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"Please remind me again why we are doing this?" Akutagawa sighed.
Atsushi continued to paint on the green face mask. "Because it's a part of slumber party tradition! .... or at least that's what I heard..."
Ah yes, the 'slumber party' that he agreed to. Never did he think he'd agree to something like this but when it came to Atsushi he could never say no, and if he was having a hard time saying no, one pout from the younger turned it into yes.
"Isn't that more of a girls' slumber party thing?" The inpatient man complained.
Atsushi scrunched his nose. "That's sexist. Anyone can enjoy face masks, they're not just for girls. What would your sister say if she heard you?"
Walking down the hallway Gin's head popped into the open doorway of her brother's bedroom. "If I heard what?"
Both boys turned their heads to face her from where they sat on the floor, Akutagawa slathered in a green mess and Atsushi in equally sloppy grey. She snorted and began to laugh holding onto her stomach and the doorway.
Not only were the messily caked in mud masks (that she was just about sure were from her bathroom), Akutagawa was wearing one of her headbands, making his bangs stick straight up as the longer bits stuck comically out to the side, and Atsushi had his bangs in a small little rubber band at the top of his head - yes even the lopsided strand that dangled awkwardly swinging side to side as he moved his head. The fearsome weretiger of the ADA and the Mafia guard dog, looking more like young teenagers than men who protected the city. She couldn't imagine what their coworkers would say.
Annoyed with her laughing Akutagawa took his slipper off violently chucking it at her and missed only making her laugh harder.
"Don't you have something else to do?" He sneered. "Like being a brat somewhere else?"
She wiped her fake tears still holding her stomach. "No, no, this is much better! What are you two up to besides stealing my stuff?"
Atsushi beamed excitedly to explain. "Slumber party! None of us got to as kids so why not now? I got popcorn and chips and soda and candy! Oh, and I found a board game in the office break room! Do you want to join us? Ooo, is Higuchi-san free tonight too? You should call and invite her!"
Okay, she had to admit that was super sweet. More and more she could see why her brother loved him so much. She was happy to see them having childhood experiences together even as adults but she didn't want to spoil it. Especially when Higuchi and her often had sleepover girl nights already.
"Higuchi's at work helping the others with something, Kajii-san made a mess again. I was just about to go see a friend."
Akutagawa cocked a green muddy eyebrow. "Friend? You just said Higuchi is busy and you've never called the people you talk to on the 5th-floor friends. Where are you really going?"
The pitch of Gin's voice rose in nervous defense. "Tachi invited me out for the night. Like I said, a friend."
Akutagawa gawked. "Tachi?? No, no, no, you're not going out with him, I don't trust him. And since when do you call him Tachi?"
She stepped around the corner fully into the room before crossing her arms and leaning on the door frame. "You seem to forget I'm not a little kid anymore and can do what I want.....and since we've become friends....that's when."
Akutagawa grumbled as he closed his eyes facing Atsushi again for him to continue putting the mask on. "Fine, but keep your knives in your purse. I don't trust him."
Gin snarled in disgust.
Continuing to put the mask on Atsushi gave her a sympathetic smile. "I hope you have fun! You and Higuchi-san should join us next time."
"Absolutely not." The older man cut him off to complain. "I barely want her here. I don't want Higuchi to see...this."
Ah, perfect! Gin just found an opening to annoy her brother for annoying her! Mafia aside, they were still completely normal siblings.
"Aww, why don't you want us here? Are you embarrassed?"
He tisked. "How preposterous you'd think I'd care about something so trivial."
"Oh, then what is it? You'd rather mess around with your boyfriend than spend time with us?" She pestered.
"We are having a slumber party. Not some foolish tryst. Go. Away."
"Then let me guess! You wanna talk about boys and-"
"WOULD YOU FUCK OFF ALREADY GIN? LEAVE FOR YOUR DATE ALREADY." Sometimes he didn't know who knew how to get on his nerves more, Atsushi or Gin.
His sister reddened at the word date. She huffed before turning to leave. "It's not a DATE, he's my friend!"
Atsushi laughed as he picked pieces of the mask out of the other man's hair. "So now that she's gone should we talk about boys?" He teased.
The ravenette leaned forward to carefully peck his lips. "You're the only boy worth talking about." He said standing.
Atsushi wanted to indulge in how sweet that was but thought it was a perfect time to slide in a question out of curiosity. "Then what about girls?" He laughed trying to keep the mood light.
Akutagawa wiped the bits of crumbled mask off his shirt. "I thought you only liked men."
Atsushi bit his lip nervously while picking up the mask containers. He wasn't nervous about how the conversation would go but was nervous about how his boyfriend would react to it. Would he be offended he asked? Would he not want to talk about it?
"I mean... some girls are pretty but I don't want to date them. I'm more jealous I can't look like them." He laughed nervously. "What about you? You never said if you like girls too. Not that it matters..." His voice trailed off.
