doing, even if most of his contributions are crude jokes and tales about anecdotes about the people all around them, helps. Chuuya splits his team into different flanks, assigning them each one specific vehicle to shadow on the fifteen-minute ride to the city hall where the auction will be taking place.

He spends a long time musing over which position to take ' front, center, back, sides, studying the map, and imagining the obstacles they might face before eventually coming to the conclusion that none of them are right for him.

Not when he can take a position from above.

At the same time as the revelation, someone calls his name, and Chuuya turns around to see a stern-looking man chaperoning Karma to the site.

Obviously, they made that deal, but a part of Chuuya had doubts. It looks like he shouldn 't have, though.

'Hey, ' he says when Karma comes to a stop in front of him, out of the shabby clothes he was in when they first met and now wearing a suit and all. 'I 'm glad you 're here. '

'I 'm glad you asked me to be here! ' Karma blurts out, his hand reaching up to point at his neck. 'The boss even removed my collar! '

Chuuya frowns, not really sure how that measures up to get free from that dirtbag Ace. 'Well, don 't make me regret it. You afraid of heights? '

Karma 's eyes travel high above before ending up on Chuuya with a resolute shake of his head. 'Not anymore. '

'Better if you tell me now, kid. '

'I, uh, have never actually been anywhere higher than the second floor as far as I remember. The idea of it doesn 't scare me, though! '

Chuuya nods. 'Okay. What about weapons? Do you know how to shoot a gun? Or how to wield a knife? ' They approach the motorcycles. 'How to drive? '

'I learned how to fight on the streets, ' Karma tells him. 'Driving not so much. '

That 's ' a problem.

Then Chuuya spots Albatross chatting with a young woman a few feet away, and his mood lightens. 'You 'll have to learn it soon, but today, you 'll get to be someone 's shotgun and their eyes and ears. ' The silence next to him makes Chuuya look at Karma. Maybe it 's too much, too overwhelming for someone who spent years only serving someone. It 's not that, though. Karma seems to be taking it all in with ' silent awe. To think that a little bit of fresh air, a change of clothes, and some action could do that to someone. 'Got it? '

'Yes, sir. '

Good. Karma will be quite useful ' not necessarily today, but for Chuuya 's plans later for sure.

***

Chuuya 's not exactly certain what it is about doing this that makes him feel so good, so happy, so small, and yet so grand, but when the wind whips past him with twenty-hundred kilometers per hour as his feet carry him from building to building, he doesn 't need a reason. Not really. Whether it 's because there is only one simple goal ' make sure the load arrives at the city hall safe and sound, no complicated cat and mouse games, no strategical chess movies ' or whether he simply likes being high above everyone else doesn 't matter.

On the ground, the car Albatross is driving, also carrying the most important and precious object for tonight, is taking the lead. They are only a few turns away from their destination, and it 's been suspiciously uncomplicated so far. Chuuya 's no fool, though, so he barely glances around himself, trusting that his feet will always find the top of a building, and instead keeps a careful eye on the traffic down below.

It 's not until a few minutes pass that he spots a possible perpetrator. A beluga-blue pickup truck accelerating at a dubiously fast speed. Usually, civilians tend to stay off the roads when they see an array of black cars and several motorcycles surrounding it ' illegal activities are hardly a rarity around Yokohama, especially when the mayor is basically in cahoots with the mafia. Those who still dare to participate are, at least, clever enough to keep a low profile.

Not that car, though.

'Miura, ' Chuuya says into his earpiece, matching his pace to the cars from above. 'Suspicious object at six o 'clock. Do me a favor and slow down a little. '

'On it, sir. '

She 's the formation 's defense line and also the closest to the car so far. If she blocks their path and they become violent, Chuuya will know what to do.

He has a feeling he already knows anyway, but he 's not about to attack civilians for being dumb fools. So he waits and '

As soon as Miura falls behind them, simultaneously blocking the car 's path, they start crowding her.

