Orange Cat Atsushi

Comic from an incorrect quote by @flamie-42

WHY IS THE QUALITY SO GOD DAMN BAD?!

Concept: Atsushi with looser morals.

Atsushi was raised in an environment where the kind die first. A place where he was taught the only person you can trust is yourself.

Atsushi learned how to survive a point system that never rewarded him. He would do other kids chores, take their punishments in exchange for food.

He was raised in hell and it meant that he learned to survive by any means necessary.

Atsushi stops Junichiro and passes his entrance exam because Dazai and Kunikida were kind to him. They gave him food, shelter and saved him when no one else ever has.

He doesn’t get involved until they’re put in danger. In his eyes he was paying them back for it and the job was completely unexpected.

Obviously Atsushi accepts because where else was he gonna go with no qualifications and an ability he can’t control.

He does pay Kunikida back for the 30 bowls of tea on rice even if the other says he doesn’t need too.

As if not paying his debts ever felt like an option to him.

Atsushi doesn’t think he’s a good person. He follows the law because the Agency (sometimes) does. He helps protect the city because the Agency does.

And working with the Agency gives him shelter and money so that he can eat and thus live.

Atsushi doesn’t think he belongs with them. He’s a coward and in the end he only really looks out for himself. In his eyes he’s not a good person.

Definitely not someone worth their kindness nor their belief and trust.

When the Port Mafia comes for his bounty he runs off without a second thought. He only comes back because Kunikida calls him to come help with the clean up.

Atsushi just silently sweeps up debris dodging the questions demanding to know where he was.

He doesn’t get why they don’t just sell him out. Sure they can clearly handle the Port Mafia but the bounty would be useful to them all.

It’s not like he’s worth keeping around. Certainly not for Dazai to let himself get kidnapped for.

He’s just another ungrateful mouth to feed as the Heasmaster would call him.

And he’s not wrong because Atsushis whole life has been spent trying to survive to his next day that actually being able to live his life feels weird to him.

He doesn’t really know how too. He had no dreams ot aspirations. He never thought he’d live long enough to escape the orphanage.

Maybe he should just hand himself over? Take the cash and dip while the others use his wage for something far more useful.

Maybe find someone worth keeping around.

But Atsushi doesn’t.

Because as times go on he starts to realise that not only does the Agency care about him. But that he cares for them too.

He likes watching Dazai and Kunikida bicker. He feels a sense of comfort when Yosano asks if he’s okay. When Ranpo tells him that he did a good job.

But the real kicker is when Atsushi meets Kyouka because all his instincts scream that he should run.

But he doesn’t.

Because Yosano is counting on him to protect the trains civilians. And he doesn’t want to let her down.

Kyouka Izumi is not a civilian.

Kyouka Izumi has a bomb strapped to her chest and has killed 35 people and will probably kill him too.

The Agency might be disappointed if he took her out but they’d understand.

But Atsushi has no reason to save her, for god’s sake he can’t even save himself how can he possibly help her?

So why does he look into her eyes and see himself. He sees a survivor, he sees someone who won’t fight him back because living was never an option for her.

Well who decides that?

Who decides whether or not if a person deserves to live or die? He didn’t think he deserved too and yet he was saved.

To live your whole life thinking such a thing…isn’t living at all. Atsushi wouldn’t wish such a thing even on his worst enemy.

“I don’t want to kill anyone else”

He moves without a second thought and the next thing he knows is he’s in the Agencies infirmary.

“Why did you bring her here?”

“I don’t know! Because you told me that we help people. And she…she needed help.”

He can barely understand it himself and yet the look Kunikida gives him is both exasperated and proud.

“So you finally admit it then. Hmm, I’ll speak to the President and we’ll go from there.”

“Admit what?”

“That you’re a member of the Armed Detective Agency. You’ve finally accepted that you’re one of us.”

Oh.

Oh he did, didn’t he?

And it felt right.

And so Atsushi makes himself a promise.

That if the Agency wants him to be kind then he’ll be kind. If the Agency wants him to fight then he’ll give it everything he’s got.

If the Agency wants him to sacrifice his life he’ll do so without question.

Because Atsushi doesn’t know how to live for himself so he’ll live for them.

And if they care for this city and all those within it then he’ll treasure it.

Concept: Atsushi having the most terrifying reputation outside of the Agency.

The police know him as a dangerous beast that they couldn’t handle on their alone. And the man eating tiger rumours may not have ever been dispelled.

The Port Mafia know him as powerful ability user that not only bested Akutugawa. But put him in a coma no one thought he’d wake up from.

And subsequently became the only person that can match Akutugawa as an equal.

The fight between Lucy where Atsushi threatened to trap her “in a hell of her own making” was all witnessed by Mori.

And that the only reason their organisations are allied is because of Atsushi.

The Guild watched Atsushi jump off the Moby Dick while being gunned down and survive. They know he survived Lucy’s ability and defeated Fitzgerald.

The special abilities division know the hand he played in taking down Shibusawa as well as every battle he’s ever had.

