Chapter Text
His eyes narrowed, something was off.
It was the fifth of May, of that he was sure, and it was early enough in the day that this did not make sense. For the weretiger seemed to be perusing and meandering about the shops downtown, dressed in casual clothing with his hair tucked into a baseball cap. Akutagawa rolled his eyes; Atsushi still needed significant coaching in operating undercover; one could spot his signature gait and glowing eyes from a mile away. For some reason he was under the assumption that all he needed to be inconspicuous was a hat, but Akutagawa would chide him for that later. Now he was trying to piece together what reason the fool had for trying to melt in with the general populace. Certainly there was no mission. If Atsushi was on a mission, he would know about it. So what was this? Why was he trying to not be seen, and why wasn’t he at the Agency…on his birthday of all days.
He continued to follow him for a few more blocks, keeping to the alleys and the shadows as he watched him enter a convenience store for a bottle of water before wandering into his regular manga shop to collect a few books. His next destination must be a secret, as it seemed to require the activation of his ability. In the blink of an eye and a flash of blue the weretiger had propelled himself up towards the sky, bouncing off roof after roof as he headed onwards. Akutagawa didn’t need confirmation from the tracking device he’d secretly implanted in the weretiger’s neck to know exactly where he was going.
On top of a quaint community library tucked away deep in the west corner of Yokohama, Atsushi was laying on his back, legs dangling over the edge. He was doing his best to focus on the newest issue of the manga he’d been reading. But the sun was awfully bright, his mood was awfully sour, and Akutagawa was doing an awfully bad job of hiding. He let his voice carry across the minimal space between them, to where his newly acquired shadow was lurking behind a small shed.
“What do you want?”
The mafioso’s response was taunting.
“Seems something has your tail in a twist today.”
Atsushi just flicked another page of the book, wishing he could just be sucked directly into it. Akutagawa strode toward him, irritation building due to being ignored.
“Weretiger.”
“What?”
His glare was in full effect. The audacity of the weretiger to speak to his new partner like this. Black tendrils slithered out from his coat.
“Hey! Cut it out!”
Rashomon swiped the book from his hands with ease, despite how quickly his tiger arms and fangs manifested. Akutagawa’s eyes raked over him, slowly and meticulously like Atsushi was a little silver sand garden. His tone was cautious, analytical.
“Something is bothering you.”
“No!”
Rashomon dangled the book over the ledge.
“Akutagawa what the hell!”
“Weretiger…what are you doing here.”
“I’m just reading, what the hell is your problem?”
“Weretiger…today is your birthday. What are you doing here.”
He deflated instantly, slumping back down on the ground, all the ferocity and strength missing.
“My birthday is on the seventh.”
He was swiftly hit in the face with the manga. He let out a pained huff while Akutagawa’s words laced into him.
“You think me a fool? Your birthday is today. So I will ask again…what are you doing here.”
Atsushi sighed, hands running over his face as the book was abandoned beside him.
“Urgh, fine. Look, I don’t want to celebrate my birthday today…it feels weird.”
Akutagawa sat beside him, taking in the stunning view as the sun climbed higher in the sky to illuminate the city with bright afternoon light. Atsushi’s gaze shifted to the ground as he hugged his knees to his chest.
“I…I don’t like the actual day. It feels weird, okay? I don’t know how to explain it. It’s not that I don’t appreciate all the presents and attention and stuff…just having it on the actual day, I don’t know? It doesn’t sit right. So everyone lets me celebrate it on the seventh.”
“I see.”
Atsushi grabbed the book again, opening it to the long forgotten page. Akutagawa eased his posture a bit, leaning forward to rest on his now crossed legs as he continued to stare out into the sky. They sat in silence for a few moments until the irritating itch in Atsushi’s chest started to dissipate. He both hated and loved that Akutagawa understood exactly why his actual birthday was such an uncomfortable experience.
“How did you know it was my birthday anyway?”
