Chapter Text
Atsushi collapsed on the sidewalk, he felt so tired, and hungry, he watched the setting sun as the water flows under the bridge.
It’s just like the orphanage people said… he was bound to die…
He sits up and shakes his head “No I’m not going to die” he muttered to himself standing up and walking up the hill “I’m going to get some money, and live to see another day”
His newfound determination had him throw himself in front of a motorcyclist, they stopped just in time yelling “What the hell are you doing kid! I could’ve hit you!”
Atsushi knew it was now or never at this point “Give me any cash you have on you!… if you have any!… to spare…. For me…” his voice got quieter and the person crossing his arms, saying in a dumbfounded voice “Are you mugging me right now?”
“Uhhh… If it’s getting people to hand over money then yes?”
The person removed their helmet, it was a man in his early twenties with ginger hair, he was quite good looking, Atsushi would assume him to be a model had he been a bit taller.
“Okay, first off, do you have a weapon?”
Atsushi answered him honestly “No I don’t”
“Are you alone?”
“Yes, I’ve been alone for a while now”
“Why are you mugging me with no weapon, no backup, no plan, and no demands?” The man seemed to be acting as though he was humoring him.
Atsushi runs his arm looking away “Well… I haven’t had anything to eat in four days, so I figured I might as well give it a shot… I’m so sorry for bothering you, sir”
The man snickers, then bursts out laughing, he grips onto his bike holding his stomach as he laughed “Oh my god! Hahaha! I can’t believe what I’m hearing! Hahaha!”
Atsushi defended himself “You don’t have to laugh about it you know! It was my first time trying it!” The man managed to calm himself down a bit before holding out his hand “I’m Chuuya, Chuuya Nakahara, and you are?” Atsushi shook his hand “Atsushi Nakajima, it’s nice meeting you Nakahara”
“Just Chuuya is fine, so how old are you?”
“I’m 18”
“Huh, so young, let me treat you to a meal Atsushi, you must be hungry”
Atsushi followed Chuuya to a nearby restaurant where they ate happily, after what seemed like his 30th bowl of Tea on Rice he was content and full, something he’s not sure he had ever felt before.
Chuuya finished texting someone and put his phone down “Well, you sure can put it away, unlike another subordinate of mine. Atsushi may I ask you some questions?”
Atsushi nods, giving a little burp and excusing himself, Chuuya starts off with a simple question “Do you have a job?” Atsushi shakes his head.
“Do you have any family that can help you?”
“Orphanage since birth”
“Any Money?”
“Zero”
“How are your fighting skills?”
“Much to be desired I’m afraid, I’ve been trying to stay out of any gang territory”
“Smart kid, do you have any schooling?”
“I can read and write, I also know simple math”
“Damn,” Chuuya leans back in his chair and sighed “Well, good for you I may have an open position for you at my job” Atsushi gasped “You mean it! Oh my gosh thank you Chuuya!”
“Don’t thank me yet, I’ll call my colleague to come and get you, my motorcycle is not built for two” Chuuya stands up “It should be a black car, a person with blonde hair should be driving it” he tossed up his keys and caught it “I’ll leave the door open and a blanket on the couch”
Chuuya heads out the door, Atsushi waits patiently, after another few minutes a black car pulls up, a blonde opens the door and looks around. She spots Atsushi and waves him over to her.
Atsushi gets up and walks over to her, she was wearing sunglasses for some godforsaken reason, “Hello, Atsushi Nakajima, I am Higuchi, please step into the car so I may escort you”
He looks from Higuchi, then to the car, then back at Higuchi “You sound like you are about to sell me” Higuchi’s face shifted… was she trying to hide a smile? “No, I’m not going to sell you” Atsushi nodded getting into the car.
Atsushi quickly finds Higuchi was in the car with someone else in the passenger seat, it was a person with dark hair and a mask “Ummm, Chuuya said there would only be a blonde in the car” Higuchi nodded “I needed to swing by and pick them up as well, I hope you don’t mind” the person waves at Atsushi.
He politely waved back and she holds up a notebook ‘I’m Gin Akutagawa’
“Nice meeting you Akutagawa, I’m Atsushi” Higuchi pulls up to a house and lets Atsushi out of the car “Bye! Thanks for the ride!” Atsushi said waving goodbye.
He walks up to the door of the house and opens it, he quietly sneaks inside under the cover of darkness, his eyes always saw well in the dark ever since he was young.
After a bit of shuffling he finds the blanket on the couch and happily lays down, after spending so long out in the cold outdoors and the orphanage this place was actually heaven.
Atsushi falls asleep, dreaming of getting a job under Chuuya, growing into an adult, finding lovely friends and maybe family, those used to be thoughts of fantasy but now they seem actually possible for once.
He wakes up the next morning, 5:35AM on the dot, he stands up and folds up the blanket, gently placing it down on the couch again. He wasn’t the best at fighting, he wasn’t smart, or even inherently special, but if it was one thing he could do, it was housework.
Placing his shoes at the front door and putting on a pair of guest slippers he walks around the house, it was clean, but a bit of dusting and cooking breakfast wouldn’t hurt.
He dusted the tops of cabinets and fans, wiped down the table and countertops, he even fixed up a few decorations that were crooked or seemed out of place.
After he was done with that he moved on to cooking, he found some eggs and leftover rice, he remembered a recipe that needed these two ingredients, but only faintly.