Even random gangs in Yokohama have heard about that time the Agency went after that one guy for attacking their staff.

The trial of bodies that Atsushi left behind as he went after the rest.

“Oh shit it’s the weretiger” is a cry that no one ever wants knows to hear.

I had a vision

Pls reblog :3 <33

BSD SPOILERS POSSIBLE BSD SPOILERS IM SORRY I DON’T KNOW HOW TO ADD CONTENT LITTLE WARNINGS FOR SPOILERS

what if because of Fyodors (possible or confirmed unsure) religious past and present, he thinks Atsushi isnt “man” enough due to his reaction to his offer to join the DOA, he see’s him more a “boy” and less than a “man” because he’s more emotional.

What if the orphanage told Atsushi that and that’s why he’s so insecure and why thinks he’s so weak, i believe there are SOME implications that the orphanage could’ve possibly been religious, and with how he was treated its possible they could’ve told him stuff like how he’s “not ready to be a man yet” because he’d was just a more emotional kid

okay thats it!! i’lll go back to drawing, #1 atsushi fan is leaving now

GUYS

Y’all honestly need to give more love to atsushi bc he’s underrated in his OWN SHOW.

“But he’s a boring mc-“ Nuh Uh

He’s literally connected to the book somehow, his ability can literally rip other abilities to shreds,

Plus the theories on how he ended up in the orphanage and how much else he doesn’t even know happened to him bc he somehow forgot LITERALLY GETTING TORTURED BY SHIBUSAWA.

(My hc is that the headmaster definitely forced atsushi to be a cannibal-)

Like, his character is genuinely so interesting, and he’s one of the most mysterious characters in the show.

Same w Byakko. Like, an entirely sentient ability? Hello?

Plus all the shit w the headmaster?

And yet people say he’s boring… 😐

...

atsushi (like me as a kid tbh) would just absolutely devour books. he fully taught himself to read beyond being taught the alphabet and since then he would be reading books like normal people breathe.

whenever he wasn’t locked in the basement, doing chores or otherwise facing the Horrors™️, he could be found hiding between the shelves in the library.

still, his options of books were pretty limited to whatever the orphanage had stocked or whatever would be donated throughout the years.

so when he joined the agency and had both a house and a stable income, he had the realization that he could read anything now. he could buy books and keep them. he could go to the library and rent whatever he wanted. he could read anything and everything and he was going to do it.

from romance to mystery, graphic novels to textbooks, he wanted to try it. used book stores are his new favorite thing (next to chazuke and napping in the sun with a friend)

/

the agency are semi-aware of this hobby of his, he can be commonly found with a book wherever he is.

they didn’t expect the odd knowledge that would come from it though.

atsushis just soaking up all his book knowledge like a sponge and surprising the others.

/

he bonds with yosano with an interest in medical care, and a lot of the science behind it. she recommends some of her favorite textbooks, journals and papers on the topics and give him some lessons in first aid.

he’s so eager to learn it all and yosano can admit it was nice to have an occasional assistant in her office.

/

ranpo often leaves poes books and manuscripts around the office after he’s read them for others to read and the first time atsushi finds them he’s immediately enamored with them. they certainly didn’t carry murder mysteries at the orphanage and he finds both really interesting and good practice for his continued job as a detective.

the next time poe visits the office he’s almost bowled over by atsushi, eager to talk to him about his stories. they have a great conversation (once poe gets through his flustered stammering) and meet up semi-regularly for more conversations like it.

/

kenji is overjoyed to talk to him about farming books and the techniques discussed and to help him get started with a windowsill garden for his dorm.

/

he just quotes poetry at akutagawa and he definitely doesn’t get flustered by it. (the first time be does he nearly skewers him on the spot out of surprise)

/

idk just atsushi being genuinely smart (like he is) and enjoying the freedom of being outside of the orphanage to take his life in his hands to enjoy what he likes.

also atsushi taking the time to get involved in his friends interests to show some of his appreciation for them (as well as to help find his own interests he was never able to find before)

Atsushi joining the agency was such a huge win for Kunikida's "Make Dazai A Marginally Functional Human Being" agenda

because before telling Dazai to take care of himself just would not work since Dazai always just played it off with a joke so it went like:

Kunikida: You haven't slept in a week Dazai. Go To Bed or I'll take you there myself.

Dazai: Oh? Kunikida-kunnnn you want to take me to bed with you? how forward~~

but now its :

Kunikida: Dazai, I can't believe that YOU HAVEN'T SLEPT PROPERLY IN THREE DAYS

Dazai: pfft- please i'm fin-

Atsushi overhearing this from the other side of the office: Dazai-san that isn't healthy :(( you should probably sleep :(

Dazai immediately straightening up: you're so right Atsushi I probably should

i’m so normal about this…god. atsushi’s dejected expression while seeing the full extent of his rival-turned-partner’s abuse for the first time…atsushi finding out it was dazai who treated him like that, the same dazai he looks up to and admires for bringing him into the ADA. we’re witnessing atsushi make leaps and bounds in his understanding of why akutagawa is the way he is, in real time