“You think me so irresponsible that I would not?”
“When’s yours then?”
“It passed.”
“It did? When!?”
“March first, two months ago.”
“What the hell? Why didn’t you tell me?!”
Akutagawa just turned, rolling his eyes as a smug smile answered the question for him. Atsushi huffed, eyes locking back onto the battle arc that was just about to start in the story.
“Well hopefully you enjoyed it.”
“It was a Sunday; I spent it with you.”
Atsushi turned another page as he tried his best to place the day, drudge up any memories of March first. If it was Sunday, they would have spent it together, they always spent Sundays together. They would have trained in the morning, argued in the afternoon over too much food and just enough tea, and then walked the length of the boardwalk until their paths finally split. He hoped that Sunday had been one of the Sundays where they stayed out a bit longer to hunt for little cafés that served sickeningly sweet desserts.
Akutagawa was fairly certain he understood his partner’s current emotional state. He imagined it close to his own complicated feelings surrounding his entry into this world. It can be hard to sit with smiling faces and celebratory cake when the first legs of your life were spent with the universe chastising you for existing. The experience of shifting from you are wrong to I am so excited you were born is like throwing a saltwater fish directly into fresh water with no estuary in between. Not a pleasant experience…at all.
The mafioso let his eyes linger on the lounging overgrown house cat sprawled out on the cool, cement roof. His partner. He’d never wanted one before, never had any interest in working with someone and depending on someone else’s ability in such a significant way. But there he was, this cowardly tiger with entirely too much strength. His partner, which meant that Akutagawa was also his partner. Which meant Akutagawa had a new role, a new set of expectations, and that was never something he took lightly.
“So weretiger, how would you like to spend the day?”
“Huh?”
“It is Tuesday, correct? And you seem to have a free day; how would you like to spend it.”
Atsushi felt his heart start to hammer in his chest. He initially wanted to just hide on the roof all day, stuff himself with chazuke in the evening, and fall asleep before his brain started to pull memories and shame from the cobwebbed corners of his mind. But the thought of spending the day with Akutagawa, a whole extra day of Akutagawa’s attention…
“Uh…I mean…we could train maybe? Get lunch after?”
The mafioso lifted himself off the ground with enough elegance to make Atsushi blush.
“Very well then. Shall we go?”
XOXOXO
Adrenaline was coursing through him; sweat was pouring off his back. Atsushi was feeling infinitely better than he had this morning. They were doing close range training, Akutagawa hated close range training. But he had donned demonic armour anyways and the two of them had been trading blows back and forth for the past hour.
He ducked as one of the mafioso’s long legs made a play to kick him square in his face, his chest now thrumming with the type of anxiety you want to lick out of a bowl like cream. He knew he had a stupid grin on his face, but how could he not, not when this type of training felt more like dancing. They knew each other too intimately now; it was automatic the back and forth, very rarely did either one of them land an actual blow. But every time they did make contact, even though it was painful, he wished it would last a few moments longer.
He grunted when a black clad fist hit him square in the gut. Maybe this is why it was easier to accept an act of compassion from the surly, force of nature he’d somehow landed as a partner. Akutagawa chose the close range training for him, but he sure as hell was not going to make it easy.
Once they’d finished, muscles sore and skin glistening with a thin sheen of sweat, they went off in search of food and drinks. The summer sun was warming the payment, playfully sparkling off the silver metal of various sandwich boards attempting to draw patrons into various businesses. They had been walking for a few blocks before one of those signs caught the young detective’s eye.
“Hey…they rent hotels by the hour?”
Akutagawa’s entire being frozen in that moment. No…he couldn’t. He couldn’t possibly be unaware of…
“That’s amazing…so if you can’t afford a whole night, you can just rent it for a couple hours. Akutagawa did you know about this?”
The mafioso coughed a few times, trying to compose himself. He couldn’t possibly be this foolish, could he?
