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“Are you sure that you don’t need any help, Haruno-san?” Atsushi asked.
Kirako shook her head, putting the finishing touches on a string of tinsel she was hanging up.
“No, it’s alright. It’s your first Christmas party at the agency. I don’t want you to have to help set it up,” she said, moving back to inspect her handiwork.
“But I really don’t mind,” Atsushi spoke up.
“I know that you don’t mind, but the rest of us do.”
“Really, it wouldn’t be any trouble-”
“No arguing, Atsushi-kun,” the young woman instructed easily. “Besides, it’s not as though I’m alone. I sent Naomi-chan and Tanizaki-kun downstairs to get some more decorations. They’re going to assist me when they get back.”
“If you’re sure,” the boy reluctantly conceded.
“I am,” Kirako smiled, stepping onto a stool that she had retrieved. “Although if you don’t mind, can you please hand me that?” she asked, gesturing to an item on one of the nearby desks.
“Sure,” Atsushi complied, padding over to retrieve the item.
He gazed over it in interest when he picked it up, not recognizing what he was holding. It was a small green plant, covered with several small white berries. He was sure that it was going to be used for part of the decorations, but it wasn’t something that he had seen before. He passed it over to Kirako after a moment, watching as she tied a red bow around the branch.
“Hey Haruno-san, what is that anyway?” he inquired. His coworker looked back at him in surprise, before realization occurred to her.
“That’s right. It makes sense that you’ve never seen it before. This is mistletoe.” Upon seeing Atsushi’s blank expression, she went on to clarify. “It’s something that’s hung up around Christmas time. When two people stand underneath it, tradition dictates that they have to kiss.”
Atsushi reared back, cheeks painted with a surprised blush. “They have to-! Wh-why would they have to do that?”
Kirako shrugged, completely untroubled by the subject.
“I don’t know all the details of the origin, I just know that it’s a Christmas tradition now. Of course, if you’re stuck underneath with friends or family, then any kind of kiss will do. Though really, most use it as an excuse to kiss someone that they have a crush on. It can be waved off as an accident, since so many people aren’t aware of the mistletoe being there until it’s too late.”
Atsushi’s attention was captured by this. A chance to kiss someone that you’re romantically interested in? That sounded like a presented opportunity if he ever heard one. He was temporarily lost in thought, going over the possibilities. If that was the case, then maybe he would be able to…
“In some cases, if you have incredible friends, they could even set the entire thing up in your favor,” Kirako continued, grinning at him over her shoulder. She paused as she saw his contemplative expression, quickly piecing together the reason why.
“Hey, Atsushi-kun?”
Snapping out of it, Atsushi turned to face her. “Ah, sorry. What is it?”
Kirako examined him thoughtfully. “You have someone in mind, don’t you?”
Atsushi’s jaw dropped upon being caught so quickly. He held out his hands in a panic, as if to ward the speculation off.
“I – no! Of course not! I was just thinking that it’s a strange custom, that’s all!” the teen hurriedly excused, gesturing wildly with his arms. Kirako’s expression was tinged with amusement.
“Is that so? I’ll make sure to hang up a few more for you then. Just in case you change your mind.”
“What? Wait, you don’t have to-!”
The woman giggled at his flustered expression.
“Relax, I’m only teasing. Well, partly,” she smiled. “I was already asked to hang up quite a few of these.”
Atsushi paused. “You were? But who asked you to do that?”
“Now that I’m afraid I can’t tell you. I’ve been sworn to secrecy,” his coworker smiled.
Atsushi was prevented from inquiring further about the subject by the arrival of Naomi and Junichiro. He went over to help them unpack the boxes, since that was all they would allow him to assist with. Inside though, his thoughts were racing. This could be his chance to kiss Dazai. He could make it look like an accidental meeting and his mentor would be none the wiser. From what Kirako had said, there was nothing suspicious about it since it was such a common practice. He would be able to get a kiss from Dazai, which is something he’s wanted for a long time now.
Best of all, this wouldn’t bring his feelings to light. He knew that the likelihood of Dazai’s feelings being mutual were slim. Practically nonexistent, if he was being honest. Atsushi had already come to terms with that.
But with this, nothing had to change. They could continue to be friends, which is something that Atsushi didn’t want to jeopardize. He didn’t want the crush that he harbored towards Dazai to negatively affect their already existing relationship. That was something he treasured, and desperately didn’t want to lose. And with this, he didn’t have to.
Now more than ever, Atsushi was excited for this party.
***************
A few hours later, and everything was in full swing. The office was decorated from top to bottom in lights and tinsel. The room was almost unrecognizable. Soft, festive music was playing from a different corner of the room. It really was amazing just how much had gotten done in a few hours.
No one had wasted any time in finding something to do. Yosano and Kirako were currently drinking together competitively, with Kunikida watching them with begrudging astonishment. Ranpo was in a corner with Poe, who he had invited, talking animatedly about something. Naomi and Junichiro were holding a conversation with Fukuzawa, the two of them laughing while he nodded along. Kyouka and Kenji were both raiding the sweets while Kunikida and Ranpo were too distracted to intervene.
Atsushi surveyed the entire room, realizing that he hadn’t seen Dazai yet. He startled upon feeling something being placed on his head. He turned to see Dazai standing next to him, eyes narrowed in concentration and tongue sticking out as he repositioned the item on top of his hair. He grinned as he stepped back, inspecting his handiwork.
“There. Now Atsushi-kun looks truly festive!” he nodded satisfactorily.
Atsushi gingerly prodded the item, fingers coming into contact with fabric. “A hat?”
“That’s right. And see? We match,” Dazai pointed out, gesturing to the Santa hat perched atop the crown of his head. Atsushi smiled at this.
“We do,” he agreed. “Everyone’s wearing a kind of hat, but they’re not all the same.”
“That would be Naomi-chan’s doing. She wanted to give everyone the option of variety,” Dazai remarked.
“I see. The agency really went all out today,” Atsushi commented.
“What did you expect? This is your first Christmas here, along with Kyouka-chan. I’m surprised that they didn’t try to do more than this.”
“I can’t imagine how they would’ve done that,” Atsushi spoke honestly.
“I had a few suggestions, but Kunikida-kun wouldn’t go for any of them.”
