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Atsushi sighs as Akutagawa’s fingers run through his hair, gently scratching his scalp. He presses his head back against Akutagawa’s hands, a soft sound rumbling in his chest. Akutagawa’s about to make a comment about him being like a tiger, before Atsushi silences him with his lips.
Akutagawa pulls away first, hands resting on Atsushi’s hips. Atsushi relishes at his touch, climbing onto Akutagawa’s lap as they continue kissing, hands grabbing his head to deepen it. Their kiss is slow, bodies pressed together, hearts beating in sync. Their tongues slide together when Akutagawa tilts his head, taking advantage of Atsushi’s soft moan.
They break apart with a pant, foreheads pressed together.
“I’m glad we have the entire day off.” Atsushi grabs Akutagawa’s hand, intertwining their fingers, “No world-ending threats to stop me from kissing my boyfriend.” Akutagawa flushes a bit at the endearing term.
“No one to break into our home either.” Akutagawa holds Atsushi’s hand back, “Just the two of us.”
“Just the two of us.” Atsushi repeats, before kissing him again. When they’re done several minutes later, Akutagawa’s face is covered with a pleasant flush, his lips wonderfully red. Atsushi leans in, nipping his bottom lip. Akutagawa huffs a bit, but don’t stop him.
“Sometimes I wonder if you’re going to devour me, Jinko.” Akutagawa jokes, “Hungrier than Rashomon.”
“At least I don’t eat your hair when I’m asleep.” Atsushi points out, to Akutagawa’s complete lack of shame, “I had to wear a hat until it grew back.”
“I considered it as an improvement.”
“Of course you did.” Atsushi sighs, rolling off Akutagawa’s lap, “You do know that’s why everyone knows we’re dating right?”
“A fair price.” Akutagawa insists, but Atsushi remembers that Akutagawa actually apologized for it that morning, resolving to have a talk with Rashomon about eating Atsushi’s hair instead of just taking food from the fridge.
Atsushi’s not sure how well one can have a talk with an ability that has a mouth, but can’t make a sound, but he’s had a few with the tiger, so he supposes that it must be possible. Akutagawa even managed to make Rashomon apologize, bowing its head down to Atsushi when he came back home.
“Of course. I hope you ignored your chat with everyone that followed.” Akutagawa shudders. Atsushi’s not quite sure what happened during that chat, but it’s fun to tease him about it.
“Shut up.” Akutagawa says as Atsushi laughs, tossing his head back with a small jingle from the bell on his throat, “Be quiet.” Atsushi continues laughing, snorting at his lover, “Stop laughing if you want me to make you hot chocolate.” Atsushi stops laughing, biting his tongue to prevent any more noises from escaping.
Akutagawa stares at him flatly, “Sometimes I wonder if you love me or the food I buy.”
“You, of course! The food is just a perk.” Atsushi bites his tongue again as Akutagawa rolls his eyes, getting off their couch. He stretches, pulling his Christmas sweater up and exposing a bit of his stomach that Atsushi couldn’t help but poke. Akutagawa yelps, stumbling away with a dark look. Atsushi raises his hands in a guiltless gesture that makes Akutagawa smile before he tries to get rid of it.
It’s still there, however, seared into Atsushi’s mind.
Atsushi watches his lover as Akutagawa walks to the kitchen, eyes devouring his pale long legs, slender, but with just enough muscle that Atsushi can feel it when he grabs them. To his joy, Akutagawa chose to wear his shorts today, citing a ‘certain weretiger who will refuse to keep away from me who will act as my personal heater’. The christmas sweater was thick and woolen, hiding most of Akutagawa’s boy. A shame, but since Gin also got one for Atsushi, he wasn’t going to complain.
(Gin’s note for Akutagawa’s sweater read: my least favorite big brother. Atsushi’s, of course, read: my favorite big brother. They both resolved to never speak of it.)
(Well, yeah, Atsushi would like to marry Akutagawa. Someday. Though the person he will discuss it with will definitely not be Gin. They’re never going to let Atsushi live it down.)
“If I turn back and see you’re ogling my ass, I’m drinking both of our hot chocolates.” Akutagawa tosses over his shoulder as he starts whisking the sugar in the pan, Rashomon grabbing the rest of the materials in its sharp jaws.