“Yes. Are…are you not aware of…”
“I’ve never been to a hotel before, and I definitely didn’t know you could rent it by the hour.”
Oh yes. Yes, he absolutely could.
“Weretiger they rent by the hour because this is a…”
Atsushi was too lost in thought, fantasies of playing pretend in a fancy hotel room swirling around his head to loud for him to register how unsettled his partner was becoming.
“So if I wanted to right now…I could just rent this room for a couple of hours? Take a bath…watch a movie.”
“I…”
He turned towards the red faced mafioso, eyes shining with so much earnestness it made Akutagawa want to throw up.
“That sounds amazing, doesn’t it?”
“Would…would you not rather go to an actual hotel?”
“For a whole night?! I couldn’t go for a whole night!”
Akutagawa sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, eyes shut in exasperation. This had gone on long enough.
“Weretiger this is a lo…”
The words died in his throat though, once he opened his eyes again and saw how lit up Atsushi’s face was. Oh how he hated how easy this idiot was to read, and how much he himself understood the need for an estuary. Oh course this idiot’s mind sees the “renting by the hour” as a small step in trying something selfish without the full commitment. Testing out a tepid amount of indulgence.
But did the estuary have to be a love hotel of all places?
Yet Atsushi’s entire workplace is pretending to have his birthday in two days, just to make him comfortable. And Atsushi was his partner now; it was also his roll to make sure the weretiger was functioning at an optimal level.
“Weretiger…I cannot say I understand it. But this is what you want isn’t it.”
“Huh? I mean…no I don’t want anything I was just…”
He sighed, and he resigned himself to the fact that what was about to happen was going to be the most insane thing that has ever happened to him. And he’d been a vampire at one point last year. He started walking away from the hotel, disappointment flashed briefly in Atsushi’s sunset eyes.
“Follow me.”
He headed towards the convenient store; Atsushi shuffled forward to meet his pace.
“Where are we going?”
“We better get an appropriate amount of food, or you will waste your few hours in the hotel room complaining about being hungry.”
“Wait…really?”
“It is Tuesday after all. If you want to spend it in a hotel we shall spend it in a hotel.”
XOXOXO
Everything about the check in process had been embarrassing. From Atsushi’s loud insistence that he wouldn’t need “more than a few hours for it to be worth it.” From the way the clerk was winking and smirking at the two of them. From the ridiculous amount of plastic bags filled with snacks they were dragging upstairs. From the fact there would now be a charge from “Hotel Lotus” on his credit card statement.
This idiot better have the best five hours of his life.
And by how excited he now looked pouring over all the various amenities and little details of their room the mafioso had no qualms that wouldn’t be the case. He placed the bags on the nearby night table while Atsushi skimmed across the surfaces, picked up the water bottles, eyes dragging their gaze across every inch of the room. Akutagawa reassured himself over and over again that they had a rigours cleaning procedure for these types of places and used more than enough bleach when washing the linen.
“Hey Akutagawa, what are these?”
The mafioso fell into a full panicked cough as Atsushi flashed a little gold foiled square towards him.
“It feels like there’s something rubber inside. It feels kind of wet too.”
“Don’t open that!”
“What, why?”
Atsushi looked confused, squishing the little square in his fingers while he tried to make sense of what this was. Akutagawa felt like he was about to pass out as his brain floundered to find some way out of this conversation.
“They…they are…balloons.”
“Balloons? Why can’t I open them then?”
“If they feel…wet inside it is an indication they…they are old. Disintegrating.”
“Oh, gross.”
“Yes.”
“That’s nice thought, that the hotel would provide balloons. In case people are celebrating.”
“But we are not celebrating, correct? Today is just Tuesday.”
Atsushi smiled.
“Yeah, today is just Tuesday.”
Thankfully he abandoned that which shall not be named and poked his head into the bathroom to take in the modest shower, toiletries and plush robes.
“Should I take a shower?”
