Chapter Text
Yosano
Chuuya rubbed his forehead as he followed the new Sokoku to the Agency building since they were injured and hence, they had to check up with the Agency’s physician (who was a very scary woman).
Oh geez, oh man, who had thought that Dazai was the right person to assign the difficult Akutagawa of all people a partner? (Granted, these two were feared all over Japan in a span of just one year by lawmakers and outlaws alike but still)
And on top of that, did Dazai think having an admittedly cute young lady would calm down that almost-rabid assassin?
He was pretty sure Akutagawa did not swing either this way or that way.
Guy definitely had to be asexual.
Chuuya turned up (what did Dazai even eat is a question forever haunting Chuuya) to look at Dazai who's currently amused.
“Those two are really angry. I think even I might get clobbered if I go there. We might as well watch the show.” Dazai said, grinning.
Chuuya scowls and wants to know where there's a show going on, because all he can see is Nakajima Atsushi screeching at Akutagawa for all she's worth and Akutagawa looking ready to strangle her.
Hell hath no fury like a woman’s scorn, indeed.
Although, Nakajima wasn't exactly rejected here but still, his point of not pissing off women stands.
Then again, Dazai has always been a twisted bastard, even having negotiated on the poor girl’s behalf to the Port Mafia to make the new Sokoku’s partnership a permanent one because it apparently strengthened the relationship between the Port Mafia and the Agency.
That was a load of bull if he ever heard one.
When Akutagawa had found out well…
It was the only time Chuuya ever saw Akutagawa pissed at Dazai and that's saying something.
Back to the present however, the scene was getting a little dangerous because the level of personal space was slowly decreasing and Chuuya really wanted to stop this fight as both screamed at each other.
He glanced at the other Agency members, who were currently minding their own work.
Smart people, Chuuya couldn't help but think ruefully.
Chuuya haplessly looked at the duo.
“Well, if you hadn't stood in my way, Nakajima-” (long story short, a partnership of four years meant that Dazai persuaded Akutagawa to call her at least by her last name.) “I would have got the fool! Who asked you to risk yourself like that?” Akutagawa asked, angrily.
Wow. So apparently they had some level of concern?
Chuuya didn't want to know.
Nakajima scowled up at him. “Well, if I could believe that you could take care of yourself without acting like a daredevil-”
Akutagawa laughed mirthlessly and Chuuya felt fascinated and horrified.
“Oh wait, so I'm the daredevil? What about you, Miss-I-Will-Stupidly-Risk-Myself?” Akutagawa asked, irritably.
Whoa, seemed like Akutagawa’s penchant for insulting just grew a notch.
Nakajima looked close to tearing her hair off and Chuuya felt slightly alarmed.
“Asshole! What will it take for you to stop acting like you're invincible-”
“My life, is absolutely not that-”
“Don't you dare say otherwise!” Nakajima screeched so angrily that Chuuya could literally feel himself flying away.
Akutagawa looked at her pointedly and there was something in that look Chuuya couldn't identify. “Oh really? What about you then?” He asked, quietly.
Nakajima scowled. “What about me?” She asked, defiantly.
“You think just because you've got the were-tigress’ healing power-”
“I don't think that way, excuse me! And besides, I can handle myself just fine!”
“Yeah, and I have to watch as you're fucking gagged up even though it was all part of the plan but still, you couldn't come back without a broken limb, couldn't you?” Akutagawa asked, looking pissed.
Nakajima didn't face him. “I told you, I can handle myself just fine. And you said it yourself, it was part of the plan. I knew what I was doing-” She said.
“Like hell you did, you just thought you'd be fine with that regenerative power of yours, didn't you?”
Nakajima didn't face him at all and Akutagawa growled low in his throat, rubbing his forehead.
Chuuya was glad the argument stopped at least for now.
He could only pray it stopped permanently and maybe they would not go for each other's throats again.
Both of them stared at each other before they sighed.
“Whatever. At least we're back in one piece.” Nakajima said, with a bad grace.
Yosano Akiko cleared her throat. “Now that you two are done worrying about each other, can the both of you move to the infirmary?”
Akutagawa looked scandalised and Nakajima looked horrified.
Not a very far cry.