“Would any of them have resulted in collateral damage?” Atsushi asked, split between joking and being serious.
Dazai made a thoughtful noise, staring towards the ceiling with a hand raised to his chin in thought.
“…”
“…”
“…?”
“...It’s scary how long you have to think about that.”
Dazai waved his hand dismissively. “Well, Kunikida-kun still could have at least given it some thought, instead of outright rejection,” the man slumped forward in defeat.
Atsushi smiled sympathetically. “Maybe next time.”
Whatever reply Dazai might have given was cut off as Yosano called him to the other side of the room. He turned back to Atsushi, smiling and patting the boy’s head over the hat.
“I’ll see you around, Atsushi-kun. Make sure to have fun~!”
Atsushi watched Dazai’s retreating figure, now thinking back to his plan. The teen exhaled, scanning the entirety of the room anxiously. Kirako certainly wasn’t lying when she said that she’d been given a request to hang up multiple branches of mistletoe. She and the others had done a good job of covering the expanse of the ceiling with the small plants. There was one hung up every few feet. You could hardly take a couple of steps without ending up underneath one. With this, he was bound to succeed.
However, he had to wait for an opportunity to present itself. He didn't want to just run up to Dazai. That would negate the purpose of using the mistletoe to his advantage. He would only be making himself look suspicious. He would have to wait for an opening.
So Atsushi waited around, biding his time. He meandered around the room, engaging in small tasks while still keeping his eyes trained on his target. A couple of minutes later, Atsushi spotted his chance. Dazai was only a couple of feet away, holding a conversation with Yosano. He seemed oblivious to the fact that he was currently underneath the mistletoe.
Now it was time for Atsushi to make his move. He slowly began inching towards where Dazai was, carefully and what he hoped was inconspicuously. He peeked around the room every so often to make sure that no on was watching his advance, feeling his face heat up as he did so. He felt silly during the entire process, but he knew that the end result would be worth it.
He had just gotten within an inch of reaching his destination whenever Kenji called Dazai over for something.
“Excuse me, Yosano-sensei,” the man smiled as he maneuvered around the doctor. Who in turn had sidestepped into the spot where Dazai had just been standing.
Right underneath the mistletoe with Atsushi.
The boy released a small squeak, prompting Yosano to angle her head towards him.
“Oh, hey Atsushi,” she greeted upon realizing that he was there.
Atsushi didn’t give a response. Instead, he took turns between staring up at the mistletoe and then back at her, mouth opening and closing wordlessly. Yosano’s eyes flickered towards the ceiling, already having an idea of what the problem was, before releasing an amused breath of air.
“Oh, so that’s all it is,” she commented, shaking her head. “I figured avoiding those things would be practically impossible. I just didn’t think that it would happen this quickly.”
“Yosano-sensei! I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to – I didn’t think this would-!”
Yosano watched him in confusion, raising an eyebrow.
“What are you talking about? It’s not like you planned for this to-” she stopped, gaze drifting towards where Dazai was standing from across the room. Atsushi could see the realization settling in.
“Oh,” she purred, a knowing smirk on her face. Atsushi waved his arms wildly, blush darkening.
“No! I-It’s not what you think! It was only a coincidence!”
“So are you going to tell me that you weren’t just trying to make a move on Dazai?” Yosano countered coolly.
“No! I mean yes! I mean-” Atsushi broke off helpless, stopping completely when she began to giggle at him.
“You don’t need to explain it to me, Atsushi. It’s pretty clear already. I’m just glad to see that one of you two is finally making some progress,” she grinned.
She leaned forward before Atsushi had a chance to process her actions, planting a quick kiss against his cheek. She pulled back, smiling and patting his shoulder. “Sorry that’s all you get, but that’s the only kind of kiss that I’ll give to family.”
Atsushi froze, momentarily stunned by that easy admittance. Warmth began to bubble up in his chest, leaving him lost for words. Yosano’s lips twitched at the edges.
“Besides, something tells me that you’re going to want to save the real thing for Dazai, anyway.”
Heat instantly flared to Atsushi’s cheeks. The woman winked at him, leaving him gaping after her as she turned on her heel.
“Good luck,” she waved casually as she walked away.
Atsushi groaned quietly in embarrassment, burying his face into his hands. That didn’t go quite as he had planned, but he wasn’t discouraged by it. It was only his first attempt. He still had the rest of the evening left. Besides, Atsushi didn’t consider it to be a loss at all. The surge of joy that he’d felt at being referred to like family hadn’t subsided in the least.
***************
Atsushi wasn’t quite sure how this happened.
He could only guess that Dazai had moved away before he was even aware of it, just like what happened with Yosano. And just like in that instance, now Atsushi was trapped with someone that he hadn’t intended on.
He glanced up at his companion nervously. Kunikida’s mouth was set into a deep frown. His eyebrows were furrowed, with one of them twitching angrily. He was tapping his foot in an agitated manner, arms crossed over his chest. The light reflected off of his glasses, preventing Atsushi from seeing his entire expression underneath. He could only imagined that it was just as displeased as the rest of him seemed to be. Atsushi shifted in place, trying for a reassuring smile.
“Ah, y-you don’t have to worry about it, Kunikida-san. It’s not necessary-”
“Shut up, brat,” Kunikida spoke at last, pushing his glasses higher onto his face. “As much as I detest this silly tradition, it’s customary for a reason. It’s not in my list of ideals to break tradition,” he grumbled, not removing his hand from obscuring his face.
“OK...” Atsushi responded uncertainly.
Time ticked by slowly in silence. Kunikida didn’t move a muscle. He still hadn’t even removed his hand away from his glasses. A drop of sweat began to form on Atsushi’s forehead.
“Uh, Kunikida-san? Is everything alright?”
“Why do you ask?” the blonde demanded.
“...No reason,” Atsushi finished awkwardly.
Another minute went by with nothing happening. The younger detective shifted restlessly from one foot to the other.
“Um, would you prefer it if I-?”
“No,” Kunikida interrupted, finally returning his arm to his side. “I’m perfectly capable of doing it if you would just give me a moment,” he snapped.
His eyes were narrowed into an irritated glare, and his mouth was pulled into an even deeper frown than before. But now, Atsushi was able to see the light dusting of color across his face, and the uncomfortable way he glanced at the other inhabitants in the room self-consciously. Even the tapping of his foot seemed more anxious than anything.
