Archive of Our Own ^beta

Atsushi’s eyes twinkled in the early evening light, looking absolutely ethereal.

“You didn’t,”

Akutagawa simply hummed, holding out the bouquet. It was a mix of roses, lily of the valley, and peonies.

“Of course I did. Only the best for you,”

Atsushi blushed, taking the bouquet into his arms. He brushed his fingers along the delicate petals, taking his time to truly enjoy their sweet scent.

“Who knew you were such a romantic,”

“Don’t tell anyone. Could ruin my reputation,” he said dryly, a small smile on his face.

Atsushi laughed, leaning forward and giving Akutagawa a kiss.

“I love them. Thank you,”

They went on dates often, but this specific one was different. The main difference is that that day, Akutagawa planned to propose.

They had been dating for more than two years, getting together soon after the vampire epidemic and Decay of Angels incident.

Recently they started to discuss marriage. They were on the same page about the topic. Both of them never thought of marriage as a possibility when they were younger, but now that they, along with the city, were safe, they figured it was a possible option now.

They both agreed that it was something they wanted, but no one had made any moves to make it official.

Akutagawa went ring shopping almost immediately afterwards, dragging Gin and Lucy with him. He had chosen his sister to come with because he wanted to share his life’s moments with her. He wanted her right by his side when he married the love of his life.

He invited Lucy because he had recently become good friends with her, finding her company rather enjoyable. He would often stop by the cafe downstairs before heading up to see Atsushi, so he spent a lot of time interacting with her.

He didn’t have a lot of other friends, and Lucy was also one of Atsushi’s best friends, so she was the most logical choice.

“He’ll be more than overjoyed with a simple band,” Lucy said, leaning over to look at the display.

“I’m sure he will, but I want to get him the absolute best. It’s what he deserves,”

Lucy flicked his shoulder.

“Don’t get him something to gaudy,” Gin said, wrinkling her nose at one of the options. “It will get in the way of work. Plus it should be something he could comfortably wear on a cord around his neck, in case he needs to transform into the tiger,”

Akutagawa nodded. He hadn’t even thought of that.

“Let’s continue looking. I’m sure we will find something,” Lucy pointed out, gesturing to the many displays they had yet to look at.

The trio spent over an hour in a single ring shop, trying to find the perfect ring.

Eventually, they found a silver band with gemstones encrusted all around it. Amethyst, aquamarine, sapphire, and yellow topaz.

Akutagawa was absolutely thrilled at the purchase, and both Gin and Lucy agreed that it was perfect.

Right as they were leaving the shop, Lucy leaned over to whisper something in Gin’s ear. Akutagawa couldn’t hear what she said, but Gin’s eyes widened in pleasant surprise.

When he asked about it later, Gin skillfully dismissed him and changed the subject, leaving him wondering what Lucy could have said.

Akutagawa let go of Atsushi’s hand, moving to hold the door open for him.

“Chazuke?” Atsushi asked, almost in disbelief.

“Of course. It is your favorite, is it not?”

Atsushi nodded vigorously, giving his boyfriend a huge smile. He leaned forward, giving him a quick peck on the lips. Akutagawa coughed, bringing his hand closer to his face to cover his blush.

“I wish to discuss something with you over dinner,” Akutagawa said, in a soft voice so as to not make his partner worry.

Atsushi nodded, an equally soft smile on his face.

“Shall we go then?”

Atsushi laughed.

“Of course,”

He hooked his arm around Akutagawa’s so they were adjoined, walking into the restaurant together.

They were seated rather quickly, as the restaurant was mostly empty. Unsurprising for the middle of the work week.

They were seated across from each other, Atsushi closest to the door.

Due to the lack of people in the building, they put in their orders rather quickly, leaving them in silence. Even though the silence was comfortable, Akutagawa felt as if the tension could rip him apart. He knew he was the only one feeling it, but it felt palpable.

The ring felt as if it was burning a hole through his pocket. Even though he had done countless things that would put his life in danger, he had never felt more nervous.

He started to pull the box out of his pocket, a speech of adoration and love on the tip of his tongue. Everything was perfect except for one thing.

His head was full of worries.

What if he doesn’t actually want to marry you? What if you misheard him? What if it’s too soon?

Truly, there was no reason for him to stop what he was doing.

But he did. He stopped and stared, looking deep into Atsushi’s eyes.

His boyfriend looked at him curiously, with a hint of concern.

One worry was the loudest of them all. It was something he struggled with their entire relationship.

What if you're not good enough for him.

It was a thought that often bounced around his head. He never had the best sense of self worth, and those views carried over into his relationship.

Atsushi always reassured him, peppering his skin with delicate kisses. Whispering soft and sincere words only for them to hear.

“Ryuunosuke,”

He looked up at Atsushi, who at some point grabbed the hand that was resting on the table.

“You don’t have to tell me right now. I can tell you are nervous. Let’s just enjoy dinner,” he said with a smile.

Akutagawa didn’t verbally respond, but nodded instead.

Atsushi smiled, gently rubbing his thumb on the back of his hand, trying to be reassuring.

Eventually, the tension left his body and he dropped the ring box back into his pocket.