Akutagawa had just taken a full breath and was sorting through the snacks when he was forced to defend himself yet again from this absolute menace. He was trying, trying so so hard, to not come completely undone at the absurdity of all of this.
“If you would like.”
“This feels so surreal. I could just take a shower or turn on the television. We could turn the heat all the way up, or all the way down.”
“Yes.”
“It feels like were in a whole different world in a way…”
Akutagawa furrowed his brows.
“Weretiger I am starting to get concerned about your mental well-being.”
Atsushi just brushed him off, too busy inspecting the thermostat like it was a magical time travel device he’d never seen before.
“This kind of feels like we’re playing pretend, doesn’t it?”
The mafioso just raised an eyebrow.
“We’re in a hotel…we could be anybody. We could be two businessmen on an important work trip. Or I don’t know, what else…maybe an innocent stranger and a secret spy? Two long lost friends from high school? Hmmm…too bad there’s only one bed. That makes it a little bit harder actually to think of more scenarios…”
“I…”
Akutagawa’s life used to make sense. He used to just kill people, blow up police stations, wander around the city stewing with anger and resentment. But now he was here. At a love hotel. With Nakajima Atsushi, the Agency’s weretiger. Nakajima Atsushi who was currently talking to him about roleplaying fantasies and showering. In a love hotel. With only one bed.
On a Tuesday.
“Just…go shower if you are going to shower.”
“Fine. You know you could take this as an opportunity to pretend to be someone who knows how to relax.”
Akutagawa pressed his head into his hands as the younger man stomped his way to the bathroom. This was going to be the longest five hours of his life.
The whole time Atsushi was showering he was pretending he didn’t have an ability, that he wasn’t raised in an orphanage, and that today wasn’t his birthday. He was just Nakajima Atsushi visiting Yokohama for the first time with his best friend. They were here for a…for a…ah! University school trip. Research for a paper. They’d been best friends since high school and this was the first time they’d been on a trip together, just the two of them. Shame the hotel only had a room with one bed left, but they would make it work.
He let the water get extra hot, he used all the soap and all the shampoo, and he let himself stay in the shower longer than he’d ever have before. All the tension on his body started to ease from his muscles and it felt a lot better to wash off all the sweat. As he was toweling off, he eyed the plush, white robes hanging from the back of the door. He let his fingers press into the fabric, rubbing it between them. It felt so soft, so luxurious. He smiled, letting it fall from his fingers as he moved to put back on his regular clothes.
Next time…I’ll try it next time.
When Atsushi emerged from the bathroom, he felt the same sensation from earlier when they were training, specifically when he’d been punched right in the gut. The mafioso was currently sitting on the bed, spine straight, book in hands. A stiff marble statue, belonging in a museum instead of a modest little hotel room. His coat was still wrapped tight around him; his shoes were still on. Atsushi wasn’t surprised by this; Akutagawa often looked like a thick black line from a marker that someone had dragged across a canvas. But there was something he was seeing that surprised him. Surprised him and also made heat pool in his lower abdomen and his eyes light up.
“Are…are you wearing glasses?”
Akutagawa bristled, lips pulled into a tight line.
“I do not require them by any means, do not doubt my skills in battle. They just at times…make reading easier.”
“No, no I didn’t think that. Just uh…”
“What?”
“They look…you look….”
Atsushi took a deep breath, feeling the blood rush to his cheeks and his ears get hot.
“Uh…they suite you.”
Akutagawa buried his face deeper in the novel, the weretiger did not need to become privy to the fact that he was starting to become flustered. He heard him shuffle to the other side of the bed.
“Can I sit here?”
“Where else would you sit? The floor? Honestly weretiger…”
Akutagawa let out a small yelp, suddenly finding himself lifted slightly off the bed thanks to Atsushi slamming himself on the mattress…like an ass. Rashomon playfully smacked at him, only to be batted away by his claws as the younger man emptied out the bag of candy and snacks. The mafioso was shocked at how easily Atsushi was disrupting the sheets and pillows, kicking off his shoes. He didn’t look as apologetic as he normally did with the way he tore into the food’s packaging, grabbed the remote and didn’t even ask Akutagawa what movie he might be interested it. He didn’t really want to confront why seeing Atsushi be so brazen made his chest swell with pride.