When he finished he placed the things on the table and cleaned up after himself.
No sooner had he finished washing the towel he used, Chuuya opens the door to the room, he noticed Atsushi and laughed slightly “Morning person I assume? What’s with the breakfast?”
Atsushi smiled and bowed slightly “It’s a thank you for letting me stay here, and offering me that job, and treating me to that meal, and not running me over with the motorcycle”
Chuuya sits down and eats a bit of the food “Mmm, this is pretty good” he says, he gestured for Atsushi to join him and so the boy sits down and eats as well “You did a good job, before we get to the work place we need to stop and get you a new outfit, just for today, we don’t want you looking like you haven’t changed clothes since you were five”
Atsushi looks at his outfit and nodded “Right, but… I’m still broke”
“Bah I’ll spoil you today, now eat up we have some work to do”
After they finish and placed their dishes in the sink for later Chuuya grabs his coat and they head out. They stop by a few stores, and Chuuya gets him a brand new outfit.
It was a white tunic with black pants and vest and some simple dress shoes, as they left Atsushi couldn't help but admire himself in the store windows.
Chuuya took notice and lightly hits his arm “Eyes off the windows, I don’t want you running into anyone” Atsushi nodded and looked back at the direction they were going.
After a few minutes they get into a building, people greeted Chuuya and a few bowed, they reach the elevator and Chuuya chooses a higher floor, as they go up he asked “Are you nervous?”
Atsushi shook his head “Not at all I trust your judgment” Chuuya smiled “Heh, you have some weird set of morals I’ll tell you that much”
They get into a room with a couple familiar faces, Atsushi waves to Gin and Higuchi, both waved at him in return. Chuuya sits in one of the plush chairs and said “Hello Black Lizard, I want you all to meet Atsushi, I want you to recognize him as your co-worker and equal”
Higuchi nodded “Of course, may I ask why you chose him?” Chuuya snickered a bit “Well, funny story, he tried to mug me without weapon or backup, I think that’s the kind of person we need right now”
Another ginger speaks up “No offense sir, but shouldn’t a certain dog be here too” Gin held up a paper to him ‘My brother will be here to meet him later, he’s sulking I’m assuming’
“Again! Honestly he needs to stop doing that” Chuuya agrees and turns to Atsushi “This is Tachihara, you must have already met Higuchi and Gin, we are missing Akutagawa but he is one of us as well”
Atsushi waves to them “It’s nice meeting you”
Chuuya had to leave for a meeting and told Atsushi to not walk off, Atsushi became acquainted with them as he was gone, Tachihara seemed to enjoy talking with Atsushi, “So you tried to mug Chuuya? That takes some serious balls”
“Aha, it wasn’t the best time,” Atsushi says “To be completely honest I’m not the best with any sort of violence” Higuchi crosses her arms “You can’t fight?” Atsushi shook his head, the three made him stand up for a quick self defense lesson.
The Black Lizard was very nice, Atsushi wonders what kind of work they do.
In the middle of Tachihara teaching Atsushi how to throw a proper punch the door opens revealing a guy in dark clothing, Higuchi stands at attention “Akutagawa! Welcome back, we were just teaching the new guy to throw a proper punch”
Akutagawa sighed “Might I remind you, we still need to find that Weretiger, it’s worth 7 billion yen and you are slacking off” Gin waves to Akutagawa, Atsushi waves as well causing him to glare.
“Who’s this runt” he said slightly snarky, Tachihara slaps Atsushi’s back “Chuuya brought him! His name is Atsushi Nakajima” Akutagawa continues to glare at Atsushi before turning to Higuchi “Care to explain why Chuuya would bring in someone who can’t throw a punch?”
Higuchi shrugs “Maybe he has a good ability? Do you have an ability, Atsushi?” Atsushi looked confused at her before saying “I have good eyes? And I can eat 30 bowls of Tea on Rice in one sitting, I don’t know why those would matter though”
Tachihara laughed “No no like your ability, you know magic?” Atsushi squinting “Are you pulling my leg here? I’m not that ignorant”
Akutagawa scoffed “Rashomon!” In a moment Atsushi was suspended upside down in the air “WHAT THE HELL” he screams, Akutagawa coughed into his sleeve “This is an ability, you-“ Gin slaps him on the back of his head, Akutagawa groans dropping Atsushi into Higuchi’s arms.
“Akutagawa! What the hell man!” Tachihara says checking Atsushi’s pulse, Gin stares at Akutagawa, the brother turns away from Gin “Fine, I’m sorry, however it was funny”
Atsushi takes a shaky breath getting back into the floor “Fuck… that… I think that gave me a damn heart attack”
“Wimp”
“Insult me again and I’ll shove my foot so far and fast up your ass-“
Chuuya opens the door with a slight slam “Congratulations, Atsushi, you and Akutagawa are partners from here on out”
The two said in unison “What!” Chuuya laughed “I’m kidding! No way we would put Atsushi on the field without training, Higuchi can you teach him how to do your job? I want you to mentor him, we could use you on more physical missions”
Higuchi nodded “Yes sir!” Chuuya turns to Atsushi and smiled, “I’ll clean up a room at my house, you can stay there until you can buy your own place” Atsushi smiled as well.
“Thank you for your kindness, I will repay in full!”