He smiled, though it was an awkward one.

“I apologize for causing you distress,”

“Don’t worry about it!” He exclaimed, a bit too loudly for the setting. He looked around apologetically, before lowering his voice and continuing what he was saying. “You organized this amazing date just for me. It is perfect. Thank you,”

Akutagawa smiled, this time more natural.

“Of course. Anything for you,”

“For someone who hasn’t danced before, you are doing surprisingly well,” Atsushi teased, spinning his partner around.

Akutagawa simply shook his head playfully.

These situations were new to Akutagawa. He used to think that domestic moments such as this were something he could never be a part of. Such things had no place in his heart, not after his job and actions.

Then came Atsushi, and tore down all those protective walls.

“For someone who supposedly dances all the time, you sure are clumsy,” he responded, softly smiling.

Atsushi rolled his eyes, but mirrored his smile.

The stereo gave a muffled sound to the music, giving the room a warmer and more comforting atmosphere. Even though it was freezing outside, it was comfortable inside their shared apartment.

A soft golden glow was bouncing around the room, produced by candles and lights resting around the room.

While Akutagawa didn’t normally initiate such soft acts, this time he had a plan.

By some miracle, all the songs that were playing on the radio were Atsushi’s favorites.

After his failed attempt at the restaurant, Akutagawa decided to make his next attempt more personal.

He prepped and cooked Atsushi’s favorite foods, got him a plush chameleon and got him a collectors edition of one of his favorite books, all to get him in a happier mood. It seemed to be working, as Atsushi had yet to stop grinning since he walked in the door.

“What’s all this for?” Atsushi asked once a song faded out.

“Can’t I simply do nice things for you without an ulterior motive?”

Atsushi smiled, shaking his head. He wrapped his arms around Akutagawa’s neck, bringing their bodies closer.

“You can, but I know you well,” Atsushi said, and of course he was correct. He planned to propose by the end of the year, and he was determined to see it through.

“You’ll see,” was all he said, twirling him around once more.

Atsushi laughed, going along with Akutagawa’s lead. It wasn’t a song meant for a slow dance, but they made it work.

When the song eventually came to an end, Atsushi broke their hold, walking to the CD cabinet. Akutagawa looked at him, confused.

Atsushi dug around the cabinet for a few minutes, only stopping when he pulled out an unmarked disk.

He put it into the radio, pressing play. He rejoined Akutagawa just as the first notes of the music fell out of the speakers, once again swaying.

Akutagawa recognized the song immediately, and couldn’t help but smile. It was the same song that was playing on the radio when they had their first kiss. It was one of Akutagawa’s favorite memories.

They had been on a stakeout mission, waiting for a huge weapons dealer to meet up with a client and gather intel.

They had been sitting in a car in the same spot for hours, and they were both exhausted. Akutagawa had been flipping through the radio, looking for any tolerable song. The one he eventually settled on was a love song, but to Akutagawa at the time, it was better than late night talk radio.

The song was halfway through when Akutagawa noticed that Atsushi was staring at him. When Akutagawa turned to face him, his face flushed.

“What is it, weretiger?” Even though he had never admitted it, he found the weretiger attractive, even more so now that he was flustered.

Instead of answering, Atsushi leaned forward so he was only a few inches away from Akutagawa’s face. Now, it was that point that Akutagawa’s face turned red. The song still continued, its serene words pouring out of the stereo.

They were frozen in that pose for a few seconds, until Atsushi whispered a few words.

“Can I?”

Akutagawa nodded, and Atsushi didn’t wait before pressing their lips together. It was quick and messy, but enjoyable. It was both their first time, but it wasn’t awkward as both of them thought it would.

They didn’t have time to discuss what they were at that very moment, because it was at that moment that the weapons dealer decided to meet his client.

It was only until after that they shared more kisses under the night sky, that they finally discussed what they were.

It quickly escalated, and ended with them making out once again, with only the moon as their witness.

Ever since then, the song that played on the radio became special to them.

The song eventually fizzled out, but it wasn’t long until the next song started its beginning crescendo.

It felt as if the ring was growing heavier in his pocket, just waiting to be brought out and placed upon Atsushi’s finger.

They danced for a few more songs, until Akutagawa had to pause and catch his breath.

They sat in silence, simply appreciating each other's company.

As Atsushi had his eyes closed, enjoying the atmosphere, Akutagawa started to move his way to the floor, reaching for the ring.

He got onto one knee, bringing the ring box out of his pocket. He took a deep breath, working up some last minute courage.

“Atsushi-“

“Oh! That reminds me. I have something for you,”

Atsushi skipped away, not waiting nor glancing back to see Akutagawa’s reaction.

So Akutagawa was simply left there in the middle of the room, on one knee, ring box held out. If he was anyone else, he would’ve laughed at how comedic the whole situation was.

He sighed, standing back up and looked at the ring.

He took it out of the box, twirling it between his fingers. He started to walk towards the kitchen when he tripped over a rug, stumbling.

Fortunately he caught himself easily. Unfortunately, the ring managed to escape his grasp.

Akutagawa watched in horror as the ring rolled and slipped under the TV stand. He crouched down close to it, trying to reach reach it, but it was futile.