Chuuya only shakes his head before changing directions and leaping off the building this time. His trajectory is the car itself.

The tricky part is resolving the fight without damaging the road and blocking the other vehicles transporting things to the city hall, so even though it would be easy to turn the blue car into junk with a touch of his pinky, he 'll have to be more delicate.

Then again, there is nothing delicate about the way he crashes through the roof of the truck, knocking out the driver with the landing alone. Immediately, the chaos of flying bullets, angry voices, and the roar of the engine as Chuuya takes over the steering wheel descends on him. Shooting at him is, of course, useless. No one is fast enough to make a grab at him before Chuuya 's already making a sharp 90-degree turn, directing the car away from the road and straight down into the water that surrounds the lane.

They crash through the small fence, and the moment they all start to plummet, Chuuya makes himself weigh significantly lighter, floating out of the car before it hits the ocean water.

Squatting down on the part of the fence that 's still intact, Chuuya watches them sink. If they 're smart enough, they 'll manage to get out of the wreck before drowning.

He doesn 't stay for long, still having to make sure the rest of the trip goes smoothly.

It does.

***

There 's still daylight outside when Chuuya successfully finishes the jobs, the city hall bustling with animated energy as people in suits and waistcoats prepare the floors where the auction, both the legal and the underground one, will be taking place. He already cleared his five people to leave. Karma stuck around since he used to room in Ace 's basement, and going back there isn 't the wisest choice right now. So until Chuuya arranged something for him, the two of them stay together.

'So, what'd you think? ' Chuuya asks him as they both walk down a carpeted hallway.

'Way cooler than serving coffee and snacks all day. '

Chuuya snorts. 'Yeah, figures. So you think you 're up for more in the future? '

Karma looks at him, a shadow flitting over his expression. 'Nakahara-san, can I ask why? Why you specifically asked for me? '

Hearing it like that, Chuuya feels like he 's stuck in a deja-vu. It always comes to that one question, in the end.

Why?

Why did Dazai want to take Chuuya as his husband? Why does he need him? Why '? Except that this time, Chuuya 's on the other side of that question mark.

He

is the one using Karma as a pawn for his own games.

Chuuya doesn 't like how it makes him feel, not when he 's supposed to be better than this. Still, he shakes off his own shadow and shrugs.

'You and me, we 're pretty similar. We both grew up on the streets and had to join the mafia without much of a choice. I guess it 's easier if you have someone who understands what you 're going through. Don 't you agree? '

Karma 's lashes flutter a few times before the doubt in his expression visibly clears into something light and colorful, and he gives Chuuya a deep bow. 'Thank you so much! I will devote my life to you! '

'Don 't be so loud, ' Chuuya hisses, frantically looking around to see if anyone heard them. 'I 'm not the boss! '

Karma scratches his neck. 'Y-yeah, of course, I will devote my life to the boss as well! To both of you! '

That sounds more acceptable, and Chuuya lets out a breath, pinching the bridge of his nose to get his thoughts in order. 'Okay. Okay. Let 's just find someone to organize your lodgings. '

Karma nods and follows him like Chuuya actually knows what he 's doing ' he doesn 't, not really. Technically, he 's not even sure whether he 's allowed to make Karma promises such as living somewhere else, but he 'll figure something out. Even if it means accepting another one of Dazai 's ridiculous deals.

Thankfully, Chuuya spots the perfect man a few minutes later.

Albatross, who is perched against a bar that is being set up and chatting with the service workers with a broad, sunny grin on his face. Chuuya can 't help but wonder, maybe even be a little jealous, how someone working in the mafia manages to maintain this kind of attitude. So cheerful all the time. As light as a breeze.

