Chapter Text
Atsushi locks up the Agency for the day after staying late trying to complete his work after Dazai piled his onto Atsushi’s stack when he wasn’t looking. He felt the still air of the agency’s corridor as he approached the elevator to leave the building, standing there in a daze as the elevator opened up he saw it standing there. Whatever it is can’t be real, Atsushi had been taking his medication but he shouldn’t be here. He can't be here. Atsushi knew deep down he couldn't and shouldn't be here. Pausing as he stared into its eyes and it stared back. It has an empty stare, soulless and deep dragging Atsushi in and swallowing him whole as if it were a viper with its jaw open revealing the empty dark mass of its throat. To Atsushi it felt like a predator with the stare catching him like a deer in headlights, still and afraid to move as if the slightest movement would have alerted the predator to his location. Atsushi lets out no noise as he watches it gesture to him to enter the elevator with a kind smile, one Atsushi was never familiar with. Why would he? He could never gather a memory where he saw it smiling at him, maybe others, but never him. It seemed to grow impatient with Atsushi's gawking features as he harshly grabs Atsushi by the arm and drags him into the elevator. Atsushi blinks as his dried eyes stung with no tears threatening to come out at the sight of the thing in front of him.
It looks vastly different to all of Atsushi’s prior memories; he could’ve forgotten its face if it wasn't for the recognisable face that haunted every nightmare. He hasn't changed that much really. It's only been a few months yet it had such a different demeanour, this was the opposite of the man that shaped him. It disgusted Atsushi. Atsushi swallowed down his fear and allowed it to settle down in his stomach. He then pressed the button to the bottom floor and began to stare aimlessly at the door. His head rang deeply as sweat collected on his brow and collected at the bottom of his neck, Atsushi couldn't understand how this nervousness formed and why it would. It doesn't affect him anymore, he has a therapist and he believes he's making progress despite the couple of hiccups along the road he's doing great, Kunikida even thinks so. So why is he so nervous? It's only somebody who decided to wait for him after work and he does not associate with this past. Releasing his hand from the tight fist he saw crescent shaped marks that lingered in his skin, his nails begun to grow after he let go of his nervous habit of biting his nails after Kyoka asked to paint his nails more. Yes, focusing on Kyoka would do Atsushi good at this time, think of the good things in his life. Grabbing the long strand of his hair Atsushi began to nervously plait his hair in an effort to steel his nerves. How long is it from the third floor to the ground? It shouldn’t last too long right he should-
“You have changed Atsushi.” Atsushi’s thoughts were interrupted by the thing next to him. The man's words did naught to lessen the rancid atmosphere. Atsushi’s nerves flared up and he felt the tiger grow restless, he recognised the figure yet was calm prior to his words. He felt the claws attempt to pierce through Atsushi’s skin and soul begging to be released to finally destroy what had broken him and threw him away as if he was nothing but trash below his feet. Atsushi’s eyes snapped to the man next to him staring at him wildly, eyes sharpened into cat eye slits as he studied the man. Atsushi tried to open his mouth to speak but nothing came out, his mouth was dry and his tongue moved in what was a poor mockery of speech but a small whine came out instead. He felt utterly pathetic as it stared down at him cruelly.
“Ignoring me are you? It seems you forgot your manners since you left. What a shame.” The man let out a huff to emphasise his point. Bile rose to Atsushi’s throat as he shook with his entire body, he raised his hand to his mouth and shut his jaw holding his mouth to prevent anything spilling as the man stared at Atsushi. All Atsushi could process was the ringing in his ears growing in intensity as the faint noise of the man's voice was drowned out by the heavy deep growl of the tiger and his thoughts racing faster and faster. Being overwhelmed by the constant stimulation he fell to the floor as he let loose his vomit all across the floor. Atsushi began to cough as his breakfast lay pathetically on the floor in front of him as he dried heaved afterwards. The man next to him began to make noises of disgust and backed away from where Atsushi kneeled. As Atsushi lifted himself up he stumbled and gasped for air as his body began to throw up nothing causing him to choke and cough in between breaths.