He scowled, debating using Rashōmon to lift up the piece of furniture to collect it. Before he could make his choice, Atsushi came back.

He held a bundled up piece of fabric in his hands, looking pleased with himself.

Akutagawa quickly shoved the ring box back into his pocket and tried to look as casual as possible, leaning against the wall next to the television stand.

“I’ve picked up a few hobbies over these last few months, so I decided to knit you a scarf!”

He held up the aforementioned scarf, letting Akutagawa see it. He walked forward, grabbing it and feeling the yarn. It was one of the softest things Akutagawa had ever held. He wrapped it around his neck, and unsurprisingly it was extremely warm.

“It has some imperfections,” Atsushi explained, looking guilty. “I made some mistakes while making it-“

Akutagawa cut him off with a small but tender kiss.

“I absolutely love it. You did incredible,”

Atsushi blushed, resting his head on Akutagawa’s shoulder.

“I’m glad,”

Eventually, they moved to the couch, holding each other. Akutagawa used Rashōmon to lower the music volume, so as to not let go of his boyfriend.

“I love you,” Atsushi said, kissing the scar on Akutagawa’s neck.

“You’re tolerable,” Akutagawa responded, a smile on his face.

Atsushi looked amused, hugging him tighter.

“I love you too,” Akutagawa follows up, pressing a kiss to the top of Atsushi’s head.

They rested there until both fell asleep, comforted and safe in each other's arms. One unaware that a ring rested just under a piece of furniture, a question just out of reach.

There’s always next week.

Out of all the traditions that the two of them created, their weekly tradition of walking around Yokohama had to be one of Akutagawa’s favorites.

It was one of the first traditions they had established after becoming an official couple. Simple walks that marked the beginning of the weekend, the two of them walking hand in hand.

It had originally been Atsushi’s idea, to try and get Akutagawa out of the house more often. Night time was the best option, since he was still wanted and there were less people walking around at night.

Seeing all sorts of things that they typically would never get to see during the day due to their obligations was always an added bonus.

They had been walking for around twenty minutes before something caught Akutagawa’s eye, and he stopped to look.

“Akutagawa? Are you alright?”

Akutagawa recognized that Atsushi was talking to him, but he couldn’t understand what was being asked.

All he could see was a blood splatter, leading into a dark alleyway. Coincidentally, it was the same alleyway that Akutagawa had first met Atsushi. It wasn’t a pleasant memory to recall, but a necessary one.

He had since apologized for the action, and worked everyday to make it to him.

“Akutagawa?” Atsushi asked again, gently resting his hand on Akutagawa’s shoulder.

Akutagawa didn’t respond, moving towards the splatter of blood on the ground.

It was at that point that Atsushi noticed the same thing, and he crouched towards the ground. He hovered his hand over the puddle, before quickly retracting it and sprinting into the alley.

Neither of them spoke, but they fell into a rhythm. Using Rashōmon, Akutagawa pulled himself up to the rooftops, so he could see everything from a Birds Eye view.

He saw Atsushi run towards the back of the alleyway, his sweater flowing behind him.

Akutagawa saw the person before Atsushi did. They seemed to lean forward, their hands clutched to their side, trying to stop more bleeding from their torso. It was a nasty wound, but they were still breathing.

Atsushi slowed down, bringing his ADA identification card out of his inner pocket to show the injured person that he wasn’t there to hurt them further.

Akutagawa could tell that Atsushi was telling them something, but he couldn’t tell what it was from that high up.

Akutagawa leaned against the lip of the roof, still looking down at the scene below. He felt uneasy about the whole situation, though he couldn’t explain why.

He watched as Atsushi tried to take care of their wounds when he saw a small movement out of the corner of his eye.

Realizing what was wrong at the last minute, he jumped down, lessening the impact with Rashōmon. He landed silently, a head of Rashōmon looming behind him, the edge glowing a bright red. Atsushi quickly caught on by Akutagawa’s presence alone, but didn’t make any sudden moves.

In front of him stoof three others, all armed with various guns, all pointed at him. It seemed to have been a mugging gone wrong, but in that moment, the circumstances did not matter to him.

Akutagawa knew that Rashōmon could eat any bullet those people shoot at him, so his main concern was not letting anything hit Atsushi.

Atsushi was still trying to reassure the injured person, paying the other men no mind.

Akutagawa didn’t wait for them to strike first, lunging forward and slashing at any exposed skin. He made sure to avoid the neck and torso, aiming for the legs and arms.

The others stood no chance, falling to the ground in pain, holding their limbs where their wounds were.

Akutagawa scowled at them, using his ability to pick up their weapons and toss them down the alleyway. Atsushi had picked up the person, who had since passed out from the blood loss.

With a sharp kick, one of the men crumpled on the ground, unconscious.

Atsushi approached him, the injured person slung across his back.

“Are you alright?” Atsushi asked, gently bumping his arm into Akutagawa’s. He nodded, ignoring the splatter of blood on the edge of his coat.

“I’m more concerned about you,” he responded, gesturing to the person on his back.

Atsushi shifted so the person's weight was more even, and started walking out of the alleyway and towards the general hospital.

