"Good job Kyouka. Now on to your next task." Akutagawa turned his back on Kyouka and sat on the stairs of the torture room. You stand next to him and try to meet his eyes. Kyouka walked out of the room and down the hall. Akutagawa didn't move. He stared at the closed eyes that were Dazai's. You continued staring at Akutagawa, waiting for an order.

"Aku? Are you ok?" You asked.

He sighed and waved toward Dazai. You turn to him. Dazai was waking up calmly.

"Go talk to him. I'll leave you alone with him." He stood up.

"No." You grab his hand as he stood. "I don't want you to leave. I want you to stay. Don't leave me."

He stopped and faced Dazai.

"Aren't you two cute!" He teased.

"I'm leaving." Akutagawa walked away. You looked after him longingly.

You step up to Dazai. "How did she get you?"

"She walked up to me, pulled on my sleeve, and started her ability. I didn't have time to react."

"Oh please! I'm not that stupid! You wanted to get caught."

He shrugged.

"Idiot." You say.

He smiled. "Ok go find your boyfriend now!"

"W-what!?" You blush.

"Yeah don't you like him Y/N-Chan?"

"Well duh, but-"

"Go on then! I'm an adult, I can handle being alone!"

"I haven't seen you in four years! I'm not letting the chance to talk to you get away!"

"Alright then."

You sit in front of him. "What's the agency like?"

"Heh. Of course you'd ask that. It's fun." Dazai looked up as if he was looking at his friends through the wall.

"Was it better then this?"

He smiled.

"Oh. So if subordinates disobey they don't get hit?"

He shook his head. "But I do get tossed around a lot by Kunikida...other then that and Yoasno's treatment, violence doesn't exist."

Your eyes widen with wonder. "Wow! And no one yells at me to get my paperwork done? No one tells me to assassinate or give me impossible tasks? I might get to be partners with Akutagawa and I won't have to worry about Higuchi trying to steal Aku or Chuuya yelling for my attention?"

Dazai nodded. "It's not easy to leave the Maifia. But it's not impossible."

You stared at him in awe.

"What do you say? Wanna join the Armed Detective Agency?"

You stiffen, then relax into a slouch. "Of course. If Aku wants to come too."

Dazai hung his head. "Y/N, your your own person you know. You don't owe Akutagawa anything. If that's the case, he owes you everything!"

You shake your head. You and Akutagawa decided when you first got here, not to tell anyone about the river. Not even Dazai.

"Your way off."

"What do you mean? You owe him nothing!"

You stand up. "You don't know what your talking about, Dazai-San."

"What do you owe him!?"

You don't answer.

"You can ignore anyone you want, but please don't ignore me, Y/N-Chan! What do you owe him!?"

"Everything." You mumble and walk away. "Get some sleep, Dazai-San. The hell thats about to come will kill even you if you don't have enough energy to escape."

You walk up the stairs. "Y/N!" He yelled.

"Y/N-Chan! Wait! Please! Don't let them catch him! You gotta protect Atsushi-Kun..." he mumbled the last part and you froze.

You turned. "Why you, you, bastard!" You ran to your office, bumping into a few people on the way. You ran into the door and slammed it. You made sure the curtains were closed and went to the corner.

You buried your head in your knees. You managed to stop yourself from crying, but you were squeezing your knees really hard.

"Y/N? What was that? Are you ok?" Akutagawa's voice sounded sincere for once. He gently shut the door. "The amount of people you hit was incredible for such a slim gir- are you crying over Dazai again?"

"No. No I'm not."

"Then what's wrong with you?" He kneeled down and forcefully pulled your face up with a hand on your chin. He examined your face for signs of tears.

"Dazai-"

"What did he do?" His grip got tighter.

"He said I didn't owe you anything and that I should join the agency."

Akutagawa stiffened. "Tch. What did you say?"

"I would only go if you did." You put your head on his shoulder.

He seemed surprised by your action and didn't move. Like he didn't know where to put his hands or if he should say something.

"Your not going to leave me right?" Akutagawa asked quietly.

You shake your head. "Why would I? You saved my life."

"You didn't need me to realize your life meant something. I'm sure at the last minute you would've realized that throwing away your life was pointless."

"No I wouldn't. I was ten. I didn't know how much a life was worth. No one said how much my life was worth until you."

"How did I do that?"

"You gave me something to look forward to. A reason to smile. To live. Maybe that's why I love you. Because you gave me a purpose."

"Is that what it is? Sticking by someone forever until the day you die? Is it to protect them at all costs. Like you did for me?"

"Yeah." Now tears started flowing. You taught him the meaning of love. A heartless, merciless, killing machine, and you taught it love. "It could be the fact you're the first person to talk to me but, I love you, Akutagawa. And because I love you, I will never leave you. There isn't a moment I don't wish to protect you. And I want to be with you at all times. Please, Aku. Let me love you."

He held your head close. "Of course I will. If love is wanting to be with someone and protect them, then I guess I've always loved you, Y/N. Please, never let me be without you and let me continue to protect you and love you."

"Ok." You sniffle and snuggled into his embrace.

Akutagawa loves me. Surely it wasn't that easy. He always loved me? He never wants to leave me and he wants to protect me? He wants to love me. All this time, my Senpai loved me back. Could there be a better feeling? Akutagawa. I love you too.