The Time We've Shared (Female Atsushi x Bungou Stray Dogs)

Chapter 6: White Tiger

Atsushi panted heavily from the strain of trying to use her ability multiple times. Determined, she kept trying and trying to prove Dazai that he wasn't wrong to put his trust and faith in her. "I can do this!" She encouraged herself. "I can feel myself getting closer to my goal! And.. Dazai-san can't tease me anymore about it.."

~a few hours earlier~

"This is where you'll be staying, Atsushi-chan!" Dazai cheered, showing Atsushi around the male Atsushi's apartment. "I've mentioned it before but since Atsushi-kun won't be here for a while, you can stay here for as long as you want!" He paused, his voice taking a softer and quieter tone. "You'll stay here with us for a while, won't you, Atsushi-chan?"

Startled by Dazai's sudden softness, the girl nodded. "Y-Yeah, I'll probably stay a while," she agreed, not quite knowing where Dazai was leading with this. "I.. I want to learn about my past first, though. Who am I? Where did I come from and why am I here? Dazai-san, I-"

Dazai's sigh caused Atsushi to fall silent. After a few seconds, he mustered up a smile. "Why don't you focus on your future with me~? Let's commit lover's suicide, Atsushi-chan!"

"I-Is this really the time for that?!" Atsushi exclaimed.

Dazai laughed before patting Atsushi's back. "If you want to go after the fire ability user and find out about your past, you're gonna have to figure out how your ability works~"

"Oh, I guess that's right," the girl nodded. "Is there any place I could- No, I won't rely on you any longer, Dazai-san! I'm gonna do this on my own!" Determined, Atsushi slapped her cheeks to get her mind into 'focus mode'. Before she could remove her hands from her cheeks, Dazai had pressed his hands to hers. "What are you doing, Dazai-san?"

"I'm holding the entire world in my hands," Dazai flirted before leaning in.

"Waaaait! This is only chapter six, we can't have any romantic interactions yet!" Blushing harshly, Atsushi suddenly shouted, forcing Dazai off of her. "Sorry, Dazai-san!" She rushed out of the apartment, not knowing where she was going.

Dazai curiously gazed at her retreating figure. "What do you mean by chapter six, Atsushi-chan?" He questioned rhetorically, knowing that she wouldn't hear him. "I wonder if she'll be okay.."

~flashback end~

"Okay! One more time!" Atsushi nodded to herself before trying to activate her ability. "Special ability: Beast Underneath the Moonlight!"

For the sixth time that day, she had failed to activate her ability again. She sighed and wiped away the sweat that was forming on her forehead.

"Hello, Atsushi," Akutagawa suddenly greeted, coming from the shadows of the warehouse they were in.

"Akutagawa!" Startled, Atsushi had activated her ability, her hands and feet turning into paws and her face getting a lil bit of fur. "What are you doing here?!"

"Watching you," he bluntly stated. "This is your first day and so much has happened."

"H-How would you know?!" She took a step back as he took a step forward. "Did you have something to do with why I'm here?!"

Akutagawa thought of the Port Mafia's plan and shook his head. "Not directly," he coughed into his hand. "The Port Mafia, the organization I'm apart of, has answers for you if you join us."

"Join the mafia?! Never!" Atsushi hissed through gritted teeth. The more she thought about joining the Port Mafia to get answers, the more she got tense. "I don't want the hurt people!"

"There was a member of the Port Mafia that didn't kill people a few years ago. Although, he was the lowest ranking member.." Akutagawa trailed off, hoping to tempt Atsushi. "Or if joining us isn't your taste, you can just marry me and I'll tell you everything I know."

"I want to marry for true love, not for a stupid reason like that!" Atsushi exclaimed, flustered. "I'll tell you what I told Dazai-san: we only met a few hours ago!!"

"They say within 24 hours of meeting someone, you can fall in love with them," Akutagawa explained before taking long strides towards Atsushi and taking her hands in his own. He kneeled down on one knee. "Marry me, Atsushi. I'll take care of you."

Flowers and sparkles seemed to appear in his aura as he purposed (again). "I said that I want to marry for love!" Atsushi repeated, not making any exceptions. "So stop asking me to marry you!!"

Akutagawa sighed, standing up and taking his hands back from Atsushi. "Then.." He paused, coughing into his hand. "I'll make you fall in love with me in 10 days."

"10 days? I doubt that," Atsushi turned away before realizing something. "I activated my ability somehow! This is amazing! If only I remembered how to do it.."

"You activated your ability the instant you saw me," Akutagawa added helpfully. "Perhaps the feelings you hold for me reacted subconsciously?"

Deactivating her ability, Atsushi sighed irritatedly. "The only feelings I have for you are feelings of hatred."

"I suppose we all react to love in different ways," Akutagawa referenced his first reaction to the girl. He didn't want to be like this to her at all. He wanted to be cold, distant, put his feelings in a box and lock it, throwing away the key. But.. Something about Atsushi (the female one) activated something deep inside him. Love. Akutagawa would wait eternity for Atsushi to say 'I love you' back to him.

"It's not love," Atsushi responded coldly. "How'd you find out where I was anyway?"

Akutagawa admired Atsushi's feminine features closely, watching how her expression changed with what was said and or what was done. He wished Atsushi would smile for him. "I need to tell you something."