“The tiger will heal any wounds I have, don’t worry about me,” he said with a smile, one that instantly makes Akutagawa melt, and he felt a smile on his own face.

They walked in tandem, not speaking and enjoying their walk, as much as they could with blood sticking to their clothes and an unconscious person tagging along.

It wasn’t long before they approached one of the many hospitals in Yokohama. They made a silent agreement that Atsushi would be the one to admit the person, and Akutagawa would stay outside.

He leaned against the door, trying to suppress a shiver.

He shoved his hands into his pockets, surprised to find the ring box.

Akutagawa took it out, turning it around in his hand. His original plan to propose on their walk came back to him, and he almost winced at how far the plan had derailed.

He flicked open the box, admiring how the gemstones glittered in the harsh lights of the hospital.

It took longer than expected for Atsushi to walk out, and when he did, Akutagawa quickly shut the ring box, but did not slip it back into his pocket.

He wrapped his arm around Atsushi’s shoulders, noticing the man’s exhaustion.

”Are you alright?” Akutagawa asked, pressing a kiss into his boyfriend’s temple. Atsushi nodded, and rested his head on Akutagawa’s shoulder.

“Just want to go home,”

Akutagawa didn’t respond, and simply dropped the ring box back into his pocket and started walking home.

”I love you, weretiger,” he said softly, kissing his forehead quickly as they walked.

Atsushi smiled, his exhaustion showing.

“I love you too,”

“Akutagawa!” Atsushi screamed over the roar of gunfire.

Akutagawa barely recognized the voice, glancing down at his torso. He was surprised to find huge blossoms of red rapidly spreading out, no doubt from bullets. With a scowl at his own negligence, he promptly started applying pressure with his own hand.

Atsushi was at his side in seconds, quickly helping in applying pressure to the wound.

“Breathe,” Atsushi said, even though it looked like he would benefit more from some deep breaths. He looked panicked, his eyes wide.

Akutagawa’s torso felt hot, as if the bullet had been on fire. The blood quickly spread across his frilly shirt, making it more red than white.

“Weretiger,” Akutagawa hissed out, more irritated about his shirt being ruined than him being shot. “Finish the job. I will be fine,”

Atsushi shook his head, gesturing around him in a vague direction. The fight seemed to be wrapping up, the sound of gunfire slowly stampeding off.

Akutagawa groaned, feeling as if he failed the mission somehow. Atsushi whispered reassurances to him, brushing his dark hair out of his face.

“You will be ok. I’ll get you to Yosano, or I’ll sew you up myself,”

“Do whatever…” he said through gritted teeth, his hold on Atsushi’s shirt becoming much tighter.

“You can rest, I got you. When you wake up you’ll be all healed up,”

Akutagawa nodded, letting the black spots that were dancing around his vision take hold.

He fell limp in Atsushi’s hold, his breathing becoming ragged.

Atsushi wasted no time picking him up, rapidly looking around to confirm that the fight was indeed over.

He started to run back to the agency, careful not to agitate the wounds. The blood started to soak into Atsushi’s shirt, staining it a deep scarlet.

Even though the fight took place a dozen or so blocks away from the agency, the run felt like it took forever.

When the red brick building finally came into view, Atsushi nearly cried of happiness.

He shoved the door to the cafe open, seeing that Yosano was sitting at one of the booths, most likely on her lunch break. She was talking with Kunikida, unaware that her day was about to be interrupted.

“Yosano!” Atsushi cried. “Akutagawa us hurt, please help,” He held the unconscious man out, as if proving he was indeed hurt.

Kunikida and Yosano blinked in shock, their cups halfway to their lips. Kenji, who had been sitting next to the two of them, looked concerned.

Yosano set down her cup, glancing at the unconscious man to gauge the type and severity of his wounds.

She stood up, looking irritated that she had been interrupted during her lunch break.

“Bring him up. I’ll be up in a minute,”

When Akutagawa woke up, he had a splitting headache, and his stomach felt as if it had been cut open.

When his vision came back into focus, the first thing he saw was Atsushi sitting on a chair next to his bed, reading a book. As soon as Akutagawa started to move, he immediately snapped the book shut, gently placing it down on the end table.

“How do you feel?” He asked, pressing the back of his hand to Akutagawa’s forehead.

“I’ve experienced worse,” was all he replied, and it was an honest one.

Atsushi didn’t look reassured at all by his statement, and carefully poured out a dosage of liquid medicine and handed it to his boyfriend.

“Yosano told me to give this to you once you woke up,” he explained, watching in amusement as Akutagawa’s face scrunched up due to the unpleasant taste.

“It’s a pain killer, but it might knock you out, so don’t move too fast or abruptly, Yosano’s orders,”

Akutagawa swallowed the rest of the foul tasting medicine, making a mental note to thank the doctor later. Perhaps he would make her a gift basket. She certainly deserved it.

“She also told me to tell you to not do anything too strenuous. I already called Chuuya and he your next few missions shouldn’t be too physically taxing,”

Akutagawa nodded, though he wasn’t too pleased.

He opened his mouth to respond, but Atsushi held up his hand to silence him.