After an hour or so of quippy commentary on the film, little jabs of bickering, snacks being inhaled by one of them and meticulously consumed by the other, the soft pillows and comforting warmth emanating from the heater lulled the reluctant birthday boy to sleep. Akutagawa couldn’t pull his eyes away from how peaceful Atsushi looked in that moment, cursing his decision to wear his glasses. There was no tension in the younger man’s shoulder, no worry in his sparkling eyes, no pain ghosting his features. It was too hard for Akutagawa to ignore just how beautiful he could look, especially like this, when his vision was enhanced.
He tried to turn his attention back to his book, but his mind was elsewhere. It was one year in the future now, imagining what it might be like to spend Atsushi’s birthday at a luxurious downtown hotel with proper room service and proper balloons. One year in the future where the young detective felt like celebrating his birthday on May fifth, where he would still feel like spending it with Akutagawa anyways.
And then it was two months in the past, seated in a small little café watching Atsushi dust crumbs off his face from the various slices of cake they’d split. If there had been a candle on one of those pieces, if Akutagawa had made a wish that night…
He unfortunately had to admit he could see it. He could see in bright vivid colors just exactly what that wish would have been.
He toed off his shoes and unbuttoned his coat just a little more before leaning back a bit farther on the pillows. He hadn’t ever really considered wishing to be anything other than a fool’s folly. He would never be someone who’s wish would be fulfilled, so what would have been the point. His gaze shifted back towards the sleeping silver haired idiot next to him, softly snoring away.
Akutagawa slipped his coat fully off, let his head sink all the way down on the bed until he was parallel to the absolute worst thing that has ever happened to him. The fantasies hadn’t stopped, and he could feel something similar to wishing start to chuff against his ear.
To be fair, he used to consider himself someone who would never end up at a love hotel with their once greatest rival on a Tuesday. Having a wish come true suddenly didn’t feel so strange.
And so, he closed his eyes, while his mind stirred hope into the pot of desire he’d left on the back burner. The heat cursing through this body was about to bring it to a boil, so he’d better get some sleep while he can.
They both woke up an hour later to a sharp buzzing sound letting them know their time was up.
XOXOXO
Atsushi was practically skipping out of the hotel. He looked healthy, vibrant, glowing. He smiled at the check in clerk who had a wicked smile on their face.
“Did you two boys have a good time?”
“Great time! It was amazing thanks!”
Akutagawa hid his face behind his hand, briskly pushing through the doors to leave as quickly as possible. The things required to be a good work partner at times seemed excessive.
Once outside they stood across from each other, not dissimilar to how they use to. But it felt so different than before. Atsushi was trying to place when being held under the older man’s perceptive gaze had become his new favourite position. Akutagawa was trying to make sense of the undeniable evidence that he now cared about his idiot. Cared enough to spend five hours with him safely tucked away in a little hotel room in downtown Yokohama.
On a Tuesday.
Akutagawa turned, ready to head back to Port Mafia before the relentless urge in his chest became too much and he ended up doing something very stupid. He was very, very close to doing something very, very stupid. With a curt wave he was away, calling out briefly over his shoulder.
“Happy Tuesday Weretiger.”
Atsushi smiled, pink flush dusting his cheeks as he watched the mafioso slink back into the shadows.
“Happy Tuesday Akutagawa.”
XOXOXO
Relief settled into Kyouka’s chest as she watched Atsushi fumble back into the office after mailing a letter for Ranpo. His signature energy and spirit were back with a vengeance. It had been a little worrying the way he had been sulking the past few days and she was glad his mood was lifting just in time for his party tomorrow. Dazai twirled his chair to greet him.