Akutagawa stopped and looked blankly into space quiet. Oh no, he was right. He offended him by asking.
"I- don't know. Maybe? I don't even know if I like men... I like you?" He sounded confused by his own words.
The younger was equally as confused. He tilted his head questioningly.
Akutagawa crawled to the middle of the bed to sit. "I never thought about it. I've always been too busy training or working, or just staying alive. There are people I find to be more pleasing to the eye than others... But I never thought more than that until you. Now I don't want to think of more with anyone but you. So maybe? I don't know..." He paused a moment before continuing with the sounding nervous and as if he couldn't get the words out fast enough. "Is this important to you? I can research more into the topic of human sexuality if you wish for me to give you an answer."
Atsushi giggled. He could be so formal and simple at times. "No, no! It doesn't matter! I just figured I'd ask."
He climbed to lay in his boyfriend's lap and looked up and smiled expectantly. "So, what do you wanna do first?"
The older man shrugged looking less tense than before. "Whatever you want to do, kitten."
"Oh come on! There has to be something you want to do first!" Atsushi whined kicking his legs.
"Can we just skip to the sleeping part?" The man above him sighed.
The younger jumped up. "No! There's no sleeping at a slumber party!"
"That's utterly ridiculous. Then why is it called that?" His boyfriend griped.
Atsushi hesitated. "Err... Well... It just is, okay! I guess it's cause most people would lie to their parents that they were actually sleeping."
"We don't have parents." Akutagawa deadpanned.
"Alright, Mister Killjoy! Way to ruin the mood! Fine! I decide what we do!" He rolled out of his lap and stormed out of the room before coming back a few minutes later throwing numerous sugary snacks and drinks into the other's lap. He slammed down a deck of cards and locked eyes with his boyfriend.
"We're playing Uno and eating snacks. You're going to have fun whether you like it or not or else." He crossed his arms and tried to copy 'the look' Fukuzawa used to set the agency in line when they were out of control.
Akutagawa broke into breathless laughter and fell backwards onto the bed. Since they started dating he found it hard to see the weretiger as menacing. When Atsushi got bossy like this is was always adorable, much like a kitten gnawing on your finger - no matter how hard he tried it just didn't work. Yet another reason he called his boyfriend the sweet pet name.
However, his current state only made it worse - standing there with the cutest stern look he could muster, one of Akutagawa's oversized black shirts, the light blue pajama pants with tiger heads on them that he recently gave him, and socks that had on the bottom what Atsushi adorably referred to as 'toe beans'.
Finally catching his breath he looked over at the younger man who was looking truly frustrated.
He sighed and sat back up. "Fine, fine, how do you play?"
Atsushi smiled ear to ear hopping back on the bed.
---
So maybe they wouldn't stay up all night. It was nearing four in the morning and they were already exhausted from all of the 'slumber party' activities Atsushi insisted they do.
A long game of Uno that ended in Atsushi refusing to ever play the game with his boyfriend again (Akutagawa said it was because he was a sore loser while Atsushi insisted the other was far too ruthless with the draw four card), a game of truth or dare that was pretty tame for two young men as neither were very adventurous, making cookies (if they could be called that), a game of would you rather that eventually turned suggestive leaving Atsushi a blushing mess, and then the oven beginning to smoke because of the 'cookies'. Getting tired and running out of ideas that only two people could do, Atsushi educated Akutagawa in the art of pillow forts.
Possibly the only thing truly fun he had ever done as a child. The children in the room Atsushi was assigned to around the age of 8 had decided to put together their few blankets and pillows to create a pillow fort. Given they had bunk beds to pack them in like sardines it made it a bit easier. He remembered them all getting excited and trying to not squeal in anticipation as they arranged everything. They all sat in one of the boys' bunks (somehow not breaking the decrepit bed) and talked about what they would do once they left the orphanage and things they wanted to be when they grew up. By time they got to anything remotely considered a game, the girls across the hall tried to sneak over to join causing all of them to get punished. Atsushi had to admit, while he still remembered how painful the punishment was, it was completely worth it.
Surprisingly his boyfriend was good at arranging the pillows and blankets, draping them over dining room chairs and the couch until they had a perfect little cuddle tent that somehow fit two grown men. Akutagawa wouldn't admit it but this was his favorite part of the night. Maybe he could somehow get the courage to ask the younger if they could do it again, maybe cuddle up in the fort while watching a movie as a stay-in date night.
The smaller laid his head in his boyfriend's lap with his legs a bit scrunched up to fit in the fort. Both men sat content sleepily talking about everything and anything.
"I just really think it would be nice for all of us to do something. We can go somewhere out in the mountains and stay at a ryokan. They can stay in one room and us in another. Kyouka-chan is like my sister... I know you two have a past and are still awkward around each other, but I think it might help that. Gin-chan and Kyouka-chan are the only real family we have... It would be really nice..." The younger spoke staring up at his boyfriend while the other played with his hair.