“I know what you are about to say. You are going to insist that you can handle it, because ‘it’s simply a small wound,” he said, poorly imitating Akutagawa’s voice.

He let out a small chuckle, bringing his hand to his mouth as the laugh quickly turned into a cough.

Atsushi rubbed his back comfortingly until his breathing evened out and cleared. Akutagawa gave him an appreciative glance, shifting himself over and gesturing for Atsushi to join.

Atsushi did without hesitation, cuddling up to his boyfriend. Akutagawa was a firm believer that if his boyfriend could purr as well as chuff, he would do it more often.

“I hope I didn’t worry you too much,” he said, gently running his fingers through his partner's silvery hair.

Atsushi sighed, pressing further into Akutagawa’s side.

“I just wish you would stop getting hurt. I’m afraid I’m going to lose you,”

Again was left unsaid.

Subconsciously, Akutagawa brought his free hand up to the scar on his neck. He hummed, trying to soothe his partner. He hated worrying him. Everytime a mission ran longer than it should, Akutagawa couldn’t help but think of Atsushi, waiting by the doorway with the first aid kit.

“I promise to be more careful,”

Atsushi looked up at him in disbelief.

“Really?”

Akutagawa gave him a small smile.

“Have I ever broken a promise?”

At that, Atsushi grinned. He didn’t respond, but he didn’t need to.

They lapsed into silence, the only interruption being the heart monitor hooked up to Akutagawa’s chest, the steady beep being a comforting sound.

Akutagawa looked up from Atsushi, glancing around the room. His coat was hung on a hook, just in arms reach of his clinic bed.

He knew for a fact that the ring box still rested deep in his pocket, waiting to finally be given to Atsushi.

He glanced back down at his boyfriend, watching as he gently traced shapes into the front of his shirt.

When he first got into the relationship with Atsushi, he was warned by countless people that the honeymoon phase of the relationship would soon pass. However, Akutagawa felt as if that was just how the relationship was going to go. Everytime Akutagawa looked at Atsushi, he felt nothing but love and admiration.

Of course their relationships had ups and downs, but they always worked through their issues together.

For the thousandth time this week, Akutagawa couldn’t wait to have him by his side for the rest of his life.

While it wasn’t the most ideal place to propose, he couldn’t think of anything else.

“Atsushi-“ Akutagawa said, sitting up abruptly and reaching for his coat pocket.

He realized his mistake a second too late, as all his blood rushed away from his head, and he fell forward, unconscious before he hit the bed.

The Armed Detective agency was buzzing with energy. It was a celebration of one of their major milestones. Akutagawa didn’t know much about the particular milestone, but he had been invited as Atsushi’s plus one.

Akutagawa could tell that a majority of the agency did not trust him, casting him cautionary glances over their shoulders. Even though the atmosphere around him was tense, Akutagawa was in good spirits.

He kept turning the box over in his hand. This was his fifth attempt at proposing, and he was determined to get this one right. He figured that there was no way he could fail today. Everyone was in a celebratory mood, and what better way to make it more special than to propose.

Atsushi always talked about the agency as if it was his family, which Akutagawa supposes it is. They gave him a home, and stood by him through everything. The Guild, The Cannibalism Incident, The Decay of Angels Disaster.

Atsushi loved his family, and Akutagawa knew that he wanted the agency by his side for every step of his life. So, he figured proposing with his partners friends and family present would be a pleasant addition.

Unfortunately, to Akutagawa’s distaste, it seems like everyone wanted to talk to Atsushi. Even some Guild members and one former member of the Rats were in attendance, and were eager to talk to his boyfriend. At first, Akutagawa didn’t mind. He wouldn’t be the one to keep Atsushi away from his family and friends. After the first two hours and he still couldn’t ask him the burning question, he started to lose confidence.

After another half hour of nothing, he tried one more time to approach his boyfriend.

“Atsushi-“ he called out, but Atsushi couldn’t hear him over his friends and colleagues. Akutagawa sighed and went back to the couch he was originally sitting on. Except now, there was another person sitting in the corner.

Akutagawa awkwardly sat down next to him, not taking his eyes off the mystery man’s pet. At first he thought it was a cat, but only after a closer glance did he realize that it was a raccoon.

They both awkwardly avoided eye contact with each other, or so Akutagawa thought. It was a bit hard to see where the man was looking with the bangs in his face.

Even though he wasn’t completing his original goal of attending this party, it was still a pleasant experience. Lovely food, quiet yet soothing music, soft golden light radiating throughout the entire room. The agency had even put up some decorations. Streamers and balloons in all colors of the rainbow, yet they were not abrasive to the eye. Akutagawa would have to compliment Atsushi on the agency’s behalf.

Eventually, the mystery man’s raccoon broke out of its grasp, climbing onto Akutagawa’s lap and digging its paws in his coat pocket. He was too shocked to react immediately, only watching as the raccoon continued to dig around his coat pocket, completely unbothered by the fact that Rashōmon was growing more and more restless.

“Karl!” The man cried out, repeating apologies for his raccoon’s behavior.

The raccoon didn’t listen to the man, and instead continued to dig around his pockets until he grabbed the ring box. Once he had that in his teeth, he ran off into the crowd.