Akutagawa’s control over Rashomon for menial tasks had grown exponentially. At first, whenever Rashomon reached for him, Atsushi prepared for broken skin and genuine apologies, but it grew to a point that he didn’t reel away from Rashomon’s kisses. He even encouraged them, despite Akutagawa telling him not to humor his ability.
(Then kiss me yourself. Atsushi challenged, turning his cheek and pointing at it, what’s stopping you? Nothing was, except Akutagawa’s incorrect assumption that Atsushi wasn’t aware of his crush. Akutagawa could really be an idiot at times.)
“Then don’t turn around.” Even without seeing him, he knows Akutagawa is rolling his eyes. For a few minutes, the only sound is of Akutagawa stirring the hot chocolate on the store, punctuated by the sound of more ingredients being added. The smell of chocolate and cinnamon soon begins to fill their apartment, wafting through the air and sticking to everything. It would be a fight to get rid of the smell, but it would be a wonderful one.
“What do you want on yours? We have marshmallows, the peppermint sticks that Gin gave us, sprinkles, gumdrops—when did we get gumdrops, whatever, and chocolate—”
“Chocolate.” Atsushi answers immediately.
“Of course you want chocolate in hot chocolate.” Akutagawa mocks, but that doesn’t stop him from adding some chocolate into his own cup as well. Atsushi keeps on listing toppings, and Akutagawa keeps on sighing but he bends to his whims, tossing more and more things, “I’m guessing you want whipped cream as well?”
“Please.” Rashomon covers their cups with whipped cream, handing Atsushi’s cup to him while Rashomon held his own.
Atsushi is about to take his first sip when Akutagawa flicks the bell around his neck, making it jingle, “Hey!”
“I’m not the one wearing a bell, Jinko . You’re just begging for someone to ring it like that.” Akutagawa takes a long drag of his own hot chocolate, coolly ignoring Atsushi’s glare. Atsushi despairs at how pretty Akutagawa looks, peering at him through long black eyelashes.
“You’re the one that got it for me.” Atsushi mutters, taking a sip of his drink, enjoying how sickly sweet it was.
“Am not. But even if I was, you’re the one that chose to wear it.” Akutagawa shoots back as he shifts, pressing their sides together, “Though it is quite funny to see a cat wearing a bell. Some would argue like, like a cat should.” Akutagawa’s voice goes low and raspy, sparking a fire instead of him.
“Or a dog?” Atsushi responds in a light tone, sipping his drink, “A bell to let you know when the dog has gone lose?”
“Are you implying I need a bell?”
“If you were implying I need one.” Akutagawa scoffs at him, “I think you’d look good with one.”
“You already look quite good with your own bell. I don’t think we need two jingling bells.”
“Then I can give you my own.” Atsushi starts to pull his off, only stopping when met with Akutagawa’s scathing glare, “What? You would look good wearing it.”
“Then you should have bought me one.”
“Ha! So it did come from you!” Atsushi exclaims. Akutagawa had readily denied getting him the bell for a week now.
“So what if it did, Jinko?” Akutagawa challenges, “It suits you quite well. Keep it.”
“You’re getting a bell of your own next Christmas.” Atsushi mutters into cup.
“Say again?”
“I said, that next Christmas, I’m getting you your own bell.” Atsushi says out loud, daring Akutagawa to argue. Instead, Akutagawa blushes.
“How presumptuous of you to assume we’re going to have more Christmases.”
Atsushi stares at Akutagawa flatly, “I love you. And unless you have plans to break up with me, unlike what you said last night, we’re going to have many more Christmases to come.” Atsushi knocks their shoulders together, “We’re not going to abandon each other.”
“How confident you are. If only this extended into dealing with feral cats.”
Atsushi has a retort on the tip of his tongue, but when met with Akutagawa’s wide smile, it crumbles to dust.
“Why are you staring at me like that, Jinko? Atsushi—” Akutagawa jumps as Atsushi hugs him. Too tight, Atsushi knows, but he already holds onto Akutagawa too tight with everything else. He worries for Akutagawa when he goes out to work, he considers Akutagawa when he’s out shopping, whenever a job calls for two, Atsushi wants Akutagawa by his side.
Akutagawa returns the hug. Too tight, but just tight enough.