Work Text:
fall was just around the corner. themed drinks, changing leaves, holidays, and cold weather. it was alot of peoples favorite season for a reason. yokohama always looked better during autumn. the crepe shop down by the peir that atsushi, ranpo, and kyouka would always visit had fall sales starting in september. the park downtown was great for picnics or just simple strolls in the afternoon since the leaves were starting to change.. september held many memories for many people; including dazai osamu.
septemer was the month oda died. the month his whole world changed. the month he left his partner, the month his only friendships were destroyed, the month he left his toxic life behind him. september, a month that made dazai really think. think about what it couldve and shouldve been. but things dont work out that way.
on a rainy september day dazai walked into work. tomorrow is the anniversary, five years, of odas untimely death. nobody needed to know that, though. he walked through the door with a red scarf hanging around his neck and a smile etched on his face that if you looked hard enough you could tell was fake. something in his gut told him today would be off.
atsushi kindly greeted him and dazai greeted him back. he walked over to his desk and perched a hand under his chin. "are you just going to sit there all day and do nothing?" kunikida asked as he looked up at his partner from his computer. ranpo walked over to the pair before dazai could respond. "hey now! he only just got here! you'll do your work, right dazai?" the latter shot ranpo a thankful glance full of understanding and appreciation. ranpo returned the glance. "yes ranpo, i surely will! dont be such a fuss when i've ony just gotten here kunikidaaa~!" kunikida rolled his eyes at dazais pronunciation of his name and muttered something akin to "whatever", and "yeah right."
it had been a couple hours and dazai was so close to sleep it was painful. the second he closed his eyes to go to sleep, kunikida woke him up. by the third time, he had to shout at dazai. there was definitely some well hiden worry laced into his tone. dazai and kunikida were partners, its only right to be worried. especially when the other looks like they havent slept in a few days. maybe more.
the end of the work day rolled around excruciatingly slow. dazai ended up making atsushi do his reports with only minimul feedback, since his mentee was oh so used to it by now. though, this month dazai had been making him do even the simplest of tasks. atsushi silently wonders if theres something going on beneath the surface.
dazai exited the building with yet another glance from ranpo. yet now, this one screamed: "hey! don't do anything stupid!" dazai knew ranpo cared for him, for that he was thankful. they had a certain understanding nobody else in the agency did, and it made him glad to have a friend he could trust. even if ranpo already knew all his secrets.
while he was walking to the edge of town, he came across a cat. it stumbled into his path right after his shoe crunched onto a particularly orange leaf. like the cats fur. the cat had bright big hazel eyes and amber fur that looked so fluffy and inviting. it reminded him too much of oda. "hey there, little thing." he said gently, way out of character for him. the cat rubbed its head onto dazais leg, like it already knew him. "i was just visiting someone, wanna come with?" the cat let out a raspy meow, and dazai took that as a yes.
once he and the cat arrived to the cemetery they walked onto a familiar hill and leaned against a familiar headstone. "why did you follow me here, cat?" the cat did not respond. after a few minutes of silence dazai spoke. its not like the cat would speak back to him anyways. "you know, i had friend once. he looks an awful lot like you. thats actually whos grave we're at right now." yet again, the cat did not respond and only bore its hazel eyes at him, like it was trying to convey a message.
dazai was daringly tired. the rainy fall weather and events that tomorrow would hold settled deep into his mind. god, he needed a nap. "here kitty, im tired." dazai said and pat his leg for the cat to sit on. the cat walked over and nestled itself near dazais right thigh. both of them soon fell into a heavy breathing pattern and let sleep overtake their body and mind.
dazai stood in a field, red and orange leaves carried the wind with a slight breeze. there stood oda sakunosuke in the distance, just far enough for someone who knew him to tell who it was. he turned and waved at dazai, a slight but signature smile dusting his face.
dazai woke up. the sun was setting, turning the sky the same marvelous hues that colored the autumn leaves that fell beside him. the cat he befriended on the street was still sleeping soundly next to him. "eh, odasaku? came for a visit?" the cat opened its eyes and yawned, adjusting its position on dazais leg before going right back to sleep. dazai placed his hand in the cats fur, letting it rest there.
september was a month dazai usually wishes he could skip altogether. yet now, something about welcoming fall maybe seemed like a wonderful idea. tomorrow and so on would be good days. he could pester kunikida, get sweets with ranpo, watch atsushi grow, and help the children in the agency. he knew right then that oda was proud of him and all he had accomplished for him. or maybe for himself.