“Excuse me, stop being pretentious.” Akutagawa snapped.
Nakajima glared up at him but it looked reproachful. “Akutagawa, shut up. Yosano-san, please don't say things like that.” She said, more gracefully.
Yosano waved a hand. “Whatever. It's time for treatment.”
Both of them paled at that and Chuuya couldn't blame them.
Kunikida
Tanizaki was now quite used to seeing Atsushi and Akutagawa come in together at the Agency building to report on the conditions of their missions to the president.
Tanizaki wanted to smile seeing how far Atsushi came.
It was as if only yesterday she was a scared girl of 18 years and here she was, quite the determined woman he wouldn't want to cross at any point of his life.
“Atsushi-chan!” Tanizaki greeted cheerfully, as soon as she came out of the President’s office.
He had a few of her paperwork, considering she was one of the only two Agency members dealing with the Port Mafia.
Atsushi’s face lit up and Akutagawa looked like he wanted to run away and vomit.
Not that Tanizaki minded.
“Tanizaki-kun. Oh, is that my paperwork?” Atsushi asked, blinking.
Tanizaki grinned. “Kunikida-san makes sure you don't run from your paperwork, you see.” He teased.
Atsushi clicked her tongue, muttering a hurried ‘damn’ and taking the bundle of paperwork in one arm.
“That's too much!” Atsushi whined.
Akutagawa looked unimpressed for a second before chuckling derisively. “Really, Nakajima? You can handle men thrice your size but you can't handle a bundle of paperwork?” He asked, smirking slightly.
Atsushi blushed in embarrassment, before scowling. “I'm not like certain people who finish their paperwork In record time! Not everyone can be perfect! Also, I'm only 5 centimetres shorter than you!” She said, petulantly.
Akutagawa’s face was flat and he simply rolled his eyes. “Whatever.”
Tanizaki wondered why Akutagawa was still here before the other man grumbled.
“I can't see why the President wants to talk to me personally.” He said, folding his arms.
Atsushi turned back to face him but the paperwork stash dangerously wobbled.
“He just asked you to wait.” Atsushi grumbled back, before moving to her place.
She tripped, unfortunately, and was about to fall over with a squeal before Akutagawa smoothly walked over and prevented the paperwork from causing a mess, catching Atsushi by the collar of her shirt.
“Thanks.” Atsushi said, in a small voice.
“Understand, I don't want to be witnessing your superior shouting and making a scene. You're as clumsy as a boar.” Akutagawa said, coldly.
Atsushi scowled and Tanizaki couldn't blame her.
Not that Akutagawa was the nicest of people anyway.
“All right, can you let go of me now?” She said, glowering.
“With pleasure.”
Akutagawa had a smug smirk on his face before he let go of the collar and made her to wobble over, making her fall on the chair face first, her skirt half open, making Tanizaki go red.
“Akutagawa!” He finally burst out.
Atsushi grumbled as she got up, scowling at Akutagawa with a blush. She muttered something before dusting herself and managing to sit on the chair with her dignity intact.
“It's okay, Tanizaki-kun. He does worse.” Atsushi muttered, her face red hot.
Tanizaki glared at Akutagawa but Atsushi shook her head warningly.
“Kid. I understand that Akutagawa isn't exactly the nicest person around, but maybe you could be a little more careful. We don't need him to get an excuse to harass you.” Kunikida said, blandly.
Atsushi went an even brighter shade of red at that for some reason and Akutagawa coughed.
Tanizaki sure didn't like the gleam on Akutagawa’s face at that.
Dazai
Ranpo knew a lot of things.
Well, obviously. He was a great detective, perhaps the greatest of them all!
And he knew for a fact that Atsushi and her new partner were fucking. Each other.
Sort of like a legal present.
Yeah. They made love to each other, and don't ask Ranpo how he knew.
They very obviously used protection.
Dirty stuff aside, today's latest episode on the Shin Sokoku soap opera was getting particularly interesting and Ranpo really wished he had a popcorn bucket.
He could go for some munchy popcorn now.
Today, the two weren't arguing about, strangely enough. They looked like they wanted to avoid each other and if Ranpo went on a limb, he'd say Atsushi almost died, but was only alive because of her ability.