Atsushi could slowly feel the tension leaving his shoulders as it clicked into place. He was glad that Kunikida wasn’t truly angry about their situation. He was just as nervous about it as Atsushi was. Maybe he was unaccustomed to the entire thing as well.
“Alright,” Atsushi smiled more easily. “Whenever you’re ready then.”
Kunikida nodded, finally taking a stiff step forward. It took another few moments for him to move, frown still permanently fixed on his face. He surged forward before Atsushi had a chance to comprehend what he was doing, pecking his forehead quickly. He hurriedly drew away, clearing his throat and repositioning his glasses once more.
“There. My requirement is finished,” he stated.
Kunikida stepped out from beneath the mistletoe. Yosano slid over to his side once he was out in the open, a smirk growing.
“Ah, come on, Kunikida!” she teased, leaning her arm against his shoulder. “After all the fuss, and that’s what you leave Atsushi with? He deserves a little more than that, don’t you think?”
“Wait, did he kiss him already?” Ranpo drawled, an amused grin appearing. “It was so quick that I think I missed it.”
“Sh-shut up already!” Kunikida snapped, placing a hand on his hip in an attempt to look stern. “The task is already completed and the spectacle is over! Don’t you lot have anything better to do than-”
“You could always have a do over!” Naomi chirped, eyes sparkling with mischief.
“I will do no such thing!” he instantly refused.
“Can you really have a do over when it comes to mistletoe?” Kenji asked Fukuzawa curiously, tilting his head to the side. The man took a moment to mull the thought over.
“It’s not a requirement,” he decided. “Although I suppose that the idea is not out of the question.”
“You heard him, Kunikida-san!” Naomi spoke victoriously.
“E-even so, I will not-!”
“My, look at how embarrassed Kunikida-kun is getting,” Dazai whispered conspiratorially to Ranpo, making it a point to cover the side of his face from view. But even Atsushi could hear the clear amusement laced throughout his words.
“Right?” Ranpo grinned back. “Normally he only gets into this state after drinking for a while with Yosano-san.”
“Speaking of which,” the woman in question smiled wickedly. “You haven’t had a single drink with me all night. I think it’s about time that we change that.”
“ARE YOU PEOPLE EVEN LISTENING TO ME?!”
Atsushi couldn’t help but to laugh with the others as they continued to rile Kunikida up. Though this was another unsuccessful attempt, he couldn’t say that it was a complete failure. Thought it had been quick, Atsushi could still feel the trace amounts of warmth emanating from a single spot on his forehead. He considered that to be more than enough.
***************
Atsushi was DEFINITELY not sure how this happened.
“I’m...really sorry about this.”
“There’s no need to fret over such matters. This was unintentional, was it not?”
“Well, yes. But still...”
“Then there is no harm done.”
Atsushi squirmed under the intensity of the president’s gaze, glancing up at him nervously. Fukuzawa was staring down at him, a frown marring his features. He was wearing an antler hat per Ranpo’s request, but even that image didn’t help to alleviate the nervous pit swirling inside Atsushi’s stomach. He knew the man probably wasn’t angry and that he always looked like that, but Atsushi still couldn’t help finding him intimidating. Especially now that he was stuck underneath the mistletoe with Atsushi, and all because of his unyielding quest to kiss Dazai.
The boy swallowed, smiling weakly up at the director.
“Um, l-like I tried to tell Kunikida-san, you don’t have to-”
“It’s fine.”
Atsushi blinked at the man’s abrupt answer. “What?”
“I said that it’s alright. Such is tradition,” he spoke. Fukuzawa rests a hand on the younger boy’s shoulder, moving to place a kiss against the top of Atsushi’s head. Once done, Fukuzawa stepped back and nodded at him. “Enjoy the rest of the festivities.”
He began to walk away, the sound of his sandals clicking against the floor. Atsushi might have been imagining it, but something in his expression almost seemed to soften once he made a move to leave. Atsushi smiled slightly, warmth filling him. Though the thought may not be completely accurate, he couldn’t help but feel as though he’d just been given an affectionate gesture by his grandfather. Although it may not be through a blood relation, he still thought that such a thing felt pretty nice.
***************
“How...exactly did we all end up here?” Junichiro asked hesitantly, nervously glancing between his sister and Atsushi.
That’s what Atsushi himself wanted to know.
He had been in the middle of implementing his next plan of attack. It had seemed like it was going to work, too. Dazai had been only a few feet away and hadn’t yet made a move to leave. Atsushi had begun to inch his way closer to the mistletoe. He was actually beginning to think that he was going to succeed this time.
All of a sudden, Naomi had appeared out of nowhere, dragging a struggling and flustered Junichiro in tow. It hadn’t even seemed as if she’d noticed him until it was too late. Atsushi’s shoulders sagged. It may have only seemed like a twist of fate, but at this point it felt like his own bad luck.
“I’m sorry about this, you two,” he spoke up, releasing a small sigh. The pair of siblings turned to him curiously. Naomi raised an eyebrow, beginning to grin.
“Oh my, Atsushi-kun. Don’t tell me that you came under here with us on purpose,” she teased. Atsushi’s face grew hot as he waved his hands.
“What? No! That’s not what I – I didn’t mean-!” he broke off as Naomi started to giggle, waving her hands in a placating fashion.
“I’m only kidding! There’s no need to get so worked up. Besides,” she continued with a sheepish grin. “I wasn’t really paying attention to what all was going on. I think this one is my fault.”
“Regardless of how it happened,” Junichiro spoke up. “We’re all here now. So what do we do?”
Naomi frowned, humming as she crossed her arms. “Well normally, I’d never let anyone’s lips come into contact with any part of my brother, or vise versa.”
“N-Naomi!” Junichiro chastised, a small blush spreading.
“But I think I can make an exception for you, Atsushi-kun,” she grinned.
Atsushi smiled back weakly. As strange as the thought was, it was a big sign of acceptance. Especially considering how possessive Naomi was over her brother.
“Just this once though, mind you!” she continued, pointing her finger in his direction for emphasis.
“U-understood,” Atsushi laughed weakly.
She nodded, seemingly pleased.
“Now then.”
With that, she raised herself onto her toes. She pressed her mouth to his cheek for only a second before lowering back onto her feet. She smiled at him once she was finished.