“Atsushi!! Looks like you’re in a much better mood, did you have a nice day off yesterday?”
A soft smile, a slight blush. Dazai’s interests were peaked. Kyouka tracked the shift of energy in the room as a few other ears started to bend towards the conversation.
“Yeah, I did actually.”
“How wonderful! You look…rested. Get up to anything interesting?”
Atsushi was shuffling his papers, Kyouka raised an eyebrow to the starry look in his eyes.
“Well…yeah actually. I had my first time in a hotel yesterday.”
Suddenly the only noise in the room was Kunikida’s notebook hitting the ground.
Atsushi pressed his lips together in concern. The silence was one thing, the shocked faces of his coworkers was another, but Dazai in disbelief was unnerving. The man who knew everything looked like someone had finally stumped him. He felt the guilt start to eat at his chest, he shouldn’t have made everyone feel bad by revealing yet again another sad fact about his life. He was sure all of them had spent many nights at hotels before, and here he was at nineteen having it happen for the first time.
“Don’t worry you guys, I’m actually happy it happened this way. Even though I’m sure I would have enjoyed it if had been sooner!”
Dazai shook his head back and forth.
“Wait…sorry Atsushi what? You had…your first time…yesterday at a hotel?”
“Yeah, Akutagawa was nice enough to do it with me.”
Kyouka just left the room, dragging Kenji with her. Yosano had run out of her office so fast she slipped and landed against Kunikida, careening his chair closer to where Dazai and Atsushi were talking. Naomi looked excited, Tanizaki looked pale. Dazai kept speaking, but none of the usual candor and arrogance lacing his tone, it was all confusion. The words tumbled out of his mouth like he was learning to string them together for the first time.
“Akutagawa. Akutagawa…did “it” with you.”
“I know I was surprised he agreed to it. He paid for it too which was nice.”
Yosano pressed forward, worry bubbling in her chest. Not Atsushi, sweet innocent Atsushi being defiled on his nineteenth birthday by the Port Mafia’s Rabid Dog.
“Atsushi…were…did you know what you were doing? He didn’t trick you, did he?”
“No, it was my idea Yosano. He didn’t trick me. I was the one who found the hotel that rents rooms by the hour and convinced him it would be a good way to spend the rest of the afternoon.”
Dazai’s confusion was slowly being overtaken by unbridled joy. Yosano’s concern was bleeding from her eyes. Kunikida was frozen, and if Tanizaki had any ability to move he would have wanted to check and make sure the blonde man still had a pulse.
“Atsushi…you really are a tiger!”
“Uh…yeah Dazai you knew that already.”
Yosano cut in, shoving a slumped Kunikida out of the way. He whirled away from his desk an empty shell of a man.
“Were you at least safe Atsushi?”
“Uh yeah? I mean obviously.”
“So you used protection?”
“Huh?”
“Atsushi… did Akutagawa have any…condoms?”
“Any what?”
Dazai took over.
“Little foil squares, something rubber inside.”
“Oh! Those weird balloons. Yeah, the hotel had some, but Akutagawa said they were old and we didn’t need them. I didn’t really see the point of them either so…”
Atsushi was trying to understand why everyone suddenly thought Akutagawa and Atsushi would have needed any protection. Were hotels dangerous? What did weird, wet balloons have to do with safety? Why did they have a special name? He shook his head. Not like it mattered, Akutagawa was one of the strongest people he’s ever met, balloons or no balloons. So he couldn’t understand why Yosano looked so worried when she continued speaking.
“Oh Atsushi.”
Dazai’s face held entirely too much mirth and delight as he pressed his hands on the desk, leaning further into Atsushi’s personal space.
“Yosano don’t put a damper on the whole affair. What I really want to know Atsushi was…did you enjoy it.”
“Yeah, it was great actually. Really relaxing, Akutagawa was really thoughtful, made sure we had everything we needed. I was really stuffed after. All in all I’m glad I listened to him about getting prepared beforehand.”
