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“Pff— Atsushi, sit still! We can’t work if you’re moving!” Lucy laughed, her composure finally breaking.
They were in Atsushi’s bathroom, the room’s owner sitting on a stool. Black hair dye was on the counter, not to mention on Lucy’s hands as she hovered over the former. Akutagawa sat on the counter, in clothes far more casual than usual. Her jacket was beside her, hanging off the top of the door.
“You really should’ve separated out the strip you want to dye,” she said, and Lucy glared at her.
“I don’t know if you’ve noticed, nightshade, but I can’t exactly do that right now.” The pet name, usually said with fondness, was now full of thinly-veiled malice.
“I know. That’s why I said you should’ve.”
“If you just want to be unhelpful, you can leave, you know.”
“Are you guys just gonna argue, or are we gonna dye my hair?” Atsushi asked, eyes narrowed at the two of them. Lucy sighed, getting back into position.
“Akutagawa, come separate out the hair if you’re so insistent,” she said, shooting her a look over her shoulder. Akutagawa sighed, hopping off the counter. Gently, her fingers combed through the long section of Atsushi’s hair, her nose wrinkling up.
“I really find your haircut bizarre,” she commented, picking up a clip off the counter and pinning a section back. Atsushi rolled their eyes.
“Like you get to talk, forehead,” they sneered, and Lucy snickered. Akutagawa snorted, biting her lip.
“Maybe I should’ve killed you when I had the chance,” she muttered, pinning back another section of hair.
“Never too late,” Atsushi replied, shrugging, and Akutagawa flicked them in the neck. They yelped, frowning. “If you weren’t so far away, I’d bite you.”
“Kinky,” Lucy chimed in from over by the door.
“Don’t you start either,” Akutagawa remarked, not bothering to turn around.
“Hey, I’ve got leverage here. You should be more careful with how you talk to me.” There was something taunting in her voice, and she turned around to see one of Lucy’s dye covered hands near Akutagawa’s jacket. She narrowed her eyes.
“Don’t you dare.”
“Finish pinning their hair and I won’t.”
Atsushi giggled, beginning to hum as Akutagawa stepped back, satisfied with the pinning. “Alright, Luce, my work is done,” she said, hopping back up on the counter. “Start dyeing.”
“Would it kill you to be a little less formal?” Lucy remarked, rolling her eyes as she stepped forward, rubbing her gloves together as she began to massage the dye into Atsushi’s hair. It was quiet for a bit, aside from Atsushi humming, until Lucy suddenly perked up, hand half in the jar of dye.
“Wait, are you—?”
“Yeah, Natalie Merchant,” Atsushi laughed, smiling.
“You actually listened to her when I recommended her?” Lucy said, eyes wide as she went back to dyeing their hair.
“Obviously? I found a copy of Tigerlily in Dazai’s room.”
“You were in Dazai’s room?” Akutagawa interjected, face furrowed with confusion.
“No, that’s less important— he had a copy of Tigerlily? Pfft, I guess everyone has their guilty pleasures,” Lucy snickered.
“How is Natalie Merchant a guilty pleasure?” Atsushi questioned, raising an eyebrow.
“Think about what kind of music Dazai looks like he’d listen to,” Lucy said. Atsushi closed their eyes briefly.
“Not Natalie Merchant… yeah, I guess you’re right.”
“I knew he listened to her,” Akutagawa commented, leaning her head against the wall. Lucy turned, excited.
“Have you heard her music?”
Akutagawa looked a little ashamed, averting her eyes. “...no.”
Lucy sighed, turning back to the task at hand. “Atsushi, we’re kicking her out of the polycule.”
“Not listening to Natalie Merchant qualifies as a crime,” they agreed.
“I’ve committed actual crimes, how is this the line?” she spat, astounded. Lucy cackled, fanning out the bit of hair she was dyeing to make sure she hadn’t missed a spot.
“Not listening to Natalie Merchant is more heinous than killing someone,” she said with wholehearted certainty. Akutagawa didn’t look amused.
“Really?” she asked, her tone flat.
“Yeah, really,” Lucy said, no sign of joking in her voice. She took a step back, admiring her work. “Nightshade, check this for me. Make sure I didn’t miss anything.”
Akutagawa hopped off the counter again, getting up close. “I think it’s good.”
“Sweet!” Lucy, grinning, planted a quick kiss on Akutagawa’s cheek before moving to the trash can, pulling her gloves off and starting to clean up. Akutagawa just stood there, covering her mouth with her hand, pink dusted across her cheeks. Atsushi watched the scene play out with great amusement, getting up from the stool and also kissing Akutagawa’s cheek. She only turned more red, eyes closing as she tried to maintain her composure.
“Tiger lily!” Lucy called, now by the sink. “Come here, the dye probably should’ve set by now.”
“Are you sure?” Atsushi asked, furrowing his eyebrows. “It hasn’t been that long.”
Lucy rolled her eyes. “It’s black dye, it’s fine. Just come here.”
Atsushi complied, leaning over the sink as she gingerly washed the dye out, unpinning the hair Akutagawa had put up. After a few minutes, Lucy hummed, vaguely discontent.
“What?” Atsushi piped up, already panicking. “What’s wrong?”
“I think you were right,” Lucy mused, placing her hand over her mouth. Akutagawa leaned over Lucy’s shoulder in an attempt to see, snickering slightly.
“You really fit the ‘tiger’ part of ‘weretiger’.”
Lucy batted at her lightly, shooing her away. “Don’t be mean. Can you dry their hair?”
“You brought a hair dryer, correct?” Akutagawa asked, backing up.
“It should be on the bed,” Lucy said, now focused on Atsushi again as she began scrunching their hair with a towel.
“Is it bad?” Atsushi asked nervously.
“No, tiger lily, it’s not bad. It’s a little spotty, that’s all. It looks good. Don’t listen to her,” Lucy reassured them, pulling the towel off. “It’s fine. Sit on the stool again, Akutagawa’s gonna dry your hair. I’ve done enough.”
Almost on cue, Akutagawa came back in, coughing slightly, hair dryer in hand. Lucy wiped the counter off before hopping on it right where Akutagawa had sat prior. Akutagawa plugged the dryer in, not even bothering with small talk as she turned it on, warm air howling beside Atsushi’s ear as she began working her way through their damp hair. It didn’t take long, since it wasn’t a big section that was wet. As the dryer was switched off, Lucy hopped off the counter and leaned over Akutagawa’s shoulder on her toes.
“Oh, it looks really good!” she said, excited, and to Atsushi’s surprise, Akutagawa hummed in agreement.
“It does, actually. Like Lucy said, it is a little spotty, but…it actually kind of suits you, weretiger.” She began wrapping up the hair dryer as Atsushi stood, examining themself in the mirror. Lucy popped up behind them, looking proud of herself.
“Well? Whaddya think?” she asked, and Atsushi felt his heart swell. It was a little spotty, but it looked a little like a tiger’s stripe. It wasn’t something they’d see on anyone else. It was uniquely theirs.
“I love it,” they laughed, smile spreading wide across their face.