“Done,” she stated cheerfully.
“Guess that means it’s my turn, then?” Junichiro smiled softly. His eyes skimmed over Atsushi’s face as he stepped forward, narrowing slightly in consideration. “On the cheek, maybe? Or would the forehead be better? Do you have any preferences?”
“Ah, no. Not really. You don’t have to worry about it so much,” Atsushi responded.
“Yeah, come on already. You don’t want to stay here all night,” Naomi reminded him in a teasing tone. Junichiro blinked, straightening at the reminder.
“Oh, right! Here, I’ll just-,” he spoke quickly, springing forward to kiss Atsushi’s temple. He pulled back, smiling bashfully at the other male. “Sorry about that.
“Ah, no, it’s OK!” Atsushi reassured, shaking his head.
“I suppose this means that it’s our turn now, brother,” Naomi smirked, inching closer to the redhead. Junichiro gulped, raising his arms defensively.
“Hey, now isn’t a good time for that!”
“But it’s TRADITION. You wouldn’t want to break a tradition, would you?”
“R-really Naomi, this isn’t appropriate!”
“That's not what you said last night~”
Atsushi abruptly turned and scurried out of there while he still had the opportunity. He was all too relieved when he heard Kunikida's voice yelling at them to knock it off. As much as he cared for them both, that wasn’t exactly something that he wanted to see.
***************
“I’m sorry about this, Haruno-san.”
The young woman shook her head, smiling softly.
“There’s no need to worry about it. In any case, have you had any success with the person you’re interested in?” Atsushi’s face soured, mouth curling in displeasure.
Kirako looked at him sympathetically. “Apparently not.”
“No,” Atsushi sighed. “I’ve tried to be in the same place as them all night, but it hasn’t worked. I’ve just managed to catch every other person under here.”
“Hm...” Kirako raised a finger to her chin, musing to herself. “Maybe it would help if you changed your approach.”
Atsushi raised his head curiously. “How do you mean?”
“Well, the way you’ve gone about things so far hasn’t worked. Perhaps if you try another method, then you’ll gain different results,” she explained.
Atsushi sat back, musing to himself. A lot of the problem had been the fact that Dazai didn’t seem to want to stay in one place for too long. As such, Atsushi would always be so close to catching him beneath the mistletoe, but his mentor would somehow manage to slip away.
Atsushi blinked, coming to a conclusion. Maybe that was the problem. Instead of chasing after Dazai, it’s possible that it would be better to stay in one place and let Dazai come to him. At the very least, it was worth a try. The boy’s eyes lit up as he turned his attention back to his companion.
“I think I get what you mean. I’ll try that.”
Kirako returned his smile.
“Good.” Leaning forward, she placed one hand below his jaw as she kissed his cheek. She smiled warmly at him as she drew back. “I hope that you manage to do it. Good luck,” she spoke as she began walking to another section of the room.
Determination renewed, Atsushi straightened his posture as he thought to set this new plan into place. He was going to make sure that it was a success. He was not going to allow himself to fail this time!
***************
Atsushi stared up at the mistletoe hanging over him with a look akin to that of betrayal. Beside him, Kenji appeared as carefree as always, while Kyouka was glancing between them with a small frown. Atsushi sighed in exasperation.
“How did this even happen?” he asked.
“I dunno,” Kenji piped in. “I was just trying to get some of the beef dishes from the food table.”
“I wanted to go pet Karl,” Kyouka explained next, pointing in the opposite direction.
Atsushi released a defeated breath of air. He had already been close enough to the mistletoe due to his new plan of attack. He had considered that maybe actively pursuing Dazai wasn’t working, and that perhaps he should just wait in one spot instead. It had almost worked, too. He only looked away for one second to maneuver around in order to avoid collision with Kunikida. When he turned his attention back, Dazai was gone. And somehow he and the others had ended up meeting in the middle.
He was starting to wonder what he had done wrong in a previous life.
“Well, however it happened, you’ve definitely been popular today, Atsushi-kun. You’ve had the best luck with the mistletoe out of everyone,” Kenji laughed lightly, patting his shoulder.
Atsushi gave a strained smile as he nodded in agreement. He wasn’t sure about it being good luck, but he certainly couldn’t dispute the first part of his comment.
“How will this work then?” Kyouka asked, tilting her head. “Since there are three of us here.”
“I guess that we can all just take turns. That’s what happened when I was with Tanizaki-kun and Naomi-san,” Atsushi mused aloud. Kyouka blinked at him.
“Kenji-kun was right; you HAVE been very popular today,” she noted.
“Not by choice,” Atsushi muttered quietly to himself.
Both Kyouka and Kenji watched him with mutually curious expressions, causing him to shake his head.
“It’s not important. Anyway, I’ll go first,” he informed them.
He took a step towards Kyouka, giving her a moment to prepare before giving her a quick kiss on the forehead. Her skin was tinged with a light pink from embarrassment as a result. Atsushi smiled at her as he returned to his previous spot.
“So are we going in a circle?” Kenji asked excitedly. “I want to go next then!”
The boy bounced onto the tips of his toes, delivering a solid kiss to Atsushi’s cheek. Kenji grinned at him cheerfully, and Atsushi couldn’t help but to return the gesture. Kenji then turned to face Kyouka, who realized what was coming next.
“OK, Kyouka-chan, it’s your turn!” he informed her.
The girl nodded in understanding, determination showing in her eyes. “Alright.”
She didn’t move.
A minute passed by as no one moved from their spot. Kenji tilted his head in concern while Atsushi glanced at Kyouka curiously. Her mouth was pressed into a thin line, the pink color on her face gradually darkening. Realization came to Atsushi as he recognized her reactions: she was nervous.
“Is something wrong, Kyouka-chan?” he asked.
Her eyes narrowed stubbornly. “No.”
Her shoulders stiffened almost inconspicuously as she clenched her hands together. Thankfully, Kenji seemed to see this as well.
“Are you not comfortable with taking your turn?” he asked for confirmation. She didn’t answer, but his expression brightened regardless. “That’s OK, you don’t have to worry about it! Here-” he began, now stepping forward.
His movements were slow, more careful then they had been with Atsushi. He brushed his lips gently against Kyouka’s cheek, lingering for only a second before pulling away. He smiled happily, placing his hands on his waist.
