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It had been a couple of days since he had last met Akutagawa in that grocery store. And Atsushi was on his way to the same place for his weekly trip to the cup noodle aisle.
The whole week he had been plagued by the memory of him bringing their lips together in that store. He was almost too nervous to go back.
But it was the most convenient and price-efficient place around here and Atsushi had almost no money left to spare after his many crepe lunch outings with Kyouka.
This time Atsushi had left work at a reasonable time. The path to his destination was barren and boring, with nothing to distract him his mind naturally drifted to the kiss.
That kiss had haunted his dreams as well as his waking hours. Why had he done something so stupid . Atsushi had probably ruined the ADA's alliance with the port mafia for a touch of lips his mind was selfish enough to claim.
Atsushi groaned into his hands at the thought.
The store was in sight by now. Scraping his feet on the ground he entered, picked up a basket and made his way to the aisle that had been his demise.
But what does he see when he rounds the corner? It's like the week prior was repeating itself.
There stands Akutagawa. Black coat, ruffled hair and sunglasses on his face. Legs steady on the tiled ground and hands in his pockets.
Atsushi stops in his tracks. Debating whether he should act as if he didn't see him or run now before it was too late.
It looked like had been standing there, waiting for him and effectively scared away anyone else trying to enter the aisle.
"Jinko."
He froze while a great sense of Deja Vu washed over him, cheeks turning red.
"H-hi, Akutagawa."
They stared at each other and Atsushi could swear he heard a clock ticking away on the seconds. The awkward silence was suffocating. Though the mafioso didn't seem fazed at all.
But Atsushi couldn't stand the silence.
"Are you here for n-noodles?"
Akutagawa exhaled through his nose and lifted his hand to remove his sunglasses. He wanted Atsushi to see the disapproving face he was making.
"I'm not having this conversation with you again, weretiger."
"T-Then why are you here?"
The other put his hand with his glasses back into his coat pocket.
"You."
Atsushi had started to turn around to commence his escape plan, but the dark-cloaked man acted before him.
Akutagawa had promised revenge the last time they met and today he was going to make good on that promise.
Rashomon had latched onto his wrist before he knew it and he was dragged after Akutagawa to the store exit.
"W-Wait I still have to buy food."
The mafioso halted in his step right before the door. He looked over his shoulder at Atsushi.
"You don't have to worry about that."
The words sounded like a threat and it made a shiver run down Atsushi's spine.
He was dragged out of the store just a few steps behind Akutagawa without another word.
—
Akutagawa had walked with steady steps and confident turns. It looked like he knew the route well, to wherever they were heading.
“H-Hey, just where are we going?”
Atsushi had asked but worryingly received no reply. This is it, he's going to gut me in some alleyway.
But before Atsushi could imagine the details of his death and who would probably find his body, they came to a halt.
Akutagawa had stopped. They were standing by the entrance of a park. Atsushi had been here a few times before with kouyka for crepes.
There were a moderate amount of people walking around. It was after all a Friday evening and the park was a nice location for an evening date.
N-Not that that's why we're here. Atsushi quickly added to his thoughts. Face not escaping taking on a rosy colour.
The hold on his wrist had softened. Rashomon had now a gentle grip around his wrist and Atsushi was sure that if he wanted he could escape it with a tug of his arm.
But he didn't mind it much. Rashomon was surprisingly soft when it wasn't trying to impale you. And its tendrils had not only wound around its wrist but some had made their way to curl around his fingers.
It was like Rashomon was holding his hand. And it made the weretiger's cheeks redder. Since the ability acts on the mafioso subconscious, and it was holding his hand. Or maybe it wasn't this time?
Atsushi had been bold before, he could be bold again. Right? If Akutagawa wanted to hold his hand then Atsushi wouldn't mind. So he reached out his fingers towards the other standing beside him. And grabbed a hold of his pinky and ring fingers.
The other jumped slightly at the contact and Atsushi couldn't see his face with the way he was hiding in his coat collar.
A second passed and Akutagawa took the rest of Atsushi's hand in his own and they laced their fingers together.
Rashomon tickled when it moved to wind around their joined hands.
Okay, maybe he didn't bring him here to kill him. But Atsushi's heart was still pounding away in his chest.
"Let's go."
This time Atsushi got dragged along by the hands connecting them to each other.
—
They had walked around the park, hand in hand. Making small comments on the things they passed; flowers blooming, funny-looking ducks by the pond, a kid playing with a cute dog.
Most of the talk came from Atsushi, with the mafioso making small grunts and only saying a few words.
The fact that they were in a park surrounded by couples on dates, looking like a couple themselves, didn't go over Atsushi's head.
He liked this. For some dumb little reason, he liked holding Akutagawa's hand and talking about whatever came to mind.
They had walked almost around the whole park when they stopped by a food stand.
Akutagawa stood before a menu, reading through their different options. Atsushi on the other hand was stuck looking at the others side profile. Observing the scrunch between his brows, the bridge of his nose. Eyes drifting further down to his lip-
"What do you want?"