The ravenette sighed and looked up, if he saw Atsushi pout there's no way he'd be able to say no. "Maybe. I'll consider it. However, I think it's a bad idea."
Atsushi worried the fabric of his shirt in his fingers. "Don't worry about the money or anything. I'd pay for me and Kyouka-chan. It'll take a while to save up anyways..."
Akutagawa gently flicked his forehead. "Absolutely not. I will pay."
The other tried to protest. "Bu-"
"I told you that you never have to think about money again. I take care of what's mine and if Kyouka means so much to you I'll pay for her too, even though I'm sure she'll be ungrateful."
The man laying down made a sour face. "Ya know I don't know how to feel about you considering me a possession."
"You're exhausting, you know what I mean. You're as much mine as I am yours." He thought a moment. "...it might be nice to see Kyouka happy as well..."
Atsushi blushed. His lover still had problems expressing his thoughts and feelings but occasionally, he knew all the right words to make his heart beat out of his chest.
He sat staring up at his boyfriend full of love. Tracing every line and barely-there freckle with his eyes. He was so so beautiful... Being in love with the reserved man made him happier every day and feel like the kid he never got to be. He knew true love was real but he never thought he'd find it himself.
Once moving past his sickeningly sweet thoughts he smiled mischievously. The other was still staring off into space completely oblivious to any childish plan the younger had.
Atsushi reached up with one hand to tug on the side of his bangs lightly. Akutagawa looked down questioningly assuming he wanted something but instead he just gave a goofy smile back at him with his eyes crinkled.
Akutagawa leaned down to give him a quick peck but was met with the smaller blowing a raspberry against his lips.
"Disgusting! What is wrong with you?" He complained wiping his lips before tugging at the lopsided silver bangs harder than the other had his.
"Ow! Ryu!?" He yelped
The mafioso's laugh of victory was cut short as the younger reached up again to yank both sides of his bangs roughly enough to jerk his head.
"JINKO!" He yelled.
The younger grabbed one of the pillows knocking half the fort over to hit his lover with it as hard as he could. Akutagawa grabbed a pillow of his own to retaliate, but before he could hit him, Atsushi rolled away and grabbed another to chuck at him.
Atsushi picked up another pillow to defend himself with. "Come on Dracula! Try me!"
Akutagawa charged forward intent on winning this pillow fight. "How childish can you be!?"
Both men wailed on each other beating each other with whatever pillow they could get their hands on. Over 2 years ago even something so innocent would have turned into a blood bath. However even now as lovers who often spent their time cuddled in bed, sharing the affection they both so craved, the competition between them never ended.
The playful fight continued on and on, knocking over things all over the living room. Thankfully nothing of value got destroyed, but there was plenty that needed to be cleaned. They stood in a face-off in the middle of the room waiting for the other to move.
Akutagawa stood ready to go in for the final 'kill'. "I hope you see how silly this was, I have no qualms about beating you to death with a pillow."
"Ha! Your threats used to be a lot better! Is the scary Mafia dog getting soft on me?" Atsushi laughed letting his guard down.
Akutagawa took the opportunity to charge forward and swing at him. "As if that's a bad thing!" They continued to swing at each other. "You're the love of my life, not my enemy."
Atsushi was caught off guard at what his boyfriend just said. A long time ago they were enemies, but now they were in love, and that love only grew bigger every day. Gone were the days of them trying to kill each other, now the only chance of them killing each other was when Atsushi smothered Akutagawa with cuddles as they slept or when Akutagawa would come up behind him too quiet and nearly give him a heart attack. The older man took advantage of the younger's distracted state sweeping his legs out from under him. As Atsushi fell down Akutagawa pinned him down against the ground by his wrists.
The older man gave him a cocky smile from his position above him. "Looks like I win."
Atsushi wasn't sure if he was blushing from what the other had said earlier, the look on his face, the way he held him down seated on top of him, or all three. Before he could find out or enjoy the sight a second longer the front door opened. They both looked over to the door as Gin walked in and made eye contact with them.
"Really???" She covered her eyes and started walking to her room. "You have a perfectly good bedroom! Get your own place if you're gonna mess around in the living room. What if I brought someone back with me? I don't do that to you guys!"
Atsushi watched Akutagawa's face above him as he took a moment to realize the possible implications of what she had just said. He wasn't sure if he was upset or disgusted. Before he could examine the look any further Akutagawa jumped off of him checking the clock and stumbling after his sister. "Wait! Wait! Do you realize it's nearly 3 am? Where were you? I told you I don't like him! You better not be inviting him over when I'm gone!"
Atsushi was left laying on the floor laughing loudly as he listened to the siblings argue. They really were normal siblings, a little family, and now that he was with Akutagawa, this was his family too.