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Atsushi rested splayed on his couch, barely watching the movie currently playing, his mind wandering and dangerously close to falling asleep, Kyoka was currently having a girl's night with Yosano and the secretaries so he didn't have to worry about making dinner or doing anything at all until the next on the evening when she would be back, he had cleaned their apartment when she had first left but it being such a tiny space he had finished rather quickly.
Just when he was slipping even further into unconsciousness and onto the floor his phone started ringing, quickly pulling him back into consciousness but still falling to the floor, pulling himself up in a jump he glanced at the clock on the wall, it was nearing two in the morning, he feared maybe it was Kyoka calling for an emergency or someone else from the agency due to a similar reason but checking the name he was left confused.
‘Gin, black lizard’ , read on the screen, he had gotten her number on one of the missions the agency had done with the mafia, he was surprised when she approached him and asked to exchange contact information ‘just in case’. Over time he had gotten used to occasionally exchanging messages, almost all of them related to Akutagawa, most of them, when they were in missions together and she wanted updates on what her brother did or not did (eating mostly). He suspected she already knew of her one-sided crush on her brother, it felt good to have her approval even if nothing was happening with the boy himself.
Her sudden call at such an odd hour really confused him, still, he walked to his phone that he had left on the table and picked it up. “Hello?”- He could hear a lot of noise in the background, a mix of music and loud chatting, for a second he thought she had butt-dialed him and was going to hang up until Gin spoke up, she sounded tired for some reason.
“Hi Atsushi, sorry to call so late but I have a little prob-”- She was cut as she was talking by unintelligible babbling and the sounds of what he imagined was someone trying to grab her phone- “Yes, it’s Atsushi, now calm down… yes, the weretiger”- She said talking to the person who she was with.
“Is everything okay?”- He asked worried, maybe she was in trouble with a drunk and required his help, they may not be very close but Atsushi would never turn down someone in need of assistance.
“Yes, well no, not exactly, there is no danger if that is your question”- He nodded dumbly before remembering that she couldn't see him, regardless she continued talking- “I’m calling about my brother”- He got a little nervous at the comment, what could Akutagawa need from him so badly that his sister had to call him.
“What about him?”- He questioned.
He could hear her still battle the same person, now that he had been reassured there was nothing threatening he actually found her struggle a little funny, that was until she announced- “He is drunk”
“Huh?”- Was all he could answer back, his brain took a long second to process the information, Akutagawa, a drunk Akutagawa, his brain finally connected the dots, that was the person that Gin was struggling with, no wonder he felt like he could recognize some of the gibberish. He struggled even more to keep his little giggle at bay when he imagined just how both usually so serious siblings looked right now, one drunk and one trying to control him- “What does that have to do with me?”- Maybe it was Dazai who had gotten him drunk and it was him who they wanted him to pick up.
“He wants to go with you”- She mentioned, the drunk Akutagawa sounded calmer now that she was talking for him, and no longer could he hear him try to get the phone or mumble loudly at her.
“Excuse me?”- Why would drunk Akutagawa demand so harshly to be with him when sober Akutagawa wanted him as far away from him as possible?
“We were having a little party, we started drinking and he just kept on drinking, even Chuuya tried to stop him but he had no luck, now the party has ended and he is being a pain in the ass, he refuses to go home or anywhere else that isn’t your place, he insists he wants to be with you, he won't let Chuuya, Higuchi or even me change his mind”- She explained- “I know it’s a lot to ask of you but do you think we could drop him off at your apartment? He is harmless I swear, just really stubborn”- She pleaded, she sounded exhausted and ready for him to say no.
“Uh, I- Yeah, yeah I guess”- He stuttered a little before he could get his answer out, a part of him wanted to help her and a bigger part of him was genuinely curious about what he wanted from him.
“Wait, shit, really?”- He didn't think he had ever heard her sound as happy as she did now.
“You can bring him here, I assume you already have the address, Kyoka isn't here right now so it should be fine”- He said.
“Yeah I have it, I’ll have Higuchi drive him there, thanks Atsushi, you are a lifesaver, I owe you a big one”- She thanked him a couple more times before she hung up.
Atsushi walked to his window and peeked outside every ten seconds, anxiously walking around and cleaning the already clean place until he got a text from Gin. He quickly made his way to the car that had just stopped in front of the detective’s place, he had to be quick in order to avoid being seen, he doubted Kunikida would be pleased with his sudden night-time visitor, and even worse, Dazai would be delighted.
Coming closer he watched as Higuchi got down from the car and opened the door for a stumbling Akutagawa to get out, she tried to help him but as soon as Akutagawa saw him he let himself fall limp on his being without saying a single word, his face as serious as ever if not just a little blushed, his hair and clothes disheveled. Atsushi thanked the stars for the heightened strength his ability gave him, otherwise, they would both be on the floor right now.
He glanced at Higuchi from behind the human lump on his arms and tried to wave- “Hi”- He said but the woman only squinted her eyes at him.
“Take care of him”- She said before getting back into the car and leaving without a sound.
Finally alone he looked down to glance at the person he was holding only to find the pair of grey eyes looking intently at his face- “Hey there”- He greeted, he felt a little nervous at the intensity of the stare, he didn't expect Akutagawa to actually respond to his greetings, in a way he didn't.
“You are gorgeous”- Was all he said, still staring at him, Atsushi suddenly got a feeling tonight would be a long night. He sighed and walked towards the stairs to pull him up to his place.
“Come on, help me out a little bit here”- He complained as Akutagawa allowed himself to be carried but didn't make a move to help at all. Even if he didn't weigh that much a body was difficult to manage, even more so in such a tight space, it wasn't like he could just throw him up, he shouldn't at least.