Yosano lamented. Dazai was chuckling with glee and he grabbed his phone and started tapping away with renewed joie de vie. No one was really sure if Kunikida was alive. Ranpo could have ended all of this, but he didn’t care. Atsushi just rolled his eyes, fondness for his coworkers bubbling away in his chest. He was starting to get used to it, use to the caring. His focus went back to his work, excitement for his party tomorrow starting to let itself root deep in his bones.
Across the way at the Port Mafia, Chuuya was rereading a recently received text message for the fiftieth time. It had to be in Japanese; it was sent with Japanese characters. But there was no way it could be, it must…it has to be in a different language. But no, here it was, spelled out for him with perfect characters and perfect sentences of what could only be described as a break in the space time continuum.
He was a zombie as he moved through the hallowed, haunted, regal halls in search of one particular office. He knocked. He received permission. He opened the door. He walked inside.
He spoke.
“Akutagawa.”
His steely grey eyes did not lift from his papers; his cool neutral expression did not shift. He offered one simple word in response, slight inflection at the end.
“Yes?”
Chuuya spoke again.
“Did you take Atsushi to a love hotel yesterday?”
XOXOXO
The birthday party had been exactly what he’d expected, in the best way possible. His joy was as apparent as the joy and celebration he saw in every one of his friends’ eyes as they rallied and cheered and laugh alongside him. Sometimes it was dizzying, being around this much care. But every day it was getting a little bit easier to sit with the fact that he was surrounded by people who were very happy he was born.
The cake was his favourite flavor; the gifts were a mix of thoughtful and humorous. He hadn’t received one from Ranpo yet, which he thought was funny. Everyone had been teasing him that Ranpo is always able to guess exactly what you wanted and if you’d bought him enough treats over the year, he’d make sure it happened. Atsushi had helped the master detective procure an ungodly amount of sugar, candy and snacks since he’d met him, but he wasn’t surprised to see a gift missing on the table. What more could Atsushi possible want, everyone he loved was right here.
An image of stormy grey eyes and dark obsidian hair suddenly flashed in his mind.
He coughed; the last bite of boiled tofu he took didn’t go down quite right. It seemed to catch itself right by his heart. He rubbed his chest, trying to get this strange twinge of wanting to surpass. Was he still hungry? He let those thoughts shift to the back of his mind as Ranpo headed towards him holding a chocolate cupcake topped with white and black frosting. His words were curt but playful as he handed the plate to Atsushi.
“Atsushi, do me a favour.”
“Uh, yeah okay.”
“Bring this to Poe.”
“Oh yeah, sure. Where is he?”
“On the roof.”
“Sure Ranpo whatever you need!”
He stuck a lollipop back in his mouth, shit eating grin on his face as he nodded his appreciation to the birthday boy. Atsushi had helped him a lot since they’ve met, and while he was annoyed at some of the extra effort his gift took, it didn’t take ultra deduction to know the kid deserved it.
“Thanks Atsushi. Oh…one more thing though.”
“Yeah?”
“Happy Birthday.”
Atsushi graced him with a soft, genuine smile.
“Thanks Ranpo.”
Ranpo watched him fondly as he made his way towards the staircase to the roof. Poe, who had been standing just off to the side, watched him in despair.
“Am…am I so unmemorable. He didn’t even see me.”
“You are memorable…stop freaking out. He’s just got something…someone else on his mind right now.”
Ranpo rolled his eyes as the despondent Guild member chittered at his racoon despite the reassurance. He knew exactly what was needed to make him feel better, but he didn’t feel like doing that in front of all these people.
XOXOXO
It wasn’t long before Atsushi had made his way to the roof of the building, gently easing the door open to slip outside into the refreshing night air. He took a deep breath, the saccharine smell of the cupcake reminding him how hungry he felt right now. Was it for more food though? Hard to tell. Maybe he’d have to check the buffet again once he’d finished his little errand. He knew he was hungry for something. But whatever, he would deal with that later, he had something to do. He took a few tentative steps forward to look for the novelist, eyes catching a shadow just off to the side.