The moment Albatross notices the two of them approaching, his smile curves impossibly wider, and he waves them over with a flailing arm, almost knocking over the array of empty glasses on the counters. 'Oi, I 'm so glad you haven 't left yet, or else I would have had to hunt you down. You know, I 'm fast, but it 's still not that easy! '

'Huh? Why would you ' nevermind. First, I need a favor. '

'A favor? I 'm all ears, brother. '

'Karma needs a place to live, ' Chuuya says, placing a palm on the boy 's shoulder. 'Preferably as far away from Ace as possible. Do you know anyone I could ask? '

Albatross pff-ts and shakes his head like he just heard someone tell a funny joke. 'But that 's not even an actual favor, my man. I was already thinking of ways to hide a body! '

The waitress closest to them, polishing a glass in her hands, doesn 't even bat an eyelash even though she most definitely heard them. Considering they 're in the

underground

area of the auction, not the legal one happening the floors above, she 's probably part of the mafia as well.

'That 's easy, ' Albatross continues. 'Let me make a few phone calls, and then someone will come to pick up Karma. You ' ' He shoots Chuuya a narrowed-eyed look that 's all jokes and smiles. ' ' stay here. Boss has another job for you, and I get to have you all to myself until then. ' Chuuya only raises one brow. 'Joking. That was a joke! I 'm sure you can leave but seriously, be back for the after-party. Orders from all the way up. '

It takes less than twenty minutes for a guy to show up to take care of Karma and leave with him just as fast. Albatross assures Chuuya that he will get a phone so he will be on-call for any future missions. Although there are still a few hours until the after-party, Chuuya decides to stay with Albatross. It 's not like he has anything to do at home anyway, and, frankly, the auction looks ' interesting. Chuuya both half-dreads, half-looks forward to seeing what kind of objects exactly they were sure to transport so carefully.

Albatross explains that all of the mafia organizations and families from other territories in Japan send their high-ranking representatives to attend the auction ' it 's, more or less, a 'dick-measuring contest ', according to him. A way to show off their wealth to the community, make a name for themselves and get their hands on rare goods that they wouldn 't get anywhere else. Tonight 's most anticipated price and simultaneously the one Chuuya was responsible for is a '

'A horse?! '

'A mare, ' Albatross says, nodding eagerly. 'And she 's

magnificent

; rumored to be one of the last remains of a wild breed, a bitch to tame, even harder to find and catch, but worth it a million times because they 're supposed to have thunderbolts in their veins. If you manage to get your hands on one, you 're pretty much set for life because you will win every race there is. '

'If they 're so popular, then why is she the last? '

'Well, because us people are greedy. We fucked up their natural habitat, and as I said, domestication only works out one out of ten times. It 's like trying to bottle lightning, y 'know. '

Chuuya makes a face.

'As an avid enjoyer of fast things, I 'd love to get my hands on one hand someday, ' Albatross says with a dreamy sigh. 'I 'd treat her right. I doubt I 'll ever be rich enough, tho '. '

'Not even with all the blood money? ' Chuuya asks dryly.

Albatross shakes his head. 'Nope. She 's

that

valuable. Boss could, but he 's sorta humble for a millionaire. ' Then his eyes shoot to Chuuya, wide and excited. 'Maybe you ' '

'I have, like, fifty yen in my wallet. '

'You 're married now. What happened to

what is mine is yours?

Does true love not exist anymore? '

Chuuya snorts. Their marriage exists because of a lot of things, but

love

is not one of them.

They spend the rest of the afternoon walking around, visiting different stalls stationed over two entire floors of the city hall that are auctioning smaller, less risque items. Chuuya finds himself actually listening to the stories Albatross tells him about the different mafia clans that are here today, not only because it 's valuable knowledge for his secret plans but also oddly entertaining. By the time they 've made a few rounds, Chuuya 's stomach is growling with hunger, so they sit down in one of the restaurants, each plate of food better than the last one, and all of it free thanks to Alabtross ' charming wits and his connections.

Chuuya has almost forgotten why he is still here until Albatross takes a look at the gold watch around his wrist and startles out of his seat, announcing that he has to be somewhere.