Atsushi snapped out of his trance.
"H-Huh?"
"The churros." He turned back to face the weretiger.
"O-Oh."
He noted that the mafioso didn't ask if he wanted but what . As if Atsushi not getting anything to eat was out of the question.
"I-I don't think I have any money left to spare on-"
"Fooli- " he started but cut himself off.
"You don't have to concern yourself with that. Jinko"
"I'm paying." And the words were final.
—
Atsushi ended up getting churros covered in sugar and chocolate syrup, while Akutagawa was eating his plain with just sugar.
They were sitting beside each other on a bench before one of the ponds. Watching the sunset in the distance spilling its colours on their surroundings. The leaves danced in the wind around them, glowing in the brilliant light.
Their hands had to be used to eat and they couldn't keep holding them. Instead, Rashomon had come out, wound itself around Atsushis and brought him even closer to the other and comfortably stayed around his midsection.
Their sides were touching while they sat there and ate. Ate was perhaps a generous word for what Atsushi was doing. Devouring would be more fitting.
"You eat like a child."
Akutagawa commented when he saw the crumbs and syrup covering Atsushi's mouth.
"Sorry, but it's just so good!! I never had churros before this." He answered with still-full cheeks and promptly went back to stuffing his face.
With a hum, Akutagawa went back to eating too. Happy that Atsushi got to try something new with him.
They had finished eating and Atsushi was wiping his chocolate-covered face with a napkin when he finally asked the question that had been dancing in his mind all this time.
"Akutagawa, what are we doing here?"
Atsushi thought he was going to get murdered but instead he found himself on a nice bench getting treated to a yummy snack.
"I asked Chuuya-san for advice for this kind of situation." Akutagawa took a small bite, finishing the last of his meal.
Advice?? This situation??? He could only sit there and blink at the other man.
"What did he say?" He asked instead.
"To take you here. And to tell you you're pretty." A moment passed. "You're pretty." He added.
Good thing they had finished eating because if Atsushi still had food in his mouth he would surely have started choking from the comment.
—
They had started heading back. Atsushi trailed a few steps after Akutagawa. Rashomon hadn't let go of him and Atsushi found that incredibly endearing. It put a smile on his face.
Even if the whole day he had found himself confused or nervous, he couldn't deny that he had enjoyed spending his time like this.
Akutagawa had come to a stop before him and turned around. It had gotten late, the sun had set and the lamp posts illuminated the area around them in an orange and yellow light.
Most people had left the park by now, but they stood there. Now facing each other. One step in between them.
Akutagawa's hand had come up to his face to wipe some chocolate from the corner of his mouth left by the churros they were eating earlier.
"You eat like a child." The mafioso said once again.
It made Atsushi exhale in fondness. A smile on his face that Akutagawa was still holding, thumb by his lips.
Atsushi was looking into his eyes. The contact on his cheek was making his face heat up for the 100th time today. Really, was that healthy?
Akutagawa was looking into his eyes just as intensely.
"I said I would get my revenge, j-jinko." He almost said without stammering. Cheeks match the weretigers in colour.
"Uhu…"
He replied, very intelligently.
The mafioso hadn't done anything malicious all day. So Atsushi wasn't really sure what 'revenge' implied in this situation. But he was definitely willing to stay to see what it meant if it meant the other holding his face in his palm.
And Atsushi didn't have to wait long to find out. Because Akutagawa had leaned in and suddenly the entire day had made sense.
Oh
They were on a date.
If the lips on his own were anything to tell by, then the revenge Akutagawa was talking about was making Atsushi's heart beat out of his chest. Because that's what's currently happening.
The hand cupping his cheek had tilted his face more into the kiss. Atsushi closed his eyes and he was melting. Kissing Akutagawa this time, when his head wasn't a sloppy mess of slow-acting goo, was even better. His lips felt even softer this time around.
They stood there in the slightly chilly breeze of the night. The moonshine and lamplight create an atmosphere you won't find anywhere else.
When Akutagawa was starting to pull away, Atsushi still wasn't ready to let go. So he brought up his hands to the mafioso's face and brought their lips back together.
Akutagawa let out a noise that was nothing short of cute and soon enough his other arm had snaked around Atsushi's waist. Bringing him even closer.
They were close enough that Atsushi could feel Akutagawa's heartbeat against his own. Beating wildly.
It was some time before they pulled away.
Grip loosening and palms sliding down to instead hold onto each other's hands.
Atsushi is taking deep breaths to calm his running mind. Akutagawa's face was still very close to his and that was not helping.
The other holding onto his hands. Eyes shying away from making eye contact.
"I-i." The mafioso started. He took a deep breath and quickly muttered the next words.
"Goodnight, A-Atsushi. See you next week"
And just like that he turned around and started walking away.
Atsushi didn't know if he should be more shocked that the other had called him by his name or the fact that they were going to repeat this again next week.
Either way, he was once again left there standing, alone, with wide eyes and a beating heart.
He was looking forward to next week.