But it wasn’t Poe who was standing on the roof, looking like a confused cat trying to figure out why they were there holding a single birthday candle and lighter in one hand, and an open letter in the other. It was someone equally skilled with words, someone equally macabre, but someone much more devastating to look at.
It was Akutagawa.
The mafioso turned towards him once he registered the footsteps. His gaze shifted from confused to something sharper. Atsushi shivered, he always shivered when he was lucky enough to have those eyes completely locked onto him. His heart was beating in his chest, but he kept walking forward. His hunger was blooming into something else, and he suddenly needed to be a lot closer to his strange, shadowy partner.
“Akutagawa?”
“Weretiger.”
“Why are you here?”
“I believe I am here to wish you a happy birthday.”
Atsushi felt his breath hitch as the mafioso moved close enough to shove the little blue candle into the frosting.
“I believe the tradition is you are to make a wish and blow out the candle, is that correct?”
“Uh…yeah. Yeah, I think so.”
With a flick and a hiss the lighter spurred a pulsing little yellow flame that was happy to spark and ignite the tip of the wax candle. Atsushi felt breathless. The little fire between them was casting such an intimate light on the man across from him that his mind could only scream one wish over and over and over again in his head. Seeing the shadows from the candle highlight all of Akutagawa’s sharp, elegant features made it very apparent exactly what he was hungering for. He couldn’t pull his gold and violet eyes away from the sight of those lips.
“Well? Go on then.”
“Oh…oh right. Sorry.”
Atsushi pressed his lips together, letting a small puff of air escape from that perfect little “o” and douse the single flickering candle. It was right then and there that Akutagawa took his chance to sweep in and catch his mouth in a kiss just as the candle went out.
Atsushi felt a head rush, his breath catch, and his whole body shudder from the sensation of those cool, pale lips pressing into his. It was refined, elegant, but backed by vicious want and desire, not unlike the mafioso himself. Atsushi’s mouth parted slightly, desperate for the kiss to deepen but his partner gently pulled away, long fingers caressing the side of his jaw. When Akutagawa finally spoke his tone was richer and sweeter than the chocolate frosting on his cake had been.
“Well? Did I guess correctly?”
Atsushi could only blink, lips still warm, whole body on fire. Akutagawa smirked.
“Was that your wish weretiger.”
The cupcake fell to the ground as he launched forward, arms wrapping around the mafioso’s neck. Akutagawa dropped the lighter and the letter in his hand from the impact. As it fluttered to the ground one could see the scrawled, snarky writing. Dark black ink on cream coloured paper. Instructions.
Bring a candle and a lighter to the Agency roof at 9:00PM. His wish is going to be the same as yours was. You owe me.
Akutagawa hummed with contentment as Atsushi’s excitement and hunger flooded their next kiss with more urgency, more desperation. More tongue. The satisfaction of a job well done was building in his chest, a tight coil of desire in his lower abdomen. The things required to be a good work partner at times seemed excessive, but he really couldn’t complain about that anymore. Not if this was his reward.
He would follow Atsushi anywhere he wanted to go. Love hotels, real hotels. Saltwater, freshwater. There and back again and again and again, as many times as he wanted. When the younger many finally let their kiss break Akutagawa was shivering and Atsushi was laughing. His whole face was flushed and alive and he looked so happy.
“I think you were my present.”
Akutagawa just smirked, rolling his eyes as he pulled him closer.
“Happy Birthday Atsushi.”
He dove back in to capture his lips once again, feeling Atsushi smile against his mouth before melting into the sensation. If what that insolent master detective said was true, and according to sources it always was, then the two of them would be up here together for a while.
Akutagawa had certainly wished to kiss him many more times than just once.