'Wait, what kind of job did you mean earlier? '

'Oh, that! I 'm not sure myself, actually. Boss just said to keep you here. I 'll call him, but he 's supposed to be here any minute now anyway. Look at how anxious everyone is! Like little ants, haha! '

He 's not wrong. The people Chuuya has met today have all been diligent in their duties anyway, but they 've been even more so in the last few minutes, the manager of the restaurant running back and forth ' wearing eight-centimeter tall stilettos, mind you, shooing the poor waiters around like cattle, workers desperately cleaning the dish to make it shine.

Chuuya watches Albatross leave, then finds himself a place at the bar to wait, only ordering a glass of coke in case his job involves more driving. His piss-poor tolerance might be a little embarrassing, but at least, Chuuya has enough self-awareness to recognize when not to drink. He 's lifting the glass to his mouth when he feels the whole place go still, signaling the arrival of a heavy presence.

It 's not hard to guess

who

is responsible for the shift in the air. Chuuya still turns around to check, though, not surprised to see Dazai waltz into the restaurant, wearing an all-black suit that reeks of money and power and his trademark scarf which makes Chuuya briefly glance down at his blouse, painted in the same exact shade of said scarf. They 're matching.

Dazai is also heading straight towards him, greeting him with a nod and a, 'exceptional work today, Chuuya. '

The shocking softness of those words makes Chuuya scowl to cover the surprise on his face as he leans against the bar. 'Thanks. ' His throat feels a little dry all of a sudden, so he swallows before speaking. 'So, what are you doing here? I thought it 's too dangerous for you to be showing face. '

'It 's not without risk, ' Dazai says, settling one elbow on the bar counter, 'but I have a capable bodyguard who will make sure I will be safe and sound the entire night. '

Chuuya glances around. He can see Mafiosi at the doors, but those are pretty far away ' too far away to protect someone as prominent as the boss. 'Can 't be

that

capable if they 're not even here. '

'He 's standing right in front of me, ' Dazai informs him with a casual smile.

Chuuya 's chin jerks back. 'Hah? Me? '

'Don 't you always whine about not working enough? Well, here it is, Chuuya. Another job. You can handle making sure I stay alive for a few hours, don 't you? '

'Of course, I can, ' Chuuya replies, rising to the bait before he can stop himself. 'That 's child 's play. '

Dazai 's laughter is powdery snow on a winter morning, soft and icy. 'Don 't be too hasty. A lot of people want to see me dead. '

Yes, Chuuya can imagine since he is one of them, which makes his job as Dazai 's bodyguard ironic in a way '. and it 's most likely the reason Dazai made this happen in the first place.

With a click of his tongue, Chuuya mirrors his position against the bar. 'They can try, but they won 't win against gravity. '

'Your ability is certainly powerful. ' Dazai lifts his fingers and gestures something at the bartender, who gets to work right away. 'Just do me a favor and don 't touch me. '

Chuuya blinks. 'Uh, okay? ' When he doesn 't get another explanation, he nods again, albeit with a puzzled frown. 'Yeah, okay. '

The rule, the friendly suggestion, shouldn 't be that weird considering Dazai 's entire body and half of his face are covered in bandages. Chuuya doubts its for

aesthetical

reasons. He just didn 't assume they were a visible sign to keep strangers ' hands off him either. A request is a request, though, and Chuuya will not go out of his way to break it ' not that he had that many reasons to touch Dazai, to begin with.

'Do you want something to drink? ' Dazai asks him.

'Not if I 'm on duty, ' Chuuya replies. If this is some sort of test, then it 's a low one. Chuuya 's really not as stupid as Dazai thinks he is.

Dazai smothers his chuckle with a hand. 'So dutiful. '

Chuuya chooses to ignore that. No matter his answer, Dazai would probably come up with

something

to snicker about anyway. He can do that by himself.

The bartender slides Dazai 's drink over the counter, and Dazai takes his sweet time wrapping his long, nimble fingers around it and raising it to his mouth. Chuuya has to muffle a snort when he notices the umbrella sticking out of it.

