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It's a Tuesday, and Atsushi finds a mildly threatening invitation on his table to meet at the warehouse. Luckily, it's a familiar threatening.
Grimacing an apology at Kunikida-san about the incomplete paperwork, he quickly heads out. In 5 minutes, Atsushi arrives at the assigned meeting point and steps in. "Hello...?"
"Take your clothes off."
Atsushi blinks, turning to face Akutagawa. "Huh?" That's a non sequitur if he's ever heard one.
"Listen to me for ONCE in your life, you overgrown cat," Akutagawa hisses.
Atsushi raises an eyebrow. "I'm not stripping for you?"
Growling in frustration, Akutagawa pushes up his sleeve. There, in familiar handwriting is the name 'Nakajima Atsushi'.
Huh.
Huh?
HUH?
"WHAT?" Atsushi scrambles back. "No, wait, what? Is this a joke?"
Akutagawa seethes. "Does this LOOK like a joke, Jinko?" No, it does not. In fact, it looks like a soulmark.
A soulmark of Atsushi's name. On Akutagawa. Which implies that he's in love with Atsushi. And that they're soulmates.
"You're in love with me?" Atsushi screeches.
Akutagawa flushes a hot red. "Shut up!"
"Oh my god." Atsushi straightens slowly. "You're in love with me." Akutagawa's hand twitches.
"Jinko," he says sharply. "I did not call you out here to be stupid. Use your tiny brain. I have a," he coughs, "soulmark."
Okay? Atsushi just saw it, he knows this. "Yeah?"
The Rashomon user grinds his teeth. "Soulmarks come in pairs," he grits out slowly, emphasizing each word.
"Right, a soulmark is a partnership and all members of the connection have a - wait. Hold on." Atsushi freezes. "No, hold on."
The smile on Akutagawa's face is sharp. "Is your single brain cell finally in use, Jinko? Take. Your. Clothes. Off."
Akutagawa has a soulmark, which implies that he's in love with that person. But it also implies - Atsushi pales a little - that the other person is also in love with him. And that other person is…
Atsushi shudders. "No way. I'm in love with you?" This is definitely not happening. Atsushi is not in love with his stupid rival.
It also means there's a name written on Atsushi's skin. Ah. The clothes off thing makes sense now.
Atsushi quickly inspects his arms - nothing there. He steps out of his shoes, looking for the other place soulmarks are typically found - on the ankle. Again, nothing.
Akutagawa lunges forward, grabbing him by the collar. "Take off your shirt."
"My shirt?" Atsushi frowns.
"I can feel it." He hisses, yanking on the collar.
Reluctantly, Atsushi feels the front of his shirt. When his hand moves over his midsection, a flutter runs through his body. "Ack!" He yanks his hand away.
Pushing Akutagawa back, he untucks his shirt and pulls it up from the bottom. And stares.
'Akutagawa Ryuunosuke' is written in slanting cursive, sprawled over Atsushi's ribs. The man in question just stands there, staring at his name.
"Akutagawa?" Atsushi calls, leaning forward slightly.
Akutagawa jolts back, clutching his arm. "Wh-" he says hoarsely. There's an unknown emotion in his eyes.
"Are you… okay?" Atsushi tries. The words feel clumsy in his mouth. Akutagawa just stares at him. Then he frowns, jaw moving around an unheard word.
Narrowing his eyes, Akutagawa glares at the floor. "Say it again."
Atsushi tilts his head. "Say what again?"
"My - name." Akutagawa's grip tightens.
That's a strange request but Atsushi complys anyway. "Akutagawa…?"
Instantly, Rashomon flares up, and Atsushi automatically widens his stance. But there's no attack - Rashomon just hovers there.
"What are you doing?" Atsushi calls out warily.
In response, Akutagawa exhales sharply. "I'm going to do something." Without waiting for a response, he calls back his ability and stalks forward - far enough that Atsushi has to take a step back. Then -
"Nakajima."
The word sends a rush of adrenaline through Atsushi, chest feeling light. The sudden influx of emotions makes him feel electric. "Ah - what?"
"It's the soulmarks." Akutagawa states, point blank.
Atsushi just looks at his rival-and-also-soulmate-apparently. "Right. Okay. Of course it is."
So. To recap. Atsushi now has a soulmate, a sexuality crisis and incomplete paperwork.
It's a Tuesday.