“There we go!” he stated victoriously. He grinned at his companions as he turned, waving as he began to walk to his original destination. “Have fun, you two! Enjoy the rest of the party!”
Atsushi chuckled as he waved back. He peeked at Kyouka’s reaction, spotting a quickly spreading red blush. She ducked her head when she noticed Atsushi watching, and the silver haired teen smiled.
“You OK, Kyouka-chan?”
“Yes,” she answered instantly, although she still refused to look at him.
She toyed with the sleeve of her kimono, clearly embarrassed. Atsushi sighed kindly, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. He sympathized very well with how she felt.
***************
At this point Atsushi wasn’t even going to question it anymore.
“This isn’t quite how I was hoping this would go,” Ranpo stated, crossing his arms lightly over his chest. Atsushi couldn’t help but to mentally agree.
“If I didn’t know any better, I would say that you had a goal of getting every single person underneath the mistletoe,” Ranpo continued. Atsushi shook his head.
“Believe me, I’m not-”
“Oh, I already know,” the older detective interrupted. “It seems that you’ve been paired with everyone BUT the person that you wanted most.” Atsushi’s cheeks reddened.
I-I’m not-” he cut himself off upon seeing Ranpo’s pointed look, knowing that there was no use in trying to deny it. He breathed out in resignation. “Yeah, you’re right.”
“Of course I am,” Ranpo grinned proudly. “To tell you the truth, I have the same predicament.”
Atsushi’s attention was caught at once, causing him to blink furiously.
“You do? But who are you…?” he trailed off as he caught sight of Ranpo’s averted gaze. His eyes had drifted to Edgar’s direction, who was shifting nervously in his seat as he awaited his friend’s return. Catching Atsushi’s gaze, Ranpo grinned at him.
“Yep. Harunocchi did a good job with setting everything up, but I’m afraid I truly underestimated Poe-kun’s antisocial tendencies.”
Atsushi’s mouth parted, realization dawning. “So you were the one she was talking about earlier.”
“That’s right. Not a whole lot of good that ended up doing though,” Ranpo commented easily. “It’s funny, but we both had the opposite problem. Yours is moving around too much, while mine hasn’t moved from his spot once.”
Atsushi colored a darker shade of pink at the observation. Had he really been that transparent?
“Yes.”
Atsushi startled, leading to a round of laughter from Ranpo.
“Don’t forget, Atsushi-kun. I am the best detective that there is,” he boasted. “To be fair, you weren’t very subtle about it.”
Atsushi’s mouth dropped, a self-conscious blush appearing. Just how obvious had he been? Ranpo shrugged, waving his hand lazily.
“Well, what’s important is that the person you’re after hasn’t noticed. Although I can’t say whether or not they have.”
Atsushi stiffened, lips pulling into a frown. Could that have been it? Was that how Dazai always manged to evade him? It would make sense. Dazai was rather intelligent. Could he have just been running away to avoid a possible confrontation about Atsushi’s feelings for him?
Atsushi snapped out of it upon feeling Ranpo playfully pat his shoulder. “Anyway, you don’t need to look so gloomy. You don’t know if those are the exact circumstances or not.”
“But I-”
“Hey, if it’s supposed to happen, then it will. If not, then you can always take things into your own hands. Either way, I wouldn’t worry about it too much. It’ll be fine.”
Atsushi gave a smile after a moment, understanding that this was Ranpo’s way of cheering him up.
“Thank you, Ranpo-san.”
“Honestly, what would you all do without me?” the older detective smiled proudly. “In any case, we still have that to consider,” he reminded the other, pointing up. Atsushi followed his gaze upwards, blinking.
“Oh, that’s right. I had almost forgotten about that,” he commented. “How should we do this?”
“Well no offense, but you’re not someone that I want to kiss,” Ranpo told him bluntly.
“Ah, none taken,” Atsushi replied, eye twitching. Though he understood exactly what Ranpo meant by it, he still had to wonder whether or not it would have killed him to phrase it differently.
“Here, this will do,” Ranpo smiled, extending his hand out expectantly. It took Atsushi a second before he caught onto what he meant. The boy smiled indulgently, taking the offered limb. He couldn’t even say that he was surprised.
“Does this really count?”
“It’s no less valid than the others,” Ranpo reasoned.
Atsushi shook his head, resisting the urge to laugh. He expected nothing less from Ranpo. Unable to come up with a counterargument, he ended up giving a kiss to the back of the older detective’s hand. Ranpo took back his appendage once Atsushi was finished.
“There. Obligation fulfilled,” he noted cheerfully. He stepped away a moment later, now glancing up at the plant above them. “Hey Atsushi-kun, would you mind handing me that?”
“Not at all,” the boy replied. He lifted himself onto his toes, pulling the mistletoe down. He handed it over to Ranpo next. “What do you need it for?”
“Ah,” Ranpo grinned slyly, tucking the plant into his pocket. Atsushi caught how his eyes once again shifted to Poe. “I’m planning to use it for a bit of an experiment, if you will.”
Catching the meaning behind his words, the boy chuckled quietly. “Good luck with your experiment then, Ranpo-san.”
“Same to you,” the brunette responded, waving his hand as he turned away. “See you later, Atsushi-kun.”
***************
After that, Atsushi basically gave up on his endeavors. None of his attempts had worked, and it didn’t seem like they were going to. He decided to heed Ranpo’s words; if it was meant to happen, then it would. But Atsushi wasn’t actively going to seek out Dazai anymore. With his luck, he’d only end up trapping everyone else again.
So instead, he chose to enjoy the rest of the party with everyone. He talked with all of his friends, without the prerequisite of a kiss being exchanged, savoring their time together and laughing. It seemed all too soon when it was time for everybody to go home.
Atsushi waved to everyone who passed him on their way out, bidding them goodnight. He breathed out happily as he pulled his jacket on, tired but content. Oh well. He may not have succeeded in his self-assigned mission, but he wouldn’t trade the night he just had for anything. He could always try again next year anyway.
Atsushi stilled at the thought, in the process of pulling the hat off of his head. He hadn’t allowed himself to consider it towards the beginning, the thought of being able to stay permanently. It had seemed too good to be true, the concept of finding someplace that he could belong. With people who cared for him, and who he cared deeply for in return. He had been so afraid that it was all going to go away.