“Your face is so stupid”- Akutagawa commented as he poked his cheek with a tendril of Rashomon.
“I thought I was gorgeous”- He responded just to annoy the man.
“You are stupidly pretty, it pisses me off”- He protested as he replaced the tendril with two fingers that pulled his cheek. It hurt a bit but he allowed it to happen until they finally reached his door and he leaned Akutagawa against the wall so he could open it.
Akutagawa continued on a little charade about his face and how much it pissed him off while praising his looks at the same time, Atsushi wasn’t exactly sure how he should feel about it, it was funny and a little embarrassing, it should surely be worse for Akutagawa the next day when he was sober again and he talked about it because there was no way in hell he was going to shut up about it, his mentor had raised him to tease and mess with people and he would be damned if all that training went to waste.
“And your eyes are so colorful and shiny, like a gem or something fancy like that, why do they have to be so alluring? It distracts me”- He sounded genuinely pissed off about it like it was Atsushi’s plan to be so good-looking just to mess with him.
He snorted and continued to respond to him- “So I distract you?”- He asked as he helped Akutagawa lie down on the sofa.
“You and your stupid hair that shines so splendidly with the sun”- The drunk man cursed.
“You don't like my hair?”- He interrogated even more faking a sad tone in the question.
“I hate it so much, it makes you look angelic, a bastard like me isn't supposed to get so close to heaven”- Atsushi laughed openly at the comment, feeling the red come up to his cheeks.
“So you think I’m pretty and you hate me for it or you hate me and you also think I’m pretty”- He inquired as he went to the kitchen to get him a glass of water after making sure Akutagawa wouldn't roll off the couch as soon he stopped being held.
“I just think you are pretty, I hate you because I love you”- Akutagawa mentioned with a tired sigh like it was just him listing his chores oblivious to the state of shock Atsushi was currently in.
“You what?”- He muttered, he was pulled back into reality when the water that he had been trying to pour into the glass started to overfill and fall onto the table and the floor.
“I love you and it pisses me off even more than your gorgeous face”- Akutagawa continued on being angry- “But you can’t know alright?”- He tried his best to stand up and look threatening however only managed to stumble back into the cushions.
“Right, I won't say anything”- Atsushi assured still in bewilderment of the sudden revelation. His mind trying hard to rationalize what the man had said, was it all just drunk talk maybe? But wasn’t it a fact about being drunk that you told the truth?- “Are you sure you love me?”- He questioned.
“God I love you so much, you are so annoying, I hate you. You are so lovely, so kind and charming, I want to hit your stupid face and kiss it all over”- Akutagawa continued, every word confusing Atsushi even more.
“Well, do you hate me or not?! Make up your mind!”- He whined in desperate perplexion as he roughly gave Akutagawa the glass of water, the man immediately drinking it all like he hadn't realized how thirsty he was until then.
He waited for the man to finish drinking, Akutagawa put the glass down on the little wood table that he had in front of the couch and looked at him with a severe face- “I love you”- If Atsushi didn't know the other was as intoxicated as he was he would faint at the declaration.
“Oh my goodness”- He cried as he allowed himself to rest on the floor, face completely red as Akutagawa went back to resting on the couch- “I can’t believe I finally get a confession and you are utterly drunk”- He groaned as he covered his face with his palms.
“I’m sorry, I love you”- Akutagawa apologized making Atsushi sigh again.
“Yeah, yeah, say it again in the morning when I can take you seriously”- He lamented, he doubted Akutagawa would even remember any of this in a couple of hours. He wondered if maybe he should record him at least so he would be able to hear it again but when he turned around Akutagawa was already sound asleep on his side. After a couple of seconds of staring he couldn't help but burst into laughter, he tried his best to keep it down so as to not wake the man up however he continued to giggle for a couple minutes, the situation was so bizarre he could no longer take it with a worrying attitude, at least he knew his feelings weren't one-sided now. He could have fun with this information.
Atsushi stayed the rest of the night next to him, making sure he didn't vomit or fall to the floor, thankfully once Akutagawa fell asleep he didn't wake up again until the next morning.
Akutagawa woke up groggy and in pain, a killer headache that had him squinting his eyes at the minimal sun that came through the curtains, it was so bad it took him three full minutes until he noticed he wasn't in his own apartment, he could recognize the scent around him and he paled even more at the realization, a tiny fragment of yesterday’s events coming back to him.
“Good morning sleepyhead”- Atsushi said happily coming into the room but he didn’t answer his greeting.
“I didn't… do anything weird last night right?”- He asked anxiously looking at Atsushi trying to pick up on any body language that might tell him what he did yet he couldn't see anything, Atsushi seemed weirdly relaxed and giddy if anything.
“Well no, you didn't do much”- Atsushi said but before Akutagawa could relax he added- “You did speak quite a lot tho”- He smirked at the panic on his face.
“What did I-”- He tried to get more answers yet was interrupted by a ring in the door.
“That must be your sister coming to pick you up, she told me she would be here soon”- Atsushi quickly turned to open the door.
“Wait I-”- He tried again being cut off by his sister now.
“Hello brother, I see you are better now”- She said looking as amused as Atsushi, they both knew something, he could tell, what they knew, he didn’t know- “Let’s go then”- Before he could protest she picked him up by the arm, his body still suffering the effects of yesterdays drinking too much to protest- “Goodbye Atsushi, thank you for everything”- She said goodbye warmly before pulling them both out through the door.
“Bye Gin”- He answered and turned back to him- “Call me if you remember something”- He winked and closed the door leaving him even more confused and a little flushed.
Akutagawa walked to their car like a zombie, staying silent until they were away from the place- “What the fuck did I do yesterday”- He asked.
“So much brother, so much”- His sister only laughed at him.