Akutagawa realized a second too late what the raccoon actually grabbed, and ran off to catch him. The raccoon’s owner also ran off after him, shouting his name.

Both of the men quickly lost him in the crowd.

“Karl!” The man shouted, but to no avail. Akutagawa half debated using Rashōmon to find that animal, but he figured that wouldn’t go over well with its owner nor the agency.

Eventually, one of the detectives tapped the man on his shoulder.

“He’s by Atsushi,” was all Ranpo said. The man nodded appreciatively, giving the detective a quick kiss on the nose.

Akutagawa’s stomach sank. He couldn’t have Atsushi open the ring box before he told him just how much he meant to him.

He didn’t even wait for Ranpo and his partner to break apart before he ran to Atsushi, lightly pushing others away to get to him faster.

“Hello Karl, what do you have?” Atsushi asked, bending down to pick up what the animal dropped.

Akutagawa hastily grabbed the ring box using Rashōmon, quickly bringing it into his pocket. This time, he made sure to protectively wrap tendrils around it, just in case his boyfriend or random raccoons decided to grab it from his pocket.

Atsushi looked up at him questioningly, just as the man scooped up Karl.

“Akutagawa…” he trailed off, looking at his stressed face. “Are you alright? You seem upset,”

“I’m fine, weretiger. Simply a warm atmosphere,”

Atsushi was concerned immediately, pressing the back of his palm to Akutagawa’s forehead.

“Are you feeling warm? Sick? Do you need to lay down?”

“Again, I am fine,”

Akutagawa could understand where Atsushi’s concern came from. Ever since he got hurt, there was always some concern that the wounds would be infected due to him collapsing on the dirty alleyway.

Atsushi made sure to check his sewn up wounds every night and morning just in case something changed.

It made Akutagawa’s heart swell every time Atsushi would check, and press chaste kisses onto each and every scar and wound.

That moment was added to Akutagawa's ever growing list of reasons he loved Atsushi.

“At least sit down,” Atsushi insisted, already guiding him to the nearest couch.

“Atsushi,” Akutagawa stopped, dragging his heels to get Atsushi to stop. He took a deep breath before continuing. “I love you, and waking up to you every morning is a privilege I would not change for the world,”

Atsushi’s eyes widened, but started to drag him back to the couch.

“I love you too, but I really think you should lay down. You seem to be getting sick,”

Atsushi pressed a small kiss into Akutagawa’s forehead, stunning him into silence. His face was flushed from working himself up, thinking about all the reasons he loved his boyfriend. He wasn’t an outwardly affectionate man, most of his actions of affection being just for the two of them.

Atsushi sat him down next to the man with the raccoon again, and Akutagawa glared at the animal.

“This is your fault,” he hissed at him. The animal chittered, looking almost annoyed, if raccoons can even look that way.

Akutagawa leaned forward to continue to glare at the animal. To his utter shock, the raccoon raised his paw and smacked him in the nose.

Akutagawa reeled back, holding his nose. It didn’t hurt, but he was still stunned.

“Karl! We’ve talked about this. No hitting,” the man said before turning to Akutagawa, his voice weaker. “I am so sorry,”

“It is fine,” Akutagawa said, a bit too much bite behind his words. The man nodded, turning his body away.

“I’m Edgar Allan Poe,” the man explained, trying to force himself to make small talk.

“Akutagawa,” he responded, returning the pleasantry. He hoped that the conversation would end there, but unfortunately, or fortunately for him, it didn’t.

“I wish you luck,” he mumbled. Akutagawa almost missed that he had spoke at all.

“My apologies, I couldn’t hear you,”

Poe sighed, seemingly working up the courage to speak again.

“I wish you luck. With your proposal,”

Akutagawa sighed, running his hand down his face.

“Thank you. I’ve tried four times before. Everything that can go wrong, goes wrong. It is wildly irritating,”

“I understand. I’ve been trying to propose to my boyfriend for a while. It’s hard when he can just know whatever he wants, whenever he wants,”

Akutagawa nodded along. He had heard about the cunning wit and deductions of Ranpo. He felt sympathy for the man.

“I wish you luck as well,”

Both men nodded at each other, looking into the crowd for their respective partners.

When Atsushi poked his head into the living room with a mischievous grin on his face, Akutagawa knew he was planning something.

“Can you still schedule time off?” He asked, bouncing from one foot to the next. Akutagawa glanced up from his book, meeting his boyfriend’s eyes.

“Depends when you wish for me to take off,” he said simply, putting in his bookmark and closing the book.

“Six weeks,” Atsushi said, the excitement still obvious in his voice.

Akutagawa thought for a few moments, before nodding his head.

“I suppose that should work. I’ll talk to Chuuya tomorrow morning,”

Atsushi nodded with great vigor, pressing a kiss into Akutagawa’s cheek before skipping off down the hallway.

Akutagawa’s eyes followed, but didn’t make any moves to join.

Atsushi didn’t seem to be upset or concerned, so Akutagawa opted not to be either. He assumed that Atsushi was simply scheduling another mission, one he would be filled in on later.

He opened his book again, eyes briefly skimming the page so he could find his spot.