Fruity.

Gesturing Chuuya to follow him, Dazai gets up, leading them into the direction of the main auction hall. 'Tell me, Chuuya. Have you ever been to an auction? '

Does he look like someone who has? The streets don 't exactly hold a lot of those ' or any at all.

'No, ' Chuuya says, biting down the sarcastic reply on his tongue because, despite the candor of the response, Dazai doesn 't actually sound like he 's trying to mock him.

'Do you know what items are being auctioned tonight then? '

'Albatross told me about some. A damn horse ' '

'Ah, yes. Lady Noriko. A worthy possession. '

Chuuya glances at him from the side. 'Are you planning on bidding on her? '

'I bet Albatross would love that, ' Dazai says, clearly amused. 'But no. I have my eyes set on something else. '

Before he has the chance to ask him what exactly that is, they enter the crowded ballroom. Tall, vaulted ceilings, massive tiered crystal chandeliers in the color of glitter and gold, and guests wearing tuxedos and gowns greet them. Even though the lights are dimmed, creating an intimate, classy affair, the moment they enter, all eyes seem to fall to them anyway as if there is an invisible spotlight above them '

Above Dazai.

Come to think of it, this must be one of the few times the port mafia boss has ever made an appearance. Chuuya doubts that everyone realizes who exactly he is. Not everyone must have had the privilege of meeting him before, but judging by the way, the air seems to shift around him, growing dense and heavy like his presence simply weighs more than that of ordinary folks, the people, at least, notice that he is clearly important.

Chuuya 's shoulders straighten as his immediate fight response kicks in, taking tonight 's job to protect Dazai perhaps more seriously than he should. After all, would it not be easier to pretend to be too weak and let the boss die instead of attempting to take him down himself? Luca would scream

yes. Just let him die.

Another smarter voice whispers,

wait.

He 's not ready yet. Not ready for anything of that sort. Gods, he doesn 't even have a proper plan aside from

take him out from the inside.

The light brush of Dazai 's fingers on his arm yanks him out of his head; Chuuya swallows and follows Dazai as he weaves his way through the crowd, offering charming smiles and polite nods in passing. Their goal is Albatross, who is now wearing an equally fancy suit, and who stares at Dazai, then at Chuuya with huge eyes.

'Boss, I really don 't think this is a good idea just showing up here like that. '

'It 's fine, ' Dazai says casually. 'I have Chuuya to protect me. '

Albatross rubs his temple, oozing stress hormones. 'I mean ' I guess ' '

'Let 's mingle. I want to make introductions. '

He doesn 't realize what exactly Dazai means with that until an older woman, flanked by two guards, approaches Dazai, initiating a conversation that Chuuya watches but only half-heartedly listens to and a hand on his back quite literally pushes Chuuya into the spotlight and says, 'this is my husband Nakahara Chuuya. '

The eyes inside his skull almost bulge. Yes, technically that 's what Chuuya is but that was a technicality for an alliance! Why would Dazai go around introducing him like it actually matters?

'I, uh ' hi! ' In a moment of despair, Chuuya 's eyes flash to Dazai, waiting for a mocking smirk to show him how stupid he 's acting. Yet all he finds is a gaze that is as steady as a mountain, patient and oddly reassuring.

The woman, Madame Jang, gives him a polite bow, and Chuuya clumsily mirrors it. Her smile is kind but sharp as she scans him. 'Will Sir Nakahara be joining the circle? '

'I 'm working on it so he can relieve me from all those duties very soon, actually, ' Dazai says, his smile open and playful ' whatever the hell that means.

Madame Jang 's face twists in chiding exasperation. 'Don 't be silly, Dazai. You would be missed. '

Dazai 's visible eye crinkles as he holds a hand to his heart. 'You flatter me. Really. However, I 'm sure you will find my husband to be just as delightful. '

She doesn 't seem to be that easily impressed but she still politely chooses not to deepen that topic and instead exchanges a few friendly words with Albatross. Dazai, on the other hand, leans closer to Chuuya to explain that the circle is a yearly council meeting between the heads of the mafia all over the world to discuss plans and strategies. He also mentions that Madame Yu is the head of a South Korean mafia clan and also the one who will most likely take home Lady Noriko tonight.