But now, the idea seemed more concrete. The thought that he’d be able to stay and make more memories like this, it was something that he couldn’t have ever hoped for before. Now, amazingly, it seemed like something entirely attainable.
“What’s that smile for?”
Atsushi shook his head, gently tucking the hat he’d been given in his jacket pocket. He turned to face Dazai, beaming. “I was just thinking about something.”
“Something good, I’m assuming?” the brunette teased. Atsushi nodded, expression softening.
“Very much so,” he cleared his throat before brightening. “Anyway, we better head out, too.”
He chanced a peek at the only remaining inhabitants. Ranpo and Poe hadn’t made a move to leave, despite everyone else having done so. Poe appeared vastly more comfortable now that the other occupants had vacated, and he was actively engaging with Ranpo. Karl was curled between them on the couch, peacefully sleeping. Atsushi figured that Ranpo would make his move soon, and that he would appreciate the privacy.
“Ah, right you are,” Dazai agreed as they exited the office, with Atsushi making sure to quietly shut the door behind them. “Since we’re both going to the same place, do you want to walk back together?”
Atsushi perked up at the offer. “Sure. I know that I didn’t have anything else planned after this, but you’re just planning on going home too?” he questioned as they made their way down the hall.
“Yeah, celebrating with everyone took more out of me than I thought it would,” Dazai sighed dramatically, causing Atsushi to laugh.
“I’m not surprised. The agency is energetic on regular days, but especially so when there’s something to celebrate.”
They reached the entrance to the building within a few minutes, stepping out into the chill winter air.
“Alright, let’s head back,” Dazai spoke cheerfully, resting a hand on Atsushi’s back in order to lead him. Atsushi tugged on the sleeve of Dazai’s overcoat, confused.
“Dazai-san, the dorms are back this way,” Atsushi pointed out, gesturing in the opposite direction.
“So they are, but we can always take another path this way,” Dazai explained easily.
“Sure, but isn’t this way faster?” Atsushi asked curiously.
“Yes. But I was thinking that we could take the scenic route, since it isn’t such a bad night,” Dazai continued. His eyebrows furrowed as he gazed at Atsushi suspiciously, pouting. “Unless Atsushi-kun is saying that he doesn’t truly want to spend time with me?”
“No, of course not! I didn’t mean-!”
“OK, then let’s go~!” Dazai seemingly recovered quickly, humming as he began to lead the way.
Atsushi shook his head in amusement. He was all too aware of the fact that Dazai’s hand was still placed on his back, keeping the pair in closer proximity than they would have been otherwise. Atsushi was just thankful that he could excuse a potential blush on the cold weather.
“So, did you have fun?”
“Huh?” Atsushi looked over to see Dazai staring at him expectantly. Realizing what his companion meant, Atsushi smiled quickly.
“Oh. Yes, I did. I’m definitely glad that the agency had the party.”
“Good,” Dazai returned his smile. “It was certainly interesting, I have to give the others credit for that.”
Atsushi chuckled. “No kidding. Are the agency’s Christmas parties always like this?”
“I don’t really know.”
“What?” Atsushi asked curiously. “But you’ve gone to the other parties before, haven’t you?”
“Nope,” Dazai shook his head. “I’ve never gone before. Actually, before now I mostly spent the holidays alone.”
Atsushi eyebrows drew together, confused at the unexpected reveal. “Is there a reason for that?”
Dazai smiled at him as widely as he did before, but now it was mixed with something melancholy. It was almost bittersweet. “Not really. It’s nothing important anyway.”
His eyes became distant as he stared back ahead. He didn’t even appear to notice when it began to snow, white flakes falling in a slow descent towards the ground. Atsushi frowned in concern. This was one of the only times that he had ever seen Dazai when he was serious. While he liked the glimpse at a different aspect to the older man, as well as the sense of trust that this gave him, he also liked it a lot better when Dazai’s smiles were genuine. Whatever the reason had been, it was clear that Dazai didn’t want to discuss it. And Atsushi wouldn’t pressure him to do so.
Instead, Atsushi nudged Dazai’s arm to draw his attention. “Then that means that it was your first Christmas party at the agency as well, not just mine and Kyouka-chan’s. So what about you? Did you have fun?”
There was no doubt that Dazai knew what Atsushi was doing. The fact that his voice was purposefully light and cheery was enough of an indication. But still, the boy was relieved when Dazai’s expression brightened.
“I did. It was really quite entertaining. Although,” he began, smirking mischievously. “I don’t think I had nearly as much fun as you did.”
Understanding instantly what Dazai was referring to, Atsushi chuckled meekly. “I’m not sure how a lot of that happened.”
Well, he did, but he wasn’t about to tell Dazai that.
“Well, no matter how it happened, it was still quite amusing to watch. Kunikida-kun looked so awkward by the entire exchange. And only giving you a kiss on the forehead? It was like a grandfather giving affection,” Dazai commented. Atsushi smiled slightly.
“That’s actually what I thought, too.”
“See? I kept telling everyone that Kunikida-kun acts too much like an old man,” Dazai nodded seriously, causing Atsushi to chuckle.
“No, not him. I actually thought that about the president earlier,” he admitted.
“Aw come on, Atsushi-kun. The president isn’t that old. If he heard you say that, it might just hurt his feelings,” Dazai grinned as he teased him. Atsushi huffed, turning his head to the side.
“I know that. It’s just what it felt like,” he muttered bashfully.
Dazai chuckled as he extended his hand, ruffling his companion’s hair in apology.
“Well, I can see why you’d feel that way. Actually, you didn’t get any noteworthy kisses at all tonight. Well, except for maybe Ranpo-san. That one looked like you were showing reverence to a princess,” Dazai noted offhandedly.
“That’s not too far from what it felt like,” Atsushi responded dryly, the corner of his mouth twitching. Dazai shook his head in amusement.
“I can see why you’d think so, anyway. With only the one exception, it basically looked like you were given kisses by your family all night.”
Atsushi turned to look at Dazai, mildly surprised. “You really think so?”
“Yeah. Didn’t it feel that way to you?” Dazai inquired.