Atsushi came out of their room about an hour later, looking extremely secretive and excited, but he didn’t say anything. Instead, he came up and laid himself on Akutagawa’s arm, wrapping his own arms around his boyfriend’s torso.

Akutagawa brought up his free hand to card through Atsushi’s hair.

They laid there until they both fell asleep, content in each other’s embrace.

The six weeks quickly came and went. Chuuya approved his time off almost instantly, giving Akutagawa a knowing smile.

Soon, his day off came. Atsushi was being unusually secretive, running around the apartment with various things in his hands. Akutagawa offered to help, but was quickly shoved out the door with instructions to visit his sister, and to come home around dinner time.

Akutagawa was suspicious, as he had been for the last few weeks, but visited his sister nonetheless. She had the rest of the Black Lizard over, who all kept looking at each other as if there was a big inside joke he wasn’t grasping. Even Hirotsu, who had mostly remained silent, gave him a reassuring pat on the back and offered a cigarette. Akutagawa instantly turned it down, but he appreciated the gesture nonetheless.

He had asked his sister what everyone’s deal was, but she just laughed and avoided the question. Between Atsushi and the Black Lizard’s behavior, Akutagawa was simply confused.

He enjoyed hanging out with his sister and the Black Lizard, but no matter how hard he thought, he couldn’t figure out what the huge secret was. He hadn’t even seen them act like this when Akutagawa was going to propose.

Speaking of which, the ring still remained in his coat pocket, waiting for the perfect opportunity to actually go through with his plans. His past five attempts had all ended in failure, but he had never been one to give up too easily.

Eventually, dinner time rolled around, and Akutagawa bid Gin and the Black Lizard goodbye.

They all exchanged even more glances, and Akutagawa could have sworn he saw Hirotsu smile into his coffee cup.

Once again ignoring their strange behavior, he headed out the door, beginning his walk back to his house. He noticed that the sky was abnormally clear, the full moon shining bright.

The temperature was brisk, forcing Akutagawa to shove his hands into his pockets to keep them warm.

It was a short walk back home, and Akutagawa ended up on his doorstep in no time.

Throwing open the door, Akutagawa saw Atsushi in the living room, bundling up for the cold weather. Before he could ask what his boyfriend was doing, he got a coat tossed in his direction.

He barely caught it using Rashōmon, bringing it close to his chest.

“Put it on, we are going out,”

Akutagawa rolled his eyes, but put it on over Rashōmon.

“Is this your surprise?”

“Part of it. We will be out in the cold for a while, so make sure to bring gloves,”

Akutagawa looked at Atsushi out of the corner of his eyes, trying to get any information. He was no closer to the answer than he was when Atsushi requested that Akutagawa call off work.

“How was Gin?” Atsushi asked, putting on his own winter gloves.

“She’s fine. The rest of the Black Lizard are also over at her house, and were fine as well,”

Atsushi paused what he was doing, looking at Akutagawa, almost afraid.

“Did they tell you anything?”

Akutagawa thought back to the conversations.

“Nothing of note. Tachihara got a new gun, Hirotsu is thinking of going to Europe for a diplomatic mission, and Higuchi is going to visit her sister this weekend,”

Atsushi sighed in relief.

“Good. Now hurry up! We don’t have much time!”

Akutagawa sped up his process, throwing on his gloves and scarf in no time.

“Are you ready?” Atsushi askes, practically bouncing up and down.

“I suppose,” Akutagawa responded, messing with the buttons on his jacket.

The scarf that Atsushi had given him as a gift was draped over his shoulders. Atsushi took that as an invitation, taking the ends of the scarf and pulling him into a kiss.

Before Akutagawa could react, Atsushi was grabbing his hand and dragging him to the car.

Akutagawa looked unimpressed as Atsushi got into the driver's seat.

“Do you even know how to drive?”

Atsushi laughed awkwardly.

“Kunikida has being trying to teach me,”

Trying.

“Just don’t crash my car,”

Surprisingly, they made it to their destination safely and in one piece. When Atsushi finally parked the car, over forty-five minutes had passed since they left their apartment.

“We aren’t here yet,” Atsushi explained, getting out of the car and rushing around to open Akutagawa’s door. “Just a bit further of a walk. Let me know if you need to sit down and rest,”

“What happened to our time limit?” He asked, joining Atsushi at his side.

“Your health is more important than what I have planned,” he said with an easy smile. Akutagawa couldn’t help but smile back.

It turns out they had parked in the parking lot of a public park, which was vacant except for them.

It was all dark except for a few street lamps, and low hanging lights to illuminate the walkways.

Atsushi slipped his hands out of his pockets, taking Akutagawa’s in his.

“Taking me all the way out here to kill me?” Akutagawa teased, noticing the lack of lights and people in the area. It wasn’t unusual for the time, but he could poke some fun.

Atsushi glanced at him out the corner of his eyes, but Akutagawa could see the corners of his lips turn up.

“Lucky for you, you’ve weaseled your way into my heart, and I would like to keep you around,”

Akutagawa hummed in content. He knew the answer before his boyfriend even said it. They hadn’t tried to kill each other since the cannibalism incident. Their “fight to the death” ended up being a chess game that ended in a draw because neither of them knew how to play.

