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When your soulmate touches you when feeling a strong emotion, it leaves a specific colour on your skin.
***
Atsushi’s face was covered in silver. Ryunosuke's hands were responsible. He held the younger man's face close in a feverish kiss. Atsushi was in his lap leaning into the kiss, his hands in Akutagawa’s hair, small moans escaping his throat. Akutagawa was always more composed in these situations, he loved turning his boyfriend into a mess without much effort. Like now, he tilts Atsushi’s head up exposing his neck. An excited gasp escapes the smaller man- he knows what’s about to happen. Akutagawa stopped just shy of his lover’s neck, his lips grazing him as he spoke.
“Don’t get carried away. You need to leave soon.”
“I’m not the one get- Fuck”
Akutagawa bit down on his neck causing the younger man to squirm and swear in his lap. He knew that his boyfriend’s neck was particularly sensitive. He could make him whimper by just dragging his cold hands across it. Obviously, he abused this fact. Teasing him by leaving streaks of silver down to his collar bone before work. Laughing quietly when his lover grabbed a scarf during his rush to leave.
Now, with the knowledge that Atsushi needed to be at the agency soon, Akutagawa left sweet pink marks amidst the silver mess.
Atsushi tugged at Akutagawa’s cravat, desperate to remove the frankly embellished dress shirt his partner always wore. His actions were stopped by a hand gently pushing at his chest.
“Don’t you think this is what getting carried away means?” Ryunosuke smirked.
“I have plenty of time.”
***
He did not have plenty of time.
The Agency’s meeting was completed despite the weretigers absence. Kuikudia briefly accused Dazi of sending Atsushi off somewhere in the name of a prank, but after receiving a typically ambiguous answer from the bandaged man he gave up. Kenji offered to go looking for his coworker but Ranpo assertively stated that the young boy was safe.
Atsushi was safe. He was safely curled up on the Port Mafia’s Hunting dog’s couch while the said mafioso made him tea. He had gotten ‘carried away’ - to put it in his partner's words - and missed the meeting completely. Deciding to wait out the usual two to three hours until his skin was free of silver, he sent Dazi a sincere apology for his absence.
***
Months had passed since Atsushi had missed that meeting and he was still keeping his secret safe. His secret of course being Akutagawa. More specifically, the fact that the highly feared criminal and enemy of his own organisation was his soulmate.
Atsushi had believed he was the only agency member to find his soulmate. That was until last week when Ranpo had deep shimmering purple streaks on his right hand. Of course everyone had questions, Atsushi felt awful having his own curiosity piqued knowing he would crumple in the detective’s position. However, with his usual assertiveness, Ranpo refused to give any answers and his coworkers slowly returned to their daily tasks. Atsushi knew he would never handle the situation with that much ease. He prayed that he would never have to handle it at all.
Today another colourful soulmate mark was spotted in the agency.
“What's this Dazai~” Yosano sang, gesturing at the sparkly golden mark under the man’s jaw.
For the first time Atsushi saw his mentor look genuinely confused.
The doctor continued- “Did you finally find a suitable double suicide partner?”
“Ah-” The situation clearly clicked in Dazai’s head, “Unfortunately my beautiful soulmate is too attached to living and has rejected my many offers.”
“What’s she like?”
“Annoying.” He responded with a smile, pulling his headphones on.
Dazai, Atsushi thought, had also handled his soulmate marks being noticed with ease. However, the difference between himself and both Dazai and Ranpo is their social standing within the office. Dazai and Ranpo are well respected- sometimes feared -within the agency. It makes sense that they can avoid the scrutiny of everyone in the office when they have visible soulmate marks. No one wants to push an ex-mafia executive or a genius detective. Atsushi didn’t have the privilege of respect or fear. He was sure to be questioned thoroughly by the majority of the agency if silver was seen on his skin.
This time he was able to watch his mentor's response to the situation more clearly than Ranpo’s. Because Atsushi already knew about Dazai’s soulmate.
It was a few weeks past when he found out. When a rather traumatised looking Aktugawa opened the door to let Atsushi in…
“Hi! I brought- What’s wrong Aku?”
“Nothing dear, just work.” He said softly before covering a cough.
Atsuhi smiled at the affectionate name but was not convinced by the man’s response. “Do you want to talk about it?” he asked.
“Can you keep a secret?”
