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Atsushi's heart stuttered in his chest. A familiar figure sat beside him. How did they always end up here together? The pier, that is.
Akutagawa was bloodied. His coat had seen better days and he wore a worn expression on his face. The moonlight shone on his skin as he breathed in the night air, careful to not breathe in too hard as to cause a coughing fit. Atsushi looked over, perhaps hoping to meet the mafioso's silver gaze.
He was beautiful.
His worst enemy, was the most beautiful.
Enemy?
Was Akutagawa really his enemy?
A breeze lifted the older male's hair from the sides of his face. His long bangs danced in the wind, the white tips almost glowing in the moonlight. Atsushi could only watch in awe.
"Jinko." His voice was soft, deep, and his words melted over Atsushi like butter.
Atsushi looked away, breathing deeply. It was so quiet. The silence provided a striking contrast to the sounds of battle-cries that often rung in their ears. Atsushi couldn't deny how his heart sped up when Akutagawa addressed him. He made even the simplest of phrases sound so majestic when he wanted to. "Akutagawa." His reply somewhat delayed, but it felt thoughtful.
"You were staring."
"I was."
Akutagawa scoffed. He turned his gaze to examine the weretiger's expression. He looked peaceful. Akutagawa had grown used to the anxious expression usually adorning his face, it was somewhat surreal to see him like this. He supposed, that sitting here always washed a sense of calm over them, though.
"Why?" It barely sounded like a question as he searched his partner's face for the answer. Atsushi didnt move. Akutagawa's eyes continued to wander until they found themself at his partner's.
Atsushi's eyes.
God, his eyes were haunting. He saw them all too often. Always intrigued by their expression. How they could be so soft, or so intense. It sent a chill down his spine.
"Because," Atsushi pondered for a moment, not unaware of Akutagawa's gaze upon him, "You're beautiful."
What? His heterochromatic eyes wandered down to his own lap and a puzzled furrow brought his brows down. He meant it, but why had he said it out loud?
Akutagawa's lips were taut with surprise, eyes widened. It could've been comical, but his usual seriousness wore down his ability to express emotions over time. His heart skipped a beat, no, maybe three. Perhaps four. How was one to respond to such a proposition? Akutagawa, beautiful? Surely the jinko must be bluffing. But-
-he wasn't.
His expression said it all. The older softened when he noticed Atsushi's expression. There wasn't a trace of a lie on his face.
Slowly, shakily, Akutagawa brought a rough hand to Atsushi's cheek. He reveled in the warmth before guiding him to meet his eyes. Atsushi's expression was soft, shocked. Stupid, stupid Jinko. How could he look so endearing? Atsushi only hummed, confused, but not opposed to the touch.
"Jinko."
"Atsushi."
"Hnn. Atsushi, what did you mean by such a statement?"
"I meant what I said." His expression was firm now. Was Akutagawa really that dense?
"Oh."
"Oh?"
"Yes, 'oh.' You're a damn fool, Jinko." His words contained no malice, Atsushi knew this.
"And you aren't? Tch. You're so very thick Ryuunosuke." That name. It felt foreign on Atsushi's tongue, but he liked the way it rolled off. It had a much better flow than 'Akutagawa'.
"Hm?" Akutagawa could feel his face heat up. No longer composed as he became aware of his hand still on the younger's face.
"Why the hell would I say something like that if I didn't mean it? You're beautiful. I love the way your eyelashes cast shadows on your face in the moonlight. The way you look so tired, but at ease. The way that the blood on your clothes doesn't bother me anymore is baffling, but... you're perfect. You couldn't do anything to look any less beautiful, Ryuunosuke." There it was again. He felt his face heat up.
Was this a confession?
What was he even confessing?
Akutagawa's grip tightened on Atsushi's face as he cupped it with both hands now. His eyes darted across Atsushi's face. He didn't understand. He wasn't sure he wanted to.
Everything felt so fast in what previously felt like a moment frozen in time. But he had accelerated it, he knew that. The moment he touched his face, he could feel his heart break. Oh. That's what it was. That's what 'Oh' was. An epiphany.
He loved him. He cared about Atsushi. Not in the way he cared about Gin, no, this was different. Undoubtedly so.
"Say something, please." Atsushi's voice was on the verge of breaking as he fought with the tears he could feel welling in his eyes.
Akutagawa wasn't good with words. Actually, that was being generous. Akutagawa was terrible with words. So he acted instead.
He released one of his hands from Atsushi's face. He lowered his hand, grabbing one of Atsushi's, and he raised it to his own chest. A tear fell from Atsushi's eye and slid down his face, landing on Akutagawa's knuckle. The dark haired male nearly shuddered at the sensation of the cold from said tear, but continued on. He moved so delicately. Slowly bringing the hand that remained on Atsushi's cheek to his chin. His hand rested there for a moment before pulling him closer. He placed a soft, chaste kiss on Atsushi's lips.
Oh.
It felt so... right.
Pulling away after just a second leaving his hand on Atsushi's chin, looking at his eyes again.
"Oh." A few more tears flowed from Atsushi's eyes. Akutagawa's gaze lingered on Atsushi's lips for a moment before he released Atsushi's hand from his own and slowly brought the hand that rested on his chin to his lap turning back to look towards the moon once more.
Atsushi had turned back to the sky as well. A new warmth entrapped them both.
They were not enemies.
Not anymore.