Chapter Text
As soon as Atsushi hears the door to the bathroom shut and lock, he finally breathes out a massive sigh of relief he didn’t even know he was holding. Something about being in such close quarters with Akutagawa leaves him breathless – especially when his partner is being so uncharacteristically vulnerable.
With a firm shake of his head, Atsushi makes his way to the kitchen. He’s not sure when Gin will get back, but he assumes that it will be sometime in the early morning. The Black Lizard’s schedule has always baffled Atsushi. He could never work a night shift…his sleep schedule is messed up enough as it is.
Considering how disastrous Akutagawa’s room was, the kitchen is surprisingly tidy. The countertops are clear and organized; the only item out of place is a small box of tea sitting by the kettle. Atsushi rolls his eyes with a small smile once he reads the label.
Fig Tea. Of course he didn’t like the tea when Akutagawa gave it to him earlier. His partner has the weirdest taste…
With a final fond shake of his head, Atsushi returns the box of tea to its place – or where he assumes its place to be – and opens the refrigerator. Unfortunately nothing really catches his eye. He’ll have to ask Akutagawa what he plans on doing for dinner once he gets out of the shower.
With nothing else to do, Atsushi awkwardly makes his way back to the living room and returns his attention to his unfinished reports. Unsurprisingly, he completes none of them, instead simply staring at the couch opposite of him.
Atsushi isn’t sure how long he sits there, staring at nothing important before the shower shuts off, dousing the apartment in silence. With nothing else to do, Atsushi pulls up a food ordering app on his phone and looks through the menu of one of his favorite ramen restaurants. Hopefully, Akutagawa will be able to find something that he likes from there so he can order before it gets too late in the evening.
About five minutes later, Akutagawa emerges from the bathroom, looking like some kind of damp rat. Obviously, Atsushi keeps that thought to himself. He’s not too keen on dying tonight.
Surprise briefly flickers across Akutagawa’s face once he meets eyes with Atsushi before he quickly returns to his regular impassive expression. Atsushi can’t help but raise an eyebrow at the sight but he says nothing. Something about his partner’s mannerisms tells him to keep quiet. For once, Atsushi obeys and wordlessly returns to his phone.
Akutagawa disappears into his room, trailing his wet towel behind him like a disgruntled toddler. Atsushi can’t help but snicker at the sight and hope that his partner doesn’t hear him. Something about seeing such a feared mafioso stomp around his apartment in baggy pajamas while dragging his towel around is making Atsushi feel all bubbly inside.
For some unknown reason, of course…
Not even a full minute later, Akutagawa reemerges from his room with the oxygen supplies in tow. He still hasn’t said a word, but Atsushi can practically feel his irritation from across the room. This time, Atsushi doesn’t even bother trying to wipe the smirk off of his face – much to his partner’s annoyance.
However, the venomous glare Akutagawa shoots his way loses most of its threatening aura as the weretiger takes in the rest of his appearance. His usually spiky hair is even more disheveled – as if Akutagawa dried his hair with the intention to turn himself into a hedgehog. Atsushi lets out a snort before he can stop himself.
With an absolutely withering glare, Akutagawa ceases his attempts at untangling the tubing and turns to face Atsushi. “And what are you laughing at, Jinko?”
“Nothing, nothing, nothing.” Atsushi tries to pacify his partner, but the giggles still spilling out of his mouth only make it worse.
Thankfully, his partner decides to spare his life and returns his attention to the oxygen machine. With a dramatic roll of his eyes, Akutagawa loops the cannula around his head so the clear tubing rests behind his ears. Atsushi watches his partner grimace as he tucks the nasal aspect of the nasal cannula into his nose with a disgruntled huff before turning on the machine.
Despite Yosano-san’s thorough explanation, Atsushi still isn’t totally sure how the machine works. Obviously, he knows that oxygen is being pushed through the clear tubing and into Akutagawa’s lungs, but beyond that he isn’t sure how it is going to help him heal faster.
Regardless, Atsushi is going to do his absolute best to make sure his partner follows each of Yosano-san’s orders, no matter how much he has to fight him to do so.
But to his surprise, Akutagawa doesn’t seem to be putting up too much of a fight at the moment. Either he has had a sudden, inexplicable change in personality, or Akutagawa is feeling exceptionally shitty. Maybe a bit of both…if Atsushi is being honest with himself.
Atsushi isn’t sure what comes over him at that moment…all he knows is that he’s suddenly on his feet and making his way over to the couch where his partner is currently sitting. Akutagawa watches him with comically wide eyes as the weretiger flops onto the couch beside him and pulls out his phone.
“What do you want for dinner?” Atsushi decides to ask once it becomes apparent that his partner has no intention of starting a conversation. “You have literally nothing in your fridge, so I thought we could order ramen or something.”
The only response Atsushi receives is a blank, wide eyed stare.
“Uh, why are you looking at me like that?” Atsushi asks, setting his phone in his lap and giving his partner his full attention. Something in Akutagawa’s expression is telling Atsushi that he needs it.
“You’re…staying?”
Out of everything Atsushi was expecting to come out of Akutagawa’s mouth, it wasn’t that. “Uh, yeah?” he replies, not even bothering to keep the confusion out of his voice. Atsushi pulls his feet up onto the couch, getting comfortable. “Where else would I go?”
Akutagawa remains silent for a moment, the only sound in the living room being the quiet whirr of the oxygen machine and Akutagawa’s raspy breathing. Atsushi waits patiently, but he can’t help the way his brow furrows with every passing second that remains silent.
