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It had been a tough battle that dragged on and on, but they won in the end. Yokohama is once again safe - before the next inevitable attack.
Nakajima Atsushi doesn't let himself dwell on that last thought, though. After a battle that lasted as long as this one did? No one could stand thinking about anything other than a few days off. The president sent all of them home for the next five days, with strict orders to get enough rest; after saving the city and countless lives, paperwork can wait.
Atsushi, currently sitting on the ground, leans his back against the wall of the alley, as the blood on his clothes starts drying. As usual, his sleeves are non-existent and most of the crimson stains are his own. He barely feels how the rough stone bites into the skin on his back.
Thanks to the tiger’s regeneration abilities, he isn’t in a critical condition - his more serious wounds have closed up already. In some ways, Atsushi is the only member of the agency that Yosano doesn’t have to worry about too much, for better or worse. He’ll be fine as long as he can defeat his enemy before they kill him. Unfortunately, it also means no instant recovery for him, as the doctor needs to prioritize her other patients.
A cat peers out from between some trash cans, eyes a pair of amber gems in the night. Finding nothing of interest, it emerges and leaps onto one of the cans - thunk - and disappears into the shadows of a fire escape.
It hurts like hell. Atsushi wouldn’t use the word ‘fine’ to describe his current condition, sitting in an alley in an exhausted daze. Regeneration takes a lot of energy - he knows this better than most. His vision has been getting more and more blurry by the minute. Usually he passes out after a battle, so it probably won't be different this time either.
Where was he headed to before he ended up on the ground? He doesn’t remember. The agency building? His dormitory room?
Maybe he’ll just rest for a little while in this alley, right here beside some boxes someone's discarded. It’s not like Port Mafia is in any state to give him trouble, anyway. He doesn't think he could get up if he wanted to. Even as he misses his warm futon, he hopes the rest of the agency is settled nicely in their beds.
The bricks on the opposite wall looks gray in the gloom. Atsushi wonders what color they are when the sun shines on them, until the individual bricks all blur into one blank slate.
Someone passes by and stops to stare at him, and Atsushi is instantly jerked into some semblance of alertness. He did not see the person approaching at all; is it an ability user?
“Weretiger.”
“...Akutagawa?” Atsushi blinks as the figure's face swims into focus, details arranging themselves into a familiar set of features.
“Do you remember what he said?” The hem of Akutagawa's coat flutters lightly in the breeze. Something about that feels off. “He said that you did not trust my defense.”
Of course I remember.
I remember everything about that fight.
The pitching of the ship on sea. The overwhelming solitude before you appeared and hopped down lightly by my side. Your confidence that together we'd be able to take down the enemy. Finding out you're keeping your promise of not killing anyone. The fear of facing Fukuchi head on and dying, even when you’re the one left vulnerable by our plan. Your smirk when you told Fukuchi his proposal was foolish. The unshakable feeling in those last few moments that my initial lack of courage caused our defeat. Caused your death.
Your smile when you told me to go.
(I remember that one the clearest. How could I not?)
(You must've felt me reaching out to you; Rashoumon was wrapped around my fingers.)
Why did you do that, anyway? Why did you smile at me at the moment of your death? The Akutagawa I knew would’ve yelled at me, hurling insults.
Then again, I never actually knew you, did I? Who am I to say what you should or shouldn’t have been doing?
You just kept surprising me, right until the end.
“You made it out alive,” Atsushi chokes out disbelievingly, not knowing what else to say. He reaches out a hand towards Akutagawa, willing his tired muscles to move. The fact that Akutagawa doesn’t pull away should’ve been his first clue, but unfortunately Atsushi doesn’t realize it.
Akutagawa disappears like mist, like smoke, and Atsushi’s fingers close around cold, empty air, just like they did on the ship not so long ago.
The closest thing he ever had to a partner, and he’s lost him yet again.
Ah, he's figured out what felt wrong. The coat 'Akutagawa' had been wearing is in his own home, safe.
