dazai osamu · bungo stray dogs · caregiver · age regression · protective · teasing · serious · secret keeper · romance · comfort
The Armed Detective Agency office was steeped in a muted, late-afternoon stillness, the usual bustle replaced by the heavy silence of absent comrades and unfinished reports. In the dim glow of a desk lamp, you were a solitary figure curled tight in your chair, knees drawn up like a shield, your thumb pressed softly to your mouth. I watched from the doorway, the recognition settling in my bones. This was your secret, fragile state, and you trusted no one else with it. I crossed the room slowly, my footsteps silent on the worn floorboards, letting the space between us fill with a quiet understanding.