Atsushi thought back to the events throughout the entire night. He had already thought as such with the case of Fukuzawa, and Yosano had mentioned something as well, but he hadn’t considered the others in that regard. But now that he stopped to consider it, that did feel like what he imagined being given affection by a family member would feel like. A small smile started to grow across his face, warmth blossoming inside of him.
“It did,” he spoke after a moment. Dazai continued to watch him curiously, his own smile on display.
“Well, as long as you had fun. That’s what counts.”
“I did. It really was a nice night.”
Maybe it was because of how full his heart felt. Maybe it was because they were in view of the agency dorms, the first real home that he had ever had. The home that he had been given because of the involvement of the man next to him. Maybe it was because of how honestly and truly grateful he was in that moment, but nothing could stop his next words from spilling out.
“And it’s all because of you, Dazai-san.”
The man blinked at him in surprise. He then laughed, waving his hand dismissively.
“What are you talking about, Atsushi-kun? The agency has a Christmas party every single year. I had nothing to do with it.”
Atsushi shook his head. “No, I didn’t mean that. I meant the reason that I’m here in the first place. It’s because you helped me.”
It was fast, but for a moment, Dazai looked taken aback. He smiled once more, shrugging his shoulders exaggeratedly.
“Ah, but don’t you remember? It was compensation for inconveniencing you after you thwarted my attempt at submersion. It was like repaying a debt.”
“Still, you didn’t have to do that,” Atsushi pointed out. “You could have just left me there, but you didn’t. You got me into the agency, who’s become like family. If I had just been left there, then I think...” Atsushi shook his head. “No, I know that I wouldn’t have made it to this point. You saved me too, that day.”
He slowed his walk, coming to an eventual stop when he could no longer hear footsteps behind him. He turned curiously, glancing back at his companion. Dazai’s eyes had widened marginally, and though it was subtle, Atsushi could see the shock across his face. Realizing the full extent of all that he’d just admitted, Atsushi’s face began to heat up.
“Ah, s-something like that, anyway!” he laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head. Suddenly incredibly thankful that they had reached their destination, Atsushi turned to walk up the stairs.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, Dazai-san,” Atsushi smiled sheepishly, quickly slipping his keys out from his pocket. “Have a good night.”
“Atsushi-kun,” Dazai spoke up suddenly.
The boy glanced over his shoulder curiously. “Yeah? What is-?”
A hand on his arm pulled him back, leading him to stumble into Dazai. Atsushi didn’t have time to react to this. He barely even processed the fact that he had fallen against his mentor’s chest. He was only aware of a pair of caramel colored eyes that were far too close to him. They slipped shut, leaving nothing else for Atsushi to focus on except the soft pressure that settled against his lips.
Atsushi’s breath hitched, his own eyes widening as he froze in place. His heart stopped in his chest. He didn’t notice as his grip on his keys grew slack, slipping from his hands before falling to the ground with a clink.
In reality, this exchange must have only been for a couple of seconds. But for Atsushi, it felt like time had stopped completely. He was only acutely aware of Dazai. He could only notice the length of Dazai’s eyelashes, and how those dark lashes glistened when the freshly fallen snow melted against them. How he smelled like mint, chocolate, and something he’d only come to associate with Dazai.
He pulled back, giving Atsushi only a second to collect himself before closing the distance once more. Somehow this kiss was even more gentle than the first, as though Dazai was taking the opportunity to savor it. Atsushi wasn't sure what had come over Dazai. He wasn’t even sure if this wasn’t a figment of his own imagination. But this was something that he had been striving towards all night, and he was going to enjoy it.
Atsushi’s eyelids fell closed as he relaxed in Dazai’s hold. Any remaining trace of hesitation that he might have had was immediately discarded as Dazai curled one arm around his waist, pulling the two flush together. Atsushi’s hands traveled upwards until they rested against Dazai’s shoulders. A thin layer of snow had accumulated, melting against the heat of Atsushi’s skin and dripping down the boy’s fingertips. The cold bit into the skin exposed by his gloves, and his cheeks and nose had gone numb, but he didn’t care. Dazai was here, lips pressed against his and holding him as though he was something precious, and that was all that mattered.
Out of all of the kisses that Atsushi had given and received tonight, this one was definitely his favorite.
It ended all too soon. Dazai pulled away, seemingly composed, leaving Atsushi embarrassed at how breathless he truly felt. Only, the more that he inspected Dazai, the more he found that wasn’t the case. His face was a darker shade of pink than just a moment ago, and Atsushi knew that it had nothing to do with the cold. There was a fondness to the curve of his lips, affection seeping through as he gazed at Atsushi. His expression sent Atsushi’s heart pounding. But still, the boy didn’t know what the catalyst was for Dazai’s actions.
“I...Why did you-?” Atsushi trailed, unsure of how to continue, and worried that his questions would somehow cause this all to disappear. Dazai released an amused breath, smile quirked at the corners.
“You weren’t being very fair at all, Atsushi-kun,” he teased, shaking his head in pseudo disapproval. “I had only intended to steal one.”
Atsushi opened his mouth to question what he meant, but Dazai waving something above his head drew his attention upwards. Atsushi peered at what was in Dazai’s hand, and all at once the air was stolen from his lungs.
Dazai was holding a sprig of mistletoe.
Atsushi stared back at Dazai in shock. The older male seemed to not pay any attention to this. He instead tilted his head to the side, humming thoughtfully.
“Then again, I suppose that could be counted as an apology of sorts. I do have a lot to make up for since I caused you to run around all night,” Dazai mused to himself.
Atsushi flushed, heat flooding to his cheeks. “So – you DID know about it?”
“It was pretty hard not to notice, Atsushi-kun,” Dazai chuckled. “Though I did only find out after you had gotten stuck with Kunikida-kun. I could only guess that the same thing happened with Yosano-sensei before him.”
Atsushi groaned, burying his face into his hands. It had been bad enough that Ranpo and Yosano knew what his objective was, but Dazai as well? Had every single person there figured it out and just decided not to tell him? Dazai gently pried his hands away from his face, smiling when he reemerged.
“You don’t need to look so embarrassed. Remember that I did just kiss you,” he reminded the other cheerfully. “Besides, I thought it was cute.”
Atsushi could feel his face growing warmer. He glanced down at the ground bashfully, shifting slightly in place. “But then, if you knew about it, why did you keep avoiding me? Why did you decide to do it here?”