Atsushi gives in - his arm falls back to his side, the darkness engulfs him.
-
It’s almost dawn, and Akutagawa is silhouetted against the greyish sky. Atsushi takes one proper look at the figure looming over him and groans.
“You again,” he mutters. “We’ve been through this.”
“'Again'? What are you talking about?” Akutagawa has a very Akutagawa-esque glare on his face, and he's wearing a shorter coat Atsushi has never seen before. Maybe his mind is learning from its past attempt and creating a hallucination closer to the original. “Is blood still flowing into your head?” That’s a very Akutagawa-esque insult too. How heartless.
“I know you’re a hallucination.” Atsushi screws his eyes shut, shaking his head. Akutagawa’s still there, one brow raised in condescending amusement. “Too bad my head’s clearer now, so you’ll be gone soon.”
“Do you want me to go?”
No. “Yes." No. "You’re a cruel one, aren't you? Choosing Akutagawa to appear as.”
“Cruel? Why do you say so?”
“Because I still have so many things I wanted to say to him.” Atsushi leans back, staring at the twilight sky above them. The first morning after the battle is over, huh. He didn't really think he'd get to see it.
“Like what?”
“I’m not telling you, fake Akutagawa.”
“From just now you’ve been rambling about hallucinations and what not.” Akutagawa crouches down to peer at him, a little like the cat last night. “Have you been hit by an illusion ability?” He pokes Atsushi’s cheek impatiently with an index finger.
"Ow." Atsushi flinches - and then it sinks in. “Do it again.”
“Should I use Rashoumon?” Akutagawa asks dryly, one tendril of his black coat rippling along his shoulder.
“If you want to.” Atsushi finds that he's only half joking; the words struggle to leave his throat, as if they know the disappointment they might bring will only devastate their speaker.
Akutagawa sighs - Atsushi felt that, he felt the exhale brushing past his cheek so gently, so warmly but still he doesn’t allow himself to believe no, not yet - then pokes Atsushi’s cheek again, but this time it's more like a jab. “There.”
“...Akutagawa?”
“What.” Akutagawa tilts his head to the side slightly. “Do you need a punch next?”
“Is it really you?”
“That’s what I’ve been say- ”
The rest of his sentence gets cut off as Atsushi lunges at him. This Akutagawa does try to dodge - a good sign - but Atsushi is just a little faster. He wraps his battle-weary arms around Akutagawa, harder than he has ever hugged anyone, while Akutagawa makes a surprised noise and tries to keep his balance for both of them.
Behind him, Atsushi feels the electric crackle of Rashoumon as Akutagawa moves to push him away. "Weretiger, what are you- "
Rashoumon can make as much of a mess of his back as it wants, Atsushi wouldn’t have minded. It used to bring him so much terror, that dark ravenous monster devouring everything he threw at it, but now its presence feels familiar - reassuring, even. “I’m so glad you’re okay,” he mumbles into Akutagawa’s shoulder, feeling the fabric against his forehead. He feels the other man freeze in surprise at this innocent statement; slowly, Rashoumon retreats back into his coat.
Slowly, Atsushi feels a hesitant pair of arms settle around him. They feel unsure, like their owner doesn’t know what to do with them - which is probably exactly what is going on.
“O- Oh.” Akutagawa mutters in reply, hiding half of his face in Atsushi’s shoulder, even though no one can see them. "I... Okay." He doesn't lean in completely, but it's alright.
“Welcome back, partner.” Atsushi can feel the rise and fall of Akutagawa's chest. He's here, he's breathing, he's hugging him back, he's alive, alive, alive. Embarrassingly enough, Atsushi's eyes start to burn, and he chokes back a sob.
Akutagawa smiles slightly at those words; Atsushi can hear the little 'hm', his arms tightening around him.
What was it that Atsushi had said to him, before all this?
"After this war I'm going to teach you things other than killing!"
A cheerful laugh escapes him - looks like Akutagawa isn't the only one with some learning to do.