And also, it looked like some idiot had insinuated Atsushi was a pretty good...no.
Even Ranpo didn't want to think what the hell went on.
Given their secret relationship, Akutagawa had probably gone on a rage enough to make Atsushi feel wary of talking to him in fear of incurring his protective (possessive was more like it, Ranpo thought with a shudder) wrath.
“What's up you two? How did the mission go?” Dazai asked, seeing their glum faces.
“It went okay.” Atsushi said, almost mechanically.
Akutagawa gave a stiff nod.
“'Okay', my foot. Something happened, right?” Dazai asked, coolly.
Oh bad. Oh great. This was gonna go swell, if Dracula’s temper was any indication.
“Nothing happened.” Akutagawa said, stiffly.
Dazai blinked.
Ranpo flicked a candy wrapper at the other.
“Drop it. Also, it's not what you think.” Ranpo said, warningly.
Dazai raised his hands in surrender.
Ranpo shook his head.
The guy was going to get himself killed one day.
Atsushi looked grateful but Ranpo waved it off.
He knew Atsushi knew, plus he wasn't doing this out of the goodness of the heart or something, god no.
He was just interested as to how long these two thought they could hide it from the rest of the Agency and the Port Mafia.
There were a whole lot of things that were mysteries here and Ranpo hadn't been this interested in a long time.
Dazai was already beginning to suspect something, but heaven forbid Dazai from finding out.
That would just take away all the fun.
Ranpo
Akutagawa counted himself a lucky man, he believes, as he sees Nakajima Atsushi happily lick away at the green tea flavoured ice cream he got her.
True they weren't teenagers, but neither had any sort of experience in dating or being lovers, so they were more than happy to learn.
Akutagawa doesn't remember when it happened, to be honest.
“Ryuu?”
Akutagawa blinks his widened eyes before he looks at a worried Atsushi.
“You're thinking. What's up?” She asks, in concern.
Akutagawa shakes his head. “It's nothing. Don't worry.” He says, simply.
Atsushi looks at him pointedly, but the better part of this relationship that she wasn't the nosy type and was the type who preferred peaceful solitude.
It's amazing, he thinks. They've gone from cutting off limbs and throwing the other into the ocean to being lovers.
“It's getting late.” Akutagawa comments, as the first snowflake falls on Atsushi’s head.
Atsushi looks at her watch and sighs. “Ah. You're right. I suppose I'll see you tomorrow then?”
Another wonderful thing about her would be that she wasn't clingy.
Akutagawa nods before hesitantly leaning in closer and pecking her on the cheek.
“Tomorrow.” He whispers.
Atsushi nods with a slight smile. “Yeah.” She says, almost breathlessly, kissing him on the cheek.
They kiss for a while, Akutagawa relishing in how wonderful she tasted and relishing in the almost elfin presence next to him.
Seeing each other was very difficult, given that Akutagawa didn't have time to see his little sister who was in the same organisation as he was.
But having a lover who was in the opposing organisation was very tricky and tough.
Meetings were far and few, and seeing each other in two consecutive days was nothing short of a boon.
There was a whistle coming from behind him a little distance away, and Akutagawa was immediately on his alert, turning only to face…
Edogawa Ranpo.
The Agency’s smartest detective who currently had a huge, shit-eating, grin on his face with sweets and sweets in between his arms.
Atsushi widened her eyes and Akutagawa narrowed his own as the fool grinned.
He had already found out, but that didn't mean he didn't get a laugh out of seeing them together, like some sort of voyeur.
"Wow. I didn't know you could be so cheesy." The detective said, grinning.
Akutagawa was ready to unleash Rashomon, but Atsushi kept a hand on his shoulder.
"Don't. You know what Ranpo-san is like." She says, quietly.
Akutagawa clicked his tongue as Edogawa walked away, snickering for all he was worth.
"Well, at least in his own way, he reminded us to be more careful." Atsushi said, trying to be cheerful.
Akutagawa looks at her and sighs.
"Tomorrow then."
Atsushi nods, smiling. "Don't take Ranpo-san to heart. I'll see you later." She said, gently.
Akutagawa sure was a lucky person for all his sins.