Chapter Text
Atsushi sat quietly, trying to ignore Dazai's and Ranpo's eyes on him as Kunikida told the agency the news.
Ryuunosuke Akutagawa, killed in action.
He took a breath. They couldn't know. Well, Ranpo knows everything and as stupid as Dazai is, he's also smart. Maybe they could.
Kunikida finished his talk - Atsushi hadn't heard a thing - and dismissed everyone in 'celebration'. That made him feel a bit sick. Akutagawa - actually, no, there wasn't a defence. He was a bad person, and he'd caused every member here grief, Atsushi was sure. He sighed to himself.
He tried to get out before either Ranpo or Dazai could stop him.
Unfortunately, Dazai was waiting at the door for him. Atsushi considered climbing out the bathroom window, but he was pretty sure Junichiro was in there (probably hiding from Naomi, who had been talking about doing their own 'celebrations').
Atsushi tried to briskly walk past him, but Dazai fell into step beside him, watching.
"Atsushi."
"Dazai." Atsushi said, not slowing down.
Dazai pouted - he was a grown ass man, gods.
"Slow down, Atsushi~" He whined.
Atsushi shook his head. "I have to get home. I, uh…" He squinted at the ground, trying to think of something. "I don't want to miss this TV show they're playing."
Honestly, he didn't watch any TV. Akutagawa had been leaving some channel on for noise, though.
Dazai huffed, out of breath trying to keep up. Atsushi knew it was just a show to make him let up. He didn't.
"Come on, Atsushi. I know you had some rivalry thing going on with Akutagawa, but it's better that it's over now. He was a bad guy and now he can't hurt anyone else-"
"He was a person, he did bad things, and death is not something to celebrate!" Atsushi snapped - the first time he recalled raising his voice, especially at Dazai.
Dazai went dead silent, eyes calculating. Atsushi didn't have the capacity to worry over what he was working out. He kept moving, and Dazai stayed there.
"I'm home." He called, unlocking the door.
Akutagawa glared from the couch, curled up under a blanket.
"You're late." He growled.
Atsushi sighed, turning the heater up. How had he gotten himself into this situation, exactly?
Taking pity on their strongest enemy couldn't possibly have been a good idea. They'd fought, Atsushi had got him pretty good, and he was ready to let Akutagawa go crawling back home - but someone, neither of them knew who, had tried to finish the job.
Atsushi had smelled thick blood, and ran back to see Akutagawa very near death. He could've left him to die. He would've bled out within minutes, and the agency's problems solved.
He had brought him home. Two days of careful nursing, and Akutagawa was now strong enough to bitch about anything and everything. The lights, the temperature, the food, the blankets, Atsushi's snoring, blah, blah. Atsushi was starting to regret taking him in just because of the headache he was to look after.
But, it was nice to come home to someone, he supposed.
"Have you eaten?"
"No."
Atsushi heated up some leftovers. "Were you okay today?"
"Fine." He wasn't much of a talker, unless it was to complain.
Atsushi hummed. He brought the food over and sat it just out of reach. "Show me."
Akutagawa scowled. "Stupid weretiger."
He wasn't nice, he wasn't grateful. He'd bitten Atsushi several times when Atsushi was fixing up his injuries.
"Show me, or you can get up and get your own dinner."
"Give it to me."
"No."
Akutagawa's face twisted. He was so angry, all the time. Atsushi waited until he lifted his shirt, letting Atsushi inspect the big wound over his stomach, peeking under the dressing.
"Looks good... Tell me if it starts to hurt."
He gave Akutagawa the bowl, and the other man snatched it as soon as it was within reach. Atsushi let him. He had a reason for all that anger, Atsushi was sure. He leaned back.
"Do you want anything tomorrow?"
"What?" Akutagawa said through a mouthful.
"Food, clothes. I can go to the shops before I come home."
Akutagawa wrinkled his nose. "I'm not your housepet."
"Right now, you're living in my apartment. And you'll be here for a while, by the looks of it. You still can't walk by yourself. All I want to do is make you a little more comfortable."
"I'm not a child."
"Akutagawa, I am offering to buy you whatever you want. Either tell me what you'd like, or say no."
Akutagawa glared at him. He didn't immediately say no, though. Atsushi raised his eyebrows.
"You want something?"
"... I'm low on my medication."
"...Of course. That's boring, though. Let me get you something nice."
Akutagawa shook his head. He scratched out the name of his meds on a scrap of paper and handed it over.
"The blue bottle, not the red one."
"...Got it."
Ranpo trailed him the next day after work.
Everyone else was busy, and Ranpo needed to get out. Atsushi sighed. With Ranpo's deduction skills, and Atsushi's awkward inability to lie, he'd absolutely figure it out. What was the point in lying at all, then?
"I need to go to the chemist." He said.
Ranpo hummed, a hand twisted in Atsushi's sleeve so he could look around without losing him.
"It's near the donut stall."
"I'm not buying you donuts."
Ranpo gave him a look - not used to being told no - and Atsushi knew he'd be buying him donuts. Maybe he could use that as a bribe to keep Ranpo quiet.
He went into the chemist first, and tried to find the right bottle of pills. He went down each aisle at least twice, and Ranpo started to get frustrated.
"What are you looking for?"
Atsushi showed him the paper. Ranpo shook his head and pulled Atsushi straight to it.
"Right there."
"Oh. Thanks."
He picked up the blue bottle. Ranpo squinted at him.
"Who are these for?"
"Uh… No one…?" Atsushi tried.
"They can't be for you. You had no idea where they were, and if they were for you, you'd be taking the ones in the red bottle. Blue is for people with severe lung disease." Ranpo said. Stupid Ranpo with his stupid ability.
Atsushi sighed. "I'll buy you a dozen donuts to drop it."
Ranpo thought about it, looking at the roof.
"…A dozen donuts to keep quiet, for now. But I want to know what's going on."
Atsushi sighed. Ranpo didn't care what was happening or why, as long as he knew.
"Who do we know that has lung disease?" He asked tiredly.
Ranpo was quiet for a moment, before his eyes widened, sparkly.
"Ohhhh, Atsushi, you're gonna be in trouble…"
"I won't be, because you won't tell. Right?" Atsushi hissed. He'd never threaten Ranpo, and if Ranpo decided to tell everyone at the Agency, there wasn't much he could do about it.
Ranpo nodded, bouncing on the heels of his feet. He got way too much joy from this. Atsushi shook his head.
He bought the pills, and then a dozen donuts for Ranpo, as promised. It took a decent chunk out of his wallet. He couldn't even get it back as 'office expenses' (or 'Ranpo expenses', more accurately), since it was a bribe.
He took Ranpo back to the office, and then found himself at the 24/7 shop that basically sold everything. He sighed. It was getting late. Akutagawa could survive another half hour or so.
He went inside.