The world!

And Chuuya 's supposed to replace Dazai in those meetings soon?!

Chuuya 's chest sags with relief when the speakers over-head announce the start of the auction show, and Dazai leads them to a secluded seating area specifically reserved for them. That means no more introductions, but more specifically: no more sudden heart attacks. There have been enough of those for tonight.

At first, Chuuya tries to stand ' easier to do his job this way ' but Dazai wordlessly drags him down into his seat, so he has no choice but to relent with a sigh, feeling several conflicting emotions warring inside his ribcage like broken butterflies.

Dazai is just so... so shamelessly, illogically, and incredibly

friendly.

Kind, almost, as he makes sure to explain hierarchies and terms that Chuuya 's not familiar with, ever so understanding no matter how many times Chuuya embarrasses himself, and weirdly respectful in front of everyone. Not like Chuuya is a hostage that he obtained by making a move on his chessboard, but like Chuuya is a friend that he decided to bring along to an event like this.

Then again, Chuuya has been playing his role as a bodyguard well too, so can he really blame Dazai for his outstanding performance? And glancing at Dazai from the side, Chuuya comes to the tentative realization that maybe, just maybe, he doesn 't need to get close to simply anyone, not when he has the perfect opportunity to get close to the snake disguised as prince charming itself.

For the next few minutes, Chuuya focuses on both the show and glancing around the two of them every few seconds, making sure no one is trying to sneak up on the boss. Occasionally ' when Chuuya 's face bleeds into a visibly puzzled face ' Dazai provides commentary on the items being auctioned: a precious vase, a saber, an ability amplifier, a really, really old bottle of wine.

He finds himself scowling once again when the picture of an

egg

appears on the widescreen on the stage, the host mentioning the words

dragon, old, rumored,

though Chuuya chooses the more convenient option for lore:

'Is that an actual dragon egg? ' he whispers.

Dazai 's one eye glimmers when he meets his gaze. 'It 's rumored to be. I heard that it was created with an incredibly rare ability ' one of the first ones that came to be ' whose kind has completely died out since. '

'But, ' Chuuya 's frowning so hard, he 's sure he will have wrinkles etched into his face soon, 'if dragons existed, surely someone would have discovered that by now? '

'You have too much faith in people. Look at abilities. They have existed for decades, yet non-ability users rarely bring it up because it scares them, forcing most people into organizations like the mafia to exercise them freely. Do you really think something like dragons could exist without another man-made war? '

Well ' 'If you say it like that, ' Chuuya mutters and turns back to the stage where the bid caller is almost done selling the egg. 'Owning a pet dragon does sound rather cool, though. I can 't really blame people for wanting to have one. '

Not even a moment after the words leave his mouth, the host says, '181 million ', Dazai 's hand ' the one holding the auction paddle ' shoots up. Chuuya 's head snaps to his left, but Dazai is content to ignore him. Someone on the other side of the room bids as well. The price climbs once again, yet Dazai 's paddle keeps rising up and then '

'Sold for 190 million to 69! '

Dazai.

'Thank you very much. '

A mixture of voices murmur and discuss this surprising turn of events. All Dazai does, though, is lazily lean back in his seat and pretend like he didn 't just buy a goddamn dragon egg at the drop of a hat.

'Why did you do that?! ' Chuuya hisses.

Dazai tilts his head. 'Didn 't you say it 's cool? '

'Uh ' yeah, but that doesn 't mean you should go ahead and buy it! '

'Consider it a belated wedding gift. '

'Dazai, take it back! I don 't want it! '

He does ' but not like that. Not for so much money. And not from Dazai.