Why is Akutagawa so confused by this? It’s not like Atsushi actually minds being here, so what can’t he wrap his head around?
“You know I don’t mind helping you out, right?” Atsushi asks quietly. His words only make his partner’s eyes widen even further – now resembling little gray saucers instead of their usual thin slits. “You do know that, don’t you?”
Apparently, Akutagawa did not , in fact, know that, if the small shake of his head is anything to go by. Atsushi’s heart breaks a little bit with every passing moment that silence prevails. He doesn’t know why he’s suddenly feeling so fragile, but he knows that he doesn’t like it…not one bit.
He might as well do something about that, right?
Looking back, Atsushi will wonder where this sudden burst of confidence came from and how to get it back. However, in the moment, Atsushi sees an opportunity and he takes it.
He is determined to see how wide Akutagawa’s eyes can get.
So, with a hand that somehow doesn’t shake, Atsushi reaches out and tucks a stray piece of damp hair behind Akutagawa’s cold ear, barely skimming his partner’s cheek as he does so.
For the brief moment that their flesh touches, Atsushi feels like his nerves have been lit on fire. Now, it’s not like Atsushi has never touched his partner before. After months of working together as partners and even longer as enemies, the pair has rubbed up against each other plenty of times. However, nothing compares to the intimacy they both feel sitting in Akutagawa’s apartment. The room is bathed in the dim light of the setting sun, the fading light illuminating the faint blush decorating both men's cheeks. Atsushi is faintly aware that his eyes are just as wide as Akutagawa’s but he can’t be bothered to care.
Especially not when he still has yet to move his hand from where it gently rests on Akutagawa’s cheek.
“Jinko?” Akutagawa looks startled at how quiet his own voice sounds, but he continues regardless. “What are you doing?” His voice is nearly silent now. Atsushi can’t help but stare at his lips as he whispers each word.
Atsushi is sure to match his partner’s volume but swallows thickly before speaking. “You still have shampoo in your hair.”
Caught off guard by Atsushi’s words, Akutagawa snorts. However, he doesn’t back away. Since when have they been sitting so close? Atsushi is too preoccupied with the chapped lips suddenly crashing into his to care.
At the ripe age of nineteen, Atsushi has never kissed or been kissed by anyone before. He has no idea what would be considered a good kiss, nor can he say whether or not Akutagawa is a particularly good kisser.
But, all of those thoughts are quickly thrown to the back of his mind when he feels Akutagawa’s thin fingers travel up his spine and tangle in his hair, gently scratching at his scalp.
This is the best first kiss Atsushi could have ever asked for.
Neither man knows how long they spend exchanging pecks and gentle kisses on Akutagawa’s couch. Time feels inconsequential when every emotion Atsushi has ever felt seems to suddenly slot into place. If Atsushi believed in heaven, he would have thought he had just arrived at the pearly gates.
However, all good things must come to an end…sometimes sooner rather than later.
Thankfully, Akutagawa manages to pull away before a sharp, stabbing cough forces its way out of his lungs. While Atsushi is grateful that Akutagawa didn’t cough directly into his mouth, he still mourns the feeling of his partner’s lips on his own.
Huh…his partner… That might have a different meaning now. Atsushi is surprised to find that that thought excites him.
Partner... Atsushi muses to himself as he gently rubs circles between Akutagawa’s shoulder blades. That has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?
“So, now that that’s out of the way,” Atsushi begins with a small smile once the mafioso is finished coughing up a lung. “What do you want for dinner? I was thinking that ramen would help soothe your throat…”
Atsushi trails off once he meets Akutagawa’s gaze. By now, his gray eyes are no longer as wide as saucers. Instead, the other man looks the most calm Atsushi has ever seen him.
Akutagawa shoots the weretiger the softest smile he’s ever had the pleasure of witnessing. Atsushi is certain that his heart melts a bit.
“Ramen sounds wonderful.”
“Great. I’m starving.” Atsushi says with a broad grin that probably looks goofier than he’d like it too. Akutagawa doesn’t seem to mind, merely leaning against his shoulder so they can read the tiny electronic menu together.
Despite the hunger in his belly and the joy in his heart, Atsushi still catches sight of the tiny white bubbles that stubbornly linger at the crown of Akutagawa’s dark hair.
“You really do still have shampoo in your hair, you know.”
“Shut up.”
“No! I’m serious!”
♧♣♧
By the time Gin arrives home at four in the morning, she is exhausted. However, she’s awake enough to snap a few pictures of the couch currently occupied by both Atsushi and her sleeping brother – especially considering the fact that Ryuu is using the weretiger’s chest as a pillow.
Each of his limbs are wrapped around the blond boy like a touch-starved koala and she can’t help but notice the small puddle of drool pooling on Atsushi’s shirt. To Gin’s pleasant surprise, her brother is still wearing his nasal cannula and it is only slightly askew from how he is sleeping. Now that Gin is thinking about it, she doesn’t think she’s seen Ryuu sleep this soundly in years.
Taking a few more incriminating photos for her blackmail folder, Gin crosses the room and turns off the television – which was playing some horrible dubbed American film that only plays late throughout the night. Two half-empty ramen bowls are balanced on the coffee table beside her brother’s oxygen machine.
With a private grin that will never see the light of day, Gin gently lays a warm blanket across her brother’s back. She’d never admit it, but Gin is sure to make sure that both of Atsushi’s feet are covered by the warm fabric.
Despite her lingering exhaustion, Gin’s quiet smile doesn’t fade. Yeah…getting Atsushi’s help was definitely the right move on her part. And if she got to play matchmaker, well, then that’s for her to gloat about in the morning.