‘Ding.’ The elevator let out a miniscule noise of freedom and safety as Atsushi stared at the opening doors with wide eyes, elation filled his body as he could finally leave the mini room of torture. He felt an arm grasp his shoulder before he could leave and he turned to the source. The man behind him stared at him with disgust in his eyes full of hatred and anger at what Atsushi had or hadn't become in the past few months. Atsushi gawked at him wide eyed and let out a whimper as tears threatened to spill out, the tiger growled louder and was now clawing from behind his eyes and ribs pleading to be released and to protect Atsushi. But Atsushi swallowed down the tiger. He refused to allow the tiger to hurt anybody again. The thing before him pressed the close door button and Atsushi saw the door closing and his freedom slipping from him he let out a silent plea to God or anyone to save him as he yanked from man's grip on him, constantly attempting to free himself but his grip on him was too strong and all he could do was be suspended upwards despite his body attempting to fall on the floor. The doors closed and all hope was lost. Atsushi was stuck with this man and he could not scream for help, Atsushi has become the victim to this man despite leaving the orphanage and nobody can help him. Atsushi is helpless.
“You seem to be bettering yourself within the Agency.” The Headmaster said with nothing to indicate any emotion as he stared at him, maybe malice can be heard threaded in between but Atsushi lost all care, “I am proud of you for what you have become. You seemed to have improved yourself.” As praise fell from the creature's lips Atsushi’s soul cringed and his body seized, the tiger now began to chant and growl for protection. The tiger inside was becoming frantic and was unable to stay tame and calm in the things' presence. Atsushi pleaded with the beast inside to stay calm and to behave, he cant lose all the progress that he has made. He can't. Atsushi could only fall to the floor and curl up into the smallest form he could. His cheek began to rub against his still fresh vomit but he couldn’t complain, the smaller he was, the devil that now towered above him couldn't hurt him. It hurt to revert back to his thinking back from the orphanage but he was defenceless without the other members of the agency. He couldn’t take the violence but he refused to harm it, he had to count down the seconds until the devil got bored and left him alone. He began to mutter under his breath begging the tiger to remain calm but he can feel the deep sensation of his flesh tearing to allow the tiger out. He feels his muscles flex and rip to allow the tigers muscles to replace his own. Atsushi begged and pleaded, not with the devil that stood above him but the beast that laid deep within him that craved the taste of blood and fresh flesh on its tongue.
The Devil only tutted at his muttering and his crazed reaction until he saw a faint glow emit from Atsushi as he whined and groaned at the beginning of the glow. his eyes widened in horror as the body of the child in front of him changed. Bones grinding away at each other snapping and reforming the noise haunting his ears. The stretch of skin created a loud tear and rip as the growing smell of blood dripped from the places where skin used to be as fur penetrated the raw skin. The fur was drenched in the deep crimson red blood that came out of the boy's skin. Atsushi let out a raw scream of pain as his body took on the unnatural form of a tiger. The Tiger’s eyes pierced through the pound of flesh that laid before it, the bright haunting yellow eyes zoned in on him and he snarled at the man who was trapped within the small elevator with the tiger, slowly opening his jaw the man could only stare in horror unable to let out a scream and only could gargle out the beginning before the tiger’s jaws clamped over the man's head. The sound of teeth meeting meat echoed across the walls of the elevator. The head of the man was torn messily off the body as it sank to the floor collapsed to allow heaps of blood to spill out across the floor meeting the tiger's paws. The man before the tiger no longer was alive, the threat that he posed was no longer there. To the tiger Atsushi was now safe and the tiger was now satisfied with the meal it had. The tiger licked its mouth as the blood continued to seep deep into its fur staining the prior white fur. It was proud of its handiwork.
As the elevator opened up from inactivity the tiger turned and stepped out heavily staining the pristine floor that was cleaned by the staff prior. The tiger turned back to the elevator to watch the doors close once again as the mans bloody and disfigured body lay within the blood soaked elevator as the doors shut for the last time that night. The tiger turned back to the exit and trudged away from the scene towards the dormitory.