'Relax, Chuuya, ' Dazai says, waving his hand. 'It is just an egg, and this is an auction. I can 't just give it back. '

Chuuya 's chest is still bubbling with startled irritation, but by now, he has learned that Dazai is as stubborn as a brick wall and so nonchalant about it that it 's ten times more frustrating to argue with him than to argue with literally anyone else, like yelling at peaceful, poofy cloud high above you, uncaring of how many profanities you spit out. Crossing his arms like a petulant child, Chuuya turns away and spends the rest of the show grumbling in silence. He only perks up again when Dazai bids again. This time, for a silver compass. He doesn 't ask any questions about it this time, scared that Dazai might just give it to him again.

Once the crude spotlight on the podium dims, signaling the end of the show, and the people start dispersing, Chuuya lets out a long breath. It 's been a long day, and he spent most of it on his having heart palpitations. Burying himself in his bed right now sounds like a dream. But Dazai seems to have other plans, leading Chuuya not outside and back to the base but in the other direction.

He realizes where when Dazai gives his auction paddle to a strict-looking clerk with a permanent frown who makes him sign a few dozen papers before disappearing in a vault behind him and coming out with '

The egg.

He comes out with the egg.

'Do you want it wrapped? '

Dazai looks at Chuuya.

Chuuya blinks. 'Uh, can I hold it first? '

'Sure. '

The clerk hands him the egg, and Chuuya accepts it, careful to be very soft when he touches it even though it 's pretty solid and heavy in his hands, the mahogany-colored shell rippled with scales.

'Holy fuck, ' Chuuya breathes, staring at it, 'I 'm holding a dragon egg. '

Dazai leans down to inspect it from up-close before straightening again and raising his brows. 'So Chuuya isn 't mad anymore? '

'I wasn 't mad, ' Chuuya is quick to snap back, still clutching the egg to his chest in case ' it might hear his angry voice. 'Just confused! People don 't spend so much money on someone unless they want something in return. ' Which brings up the eternal question: just what exactly does Dazai Osamu want from him?

Amusement trickles out of every line on Dazai 's smiling face. 'You don 't believe that I simply wanted you to have a dragon egg? '

Chuuya only rolls his eyes.

'Fine. ' Sighing, Dazai loosens the tie around his neck. 'Maybe I did have ulterior motives. Maybe I wanted you to be a little nicer to me. '

'You bought me a dragon egg, so I would be nicer to you? What, you trying to buy yourself into a friendship? Is that it? You 're a bored man on the top of the world and need someone to spend your time with because you 're lonely? ' It 's supposed to be sarcasm, even if Chuuya does wonder whether there is a tinge of truth to it. To his surprise, though, Dazai doesn 't rise to the bait. He takes the question seriously ' at least, he makes it seem like he does.

'That depends, ' Dazai says, taking a step closer. 'Is it working? '

'I 'm not sure. I expected a lot of outcomes when we agreed to become your allies, but not once did I ever see something like a friendship to be in the cards for us. '

A waiter passes them with a tray of champagne, and Dazai politely stops them from stealing a glass before giving Chuuya a reply. 'Then you think too much. Didn 't you have fun tonight? Are you not trying to stifle a smile right now? '

Chuuya feels like the man just ripped off his clothes, leaving him exposed and naked. That treacherous curve tugging at the corner of his mouth falls. And he shoots Dazai a

shut up

look before turning away, watching lights and colors dance over the shadow of bodies in the distance where the after-party is taking off.

Being friends with Dazai?

What an odd concept, especially when they are both aware of the blatant falsehood of that fairytale-like suggestion. Dazai isn 't looking for a friend in Chuuya. Not really. And if by some chance he is, then it 's only an afterthought of whatever plans he has in store for him.

Chuuya 's not looking for anything but a weak spot in Dazai 's impenetrable armor either. But he cannot deny that despite its strangeness, it is an useful concept, too. One that guarantees to grant Chuuya many more opportunities to get his hands on something solid and something

dirty.

END OF PART I