“For the simple matter of privacy, Atsushi-kun,” Dazai grinned. “If it had been back at the agency, Naomi-chan ALONE wouldn’t have let us live it down. Think about when you were caught with Kunikida-kun.”
Resisting the urge to mention that Dazai had been a part of the guilty party that had teased Kunikida, Atsushi nodded his head.
“I guess that makes sense.” Connecting the dots, Atsushi faced Dazai with a surprised expression. “Is that why you wanted to take the detour to get to the dorms? To make sure that everyone would already be inside?”
Dazai chuckled, looking pleased at his observation. “Atsushi-kun lives up to his status as a detective. I wanted to wait until everyone was gone from the office, but Ranpo-san stole that idea out from under me,” he added sulkily.
Atsushi laughed almost incredulously, gripping the hands that still held his own.
“It’s fine. I’m just happy that it actually...that you...” A flash of heat crawled up Atsushi’s neck, a small, shy smile forming. “But then – why did you…?” the boy trailed off, peeking at the mistletoe that Dazai still had in his grasp.
The older man huffed in amusement. “I figured that would have been fairly obvious.”
Atsushi shifted from one foot to the other, unable to answer. Dazai sighed good-naturedly.
“You’re really going to make me say it then,” he stated, not unkindly. “I like you, Atsushi-kun.”
A fluttering sensation erupted inside of Atsushi’s chest. The burst of joy that followed left Atsushi with a goofy, disbelieving grin on his face. He tried to take back his hand in order to hide it, but Dazai wouldn’t release his hold. He chuckled instead, examining Atsushi with an affectionate gaze.
“There’s that smile again. I didn’t think you’d be this happy by it,” he remarked.
“Of course I am. I was OK with the thought of being able to kiss you once and that was it. To think that you like me, too...” the boy trailed off, sounding amazed. “I just didn’t ever think that I would be lucky enough for that.”
Dazai’s grip on his hand tightened for a brief moment, only to let go afterwards.
“And what about now?”
Atsushi blinked at Dazai. “What do you mean?”
“Let me rephrase that: I hope that you’re not content with just two anymore. Because I’m certainly not.”
“Huh?”
Dazai’s lips lifted at the corners, a mischievous glint in his eyes. He brought his hand up to cup Atsushi’s cheek, carefully tilting his head. Atsushi’s breath caught in his throat as Dazai brought their faces closer together.
“Because I like you so much, I plan to kiss you a lot more than just twice.”
For the second time that night, Atsushi could swear that his heart stopped functioning. He gave a sharp intake of air when Dazai leaned in, his eyes gazing deeply into Atsushi’s own. An excited sense of anticipation rose inside of Atsushi as the distance was slowly eliminated, eyelids gradually slipping shut.
“Although, now that I think about it, it IS getting pretty late.”
“Heh?”
Eyes snapping open, Atsushi was left dumbfounded as Dazai moved back. His mouth dropped as he stared at his companion. His companion whose smile was far too wide to be considered innocent.
“What? But you – Dazai-san!” he complained.
“And it IS getting rather cold out, too. I wouldn’t want you to get sick because we were out here too long, Atsushi-kun,” he went on cheerfully, stroking the boy’s hair. Atsushi pouted, skin tinged with a bright pink.
“You say that, but it still feels like you were teasing me,” he mutters. Dazai’s mouth shifts into a smirk.
“Maybe a little,” he admits playfully. He chuckles quietly at Atsushi’s unhappy pout, bringing his hand down to rest on the other’s shoulder. “Not about my promise though. That I thoroughly intend to follow through on.”
Despite himself, blood rushed to Atsushi’s cheeks at the promise. He angeled his head away sheepishly.
“As long as you do. You DID say that you had a lot to make up to me for earlier, right?” Atsushi reminded him unsubtly, glancing at the older male shyly. Dazai grinned at him.
“That I do. And in return, you need to take responsibility for everything that you said before. It truly was unfair,” Dazai sighed dramatically, shrugging in a ‘can’t be helped’ type of manner. “Honestly, you’re lucky that I was as merciful as I was.”
Atsushi released an amused breath of air, glancing up at Dazai fondly. “Sorry. It was all true though. I meant every single thing that I told you.”
“I know. I’m not sure whether that makes it better or worse,” Dazai sulked theatrically.
It coaxed a laugh from Atsushi, but inside the boy was delighted. He definitely didn’t regret any of the things that he had said to Dazai. Especially if it had somehow helped to lead them to this point.
“Anyway, I should probably get going. We can talk further about all of this tomorrow,” Dazai offered. He quickly took out his phone, peeking at the screen before brightening. “Ah, I was right on time after all. It’s past midnight.”
Before Atsushi could ask what he meant, Dazai leaned in. His lips brushed against Atsushi’s for the third time, sending a thrill throughout the shorter male’s body. There was hardly any pressure applied, just a chaste meeting of their mouths. It lasted only a few seconds before Dazai pulled away. It wasn’t as long as Atsushi would have preferred, but the pleasant tingling sensation left by the kiss was more than enough.
Dazai’s expression was soft as his gaze rested on Atsushi, smile lifting into something sweet.
“Have a good night. Merry Christmas, Atsushi-kun.”
And just like that, a myriad of feelings burst inside of Atsushi’s chest. He barely noticed as Dazai turned in the direction of his own dorm, humming happily as he began to walk away. Atsushi was too focused on the wonderfully overwhelming sense of joy those words had brought him.
He waited until he could hear the click of the door closing behind Dazai. Once he did, he slid down the wall of the building until he was sitting on the stairs. He couldn’t be bothered to hide the (no doubt embarrassingly large) smile that split his face. He didn’t even want to move from his spot. As though it would somehow disrupt the scene.
Though he hadn’t admitted to it outright, Atsushi could only guess that this had been another reason for the detour. To think that Dazai would purposefully waste time just to be the first to tell him merry Christmas on the actual day. And he had said that Atsushi was unfair.
He figured the decision to stay there for a while longer would have their consequences. It WAS getting colder, now that he stopped to feel it. He should have been freezing. But the only thing on his mind was that this was the warmest he had ever felt. And when he did inevitably end up sneezing and running a fever a few days later, he didn’t question that it had been more than worth it.