The walk wasn’t long, and soon a small, wooden footbridge came into view.

“Here we are!” Atsushi exclaimed, pulling Akutagawa towards the center of the bridge. The bridge itself was unremarkable, simply a footpath over a small creek. It was barely illuminated, but there was enough light from the moon so they could tell where they were going.

“Is this your huge surprise?” Akutagawa asked in a teasing tone. Even if the surprise was just the walk, he was more than happy to spend that time with Atsushi.

Atsushi laughed, pressing a kiss into his boyfriend’s cheek.

“You just have to wait,”

So wait they did. The moon shone bright in the sky, the stars twinkling, a sharp contrast to the deep blue of the night sky.

The night ticked on, but no sudden event occurred. Just as Akutagawa turned to Atsushi to ask if he had the right location, a burst of light out of the corner of his eye caught his attention.

He whipped his head back around to the night sky, shocked to see streaks of light seemingly falling.

The metro shower was incredible, hundreds of streaks shone through, painting the sky in elegant strokes.

“I know how much you wanted to see a shooting star,” Atsushi whispered, laying his head on Akutagawa’s shoulder.

Akutagawa’s heart soared at that. It was true, as he had always been fascinated by the phenomenon. When he was a kid, he heard about stars one could wish upon, granting the wisher whatever they wanted. To a little boy in his situation, that type of promise was too good to pass up on.

On the nights he stood guard, which was most, he would always look up to the night sky, hoping to see a shooting star. Unfortunately, he would only find out later that it would be near impossible to see any from his vantage point due to the light pollution.

Even knowing this information, he kept looking to the night sky, hoping to even catch a glimpse.

After every mission, even before he would wash the blood out of his clothes, he would stare into the night sky.

He never saw anything. The light pollution was too great, drowning out the beautiful sky.

Akutagawa had offhandedly mentioned it to Atsushi one day, early in their relationship. Atsushi had acknowledged it, but didn’t expand on it nor bring it up again.

Akutagawa thought that Atsushi simply forgot about it, which he didn’t blame him for.

The fact that not only did Atsushi remember, but plan a whole excursion just to see a meteor shower made Akutagawa’s heart swell with love.

They stood there in silence, simply enjoying the view.

Eventually, Akutagawa felt Atsushi’s weight leave his shoulder, but he kept watching the scene in front of him. It was even better than he had imagined, the moment only made better by his boyfriend’s presence at his side.

Akutagawa closed his eyes for a brief moment, casting his wish into the universe.

I wish Atsushi is happy

Just as soon as it started, it stopped, the darkness once again claiming its hold over the sky.

Akutagawa sighed, slightly disappointed the view was over already. He adjusted his scarf and coat before turning around.

The scene that greeted him was just as incredible.

Atsushi, down on one knee, a slight shake to his hand. In his hand, rested an open ring box. Inside the box, was a gorgeous silver ring with a bright red ruby adoring it.

Akutagawa’s mouth fell open, unable to comprehend what he was seeing.

Was Atsushi really proposing to him?

“Akutagawa Ryuunosuke, the love of my life, the light in my day, will you marry me?”

Akutagawa opened and closed his mouth, but no sound came out. Even though they both discussed in length the idea of marriage, it never occurred to him that Atsushi would be the one to propose.

He had never imagined that someone would love him enough to commit him for life. Love every single imperfection, prickly side, every scar.

He felt hot tears well up in his eyes, some silent ones slipping down his face.

“Atsushi…”

His eyes widened in fear, the shake in his hands spreading to the rest of his arms.

“You don’t have to say yes! We can always wait until later, I just thought-“

“Atsushi,” Akutagawa cut him off again, leaning down towards his head. Atsushi immediately quieted down, looking into Akutagawa’s beautiful gray eyes.

Akutagawa kissed Atsushi, soft and tender.

“Of course I’ll marry you,”

Atsushi immediately jumped up, capturing Akutagawa’s lips into another kiss. He melted into the kiss, feeling safe and warm.

When they broke apart, their lips were flushed, but they both wore smiles. Atsushi gently took his boyfriend’s… his fiancé’s hand, and slipped the ring on. It looked absolutely gorgeous against Akutagawa’s pale skin, and he looked absolutely ravishing in the moonlight.

“Atsushi, you have no idea how long I’ve tried to propose,”

“What?” He asked, confused. To his shock and amusement, Akutagawa brought out his own ring and got down on one knee.

“Atsushi Nakajima, the love of my life, my reason for training harder. The man who has consumed my thoughts ever since I met you. My favorite sight to wake up to in the morning. Will you marry me?”

Atsushi pretended to think about it for a minute, before leaning forward and giving his fiancé a kiss.

“Of course,”

Akutagawa stood up, slipping the ring on Atsushi’s finger. Even though they hadn’t bought the rings together, they seemed to go together like the sun and moon.

They embraced each other, the stars twinkling in celebration. They remained in a silent hug, simply reveling in their love.

Eventually, Atsushi broke the silence.

“Just the two of us?” He whispered, and Akutagawa could tell he was smiling.

He couldn’t help but smile back, bringing Atsushi closer to him.

“Do we need any more?”