Atsushi nodded, concerned, walking over to the couch.
Akutagawa delved into his story, pacing around his apartment. Atsushi listened intently and laughed at its conclusion.
“Why are you laughing? Are you not horrified?”
“No of course not! I thought something awful had happened.”
“It was awful.”
“They’re soulmates!” Atsushi beamed, “I am happy for Dazai.”
“You didn’t walk in and see his tongue down Chuuya’s throat.” Akutagawa said flatly.
“Ugh…gross.”
“Exactly! It was awful.” He smiled.
***
Atsushi didn’t know how soulmates are chosen or how their touch can leave behind a beautiful colour. Was it something as simple as fate? Or a higher being pulling strings? He didn’t know who or what tied him to Akutagawa but if he did- he could only be thankful.
Akutagawa sparked something inside of Atsushi. A candle that would never burn out. Ever since their first clumsy awkward kiss in his agency dorm, Atsushi's life has gotten brighter. The older man could calm his restless mind with a few words, every touch caused his heart to beat- Akutagawa made him feel worthy of his affection.
He didn’t want to keep his love a secret. He had to. If the agency found out about his soulmate they would fire him, call him a traitor, and he would once again have nothing. He couldn't lose another family.
Everyday was a struggle, biting back Akutagawa's name when talking about his days off, trying to act like he still hated the mafioso. Terrified that someone would discover their love.
Returning home to Ryunosuke's apartment made everything easier.
His back was pushed against the wall, Akutagawa’s arm wrapped around his waist, his hand warm against his lower back. The kiss made Atsushi dizzy. He held the lapels of his boyfriend’s jacket to keep himself standing. A soft whimper escaped when teeth dragged across his bottom lip. He could feel a smile being pressed to his mouth. He moved his hands so he could thread them through black hair. Akutagawa deepened the kiss, pushing Atsushi harder against the cold wall. Another whimper escaped, his hands tightened around the hair between his fingers. Ryunosuke made the most beautiful noise. It filled Atsushi’s head with intoxicating lust.
Soon after clothes were thrown across the floor. Atsushi was on top of his lover admiring the silver streaks across his chest. Akutagawa looked beautiful like this and he was the only one who got to witness it. His eyes were blown out, lips were red and bitten, his chest was a mess of silver and red almost purple marks. He was Atsushi’s masterpiece. He was Atsushi’s soulmate.
***
“I heard something interesting, Atsushi!” Dazai exclaimed, with an uncharacteristically chipper tone.
“Hmm? What did you hear?” Atsushi responded, still focused on his work. He fully believed that the ‘interesting thing’ would be a new form of suicide.
“Akutagawa found his soulmate! Chuuya said the dog had silver marks all over his arms!” Dazai continued, “I thought you might know who the lucky lady was considering your…closeness.”
Atsushi’s heart stopped. His face undoubtedly went red. He muttered out an anxious string of words, “Uh- How How would I? W-we don’t talk like that.”
“Ah I should've known.” He sighed, “Well I guess that's a mystery for later!” Dazai left, waltzing towards the agency’s sofas.
The older detective opened his phone to send a text to his own soulmate.
‘it's totally Atsushi!! they're just like us :)”
“Fuck off.”
“you owe me dinner slug”
“No I don’t. You have no proof it’s the tiger!”
“it's the tiger”
***
“Chuuya won’t let Dazai tell anyone! That's assuming he even figured it out.” Akutagawa assured his mess of a partner.
“Of course he figured it out, it’s Dazai.” The tiger responded flatly.
“You will be fine.”
“Will I?”
***
He was.
Apart from a few knowing looks from Dazai when Atsushi had to bite back his partner's name in stories, nothing really changed in the following weeks.
Atsushi was beyond relieved.
He had begun to think that Akutagawa might take offence to the state he was in over the thought of their relationship being known. But as usual, his soulmate surprised him. For a cold blooded killer, Ryunosuke was very sympathetic. He understood what the weretiger was going through in his head. Atsushi couldn’t believe how he was being treated. He fell in love again.
***
Ryunosuke Akutagawa could paint Atsushi Nakajima sliver with only his touch. He could calm his tumultuous mind with a few softly spoken words. Make him dizzy with the smallest of kisses.
Ryunosuke Akutagawa and Atsushi Nakajima were soulmates.
The world would find that out one day.