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Atsushi was playing tug o’ war with two options. Call Akutagawa at two am or go to bed. Each has a consequence of Akutagawa yelling at him or he dreams of Akutagawa again and gets even more clingy the next time he sees Akutagawa.
He sighs. Quietly though. Kyouka is right outside the closet, sound asleep and Atsushi didn’t want to ruin her sleep. The phone is laying innocently on his futon as he sits near his pillow.
Well. What’s the worst that can happen?
He could die because he ruined Akutagawa’s sleep or the man doesn’t answer.
Atsushi picks up the phone and dials Akutagawa’s number that he got during one of their missions.
“Give me your phone.”
Atsushi turns around, “What? Why?”
Akutagawa used rashomon to snatch the phone from Atsushi’s grasp.
“Hey!” Atsushi surged forward and was about to yank the phone from Akutagawa’ hands before he saw something that only happened in his dreams.
Akutagawa was putting his number in Atsushi’s phone.
Atsushi gaped at him as he did that. When he was done he looked at Atsushi then smirked and threw the phone back into Atsushi’s hands who looked at the item as if it held the world in it.
The entire day he had a giddy smile on his face that made the agency members look at him confused. After all, he had a small smile on his face and blush that matched the blood that was on his clothes and hair. He even continued smiling as he washed the blood off.
The phone rang and Atsushi was almost at a point to just end the call then shove his phone under his pillow and never come out of his futon.
But on the third ring Akutagawa answered. The first thing Atsushi heard was yelling, gunshots and cries.
“Oh my god! Did- Did I disturb you? You’re on a mission– I’m sorry. I-” Atsushi winced at his own yelling.
“Be quiet. What happened?”
“Huh?”
Akutagawa’s voice sounded… nice… it was deep and rough but it held concern. Wait. Concern?
“I said. Are you in danger? Do I nee-”
“No! I’m not.”
Akutagawa made a ‘tch’ sound at being interrupted and Atsushi heard some more screams before the other side went quiet.
“You know what- Sorry bye I”ll leave.”
“Why?”
Atsushi blinked.
“You’re on a mission.” He whispered.
“And?”
Atsushi frowned, “Well… I can’t disturb you.”
“Nonsense Jinko.”
He heard some gunshots in the back and he leaned back on his futon, his phone beside his ear and his hair spread on the pillow.
“Are you okay?”
The gunshots continued and so did the screams before the line went silent again, “What did you say?”
“Nothing.”
Atsushi heard Akutagawa hum in response before he heard a loud bang.
“Shit.” Akutagawa shouted into the phone.
Atsushi’s eyes widened and he didn’t care how the loud noise made his ears ring (Courtesy to his tiger ability).
“What happened? Do I need to come?”
“No. Don’t. I’ve taken care of it.”
“Are… You sure?”
“Yes Jinko. Now why did you call me? Aren’t you supposed to be asleep?”
Atsushi blushed, “I couldn’t sleep,” he mumbled. A lie. He really just wanted to hear Akutagawa’s voice and he imagined Akutagawa next to him in the dark.
“Nightmares?”
“No. Just. Couldn’t sleep.”
“And you're calling me, because?”
Atsushi rolled his eyes, “You gave me your number, because?”
Silence. So Atsushi continued.
He wondered if he could risk it.
"I.. wanted to hear your voice."
Silence again. He considered shutting up but then he heard some rustling outside of the closet and laid still.
"The enemies are unconscious." He sounded hesitant. Testing things out.
Atsushi perked up at that and whispered back, "Oh. Good job."
"Hm."
Atsushi hears Akutagawa's footsteps moving and he stays silent.
Really. He expected a lecture. Expected Akutagawa to call him a fool and hang up. Instead there was a long pause, filled only by the sound of Akutagawa's footsteps and breathing.
"Stay on the line," Akutagawa commanded.
Atsushi breathed out a shaky laugh, his heart hammering against his ribs. "Okay."
For the next twenty minutes, Atsushi didn't say a word. He listened to the terrifying mundane sounds of the Port Mafia's hellhound. He heard the muffled voices of subordinates giving reports, the clicking of gun safeties and the occasional sharp directions from Akutagawa to his subordinates.
In the darkness of his closet with Kyouka's steady breathing on the other side of the door. Atsushi smiled as he continued listening, his hand eventually cramping as he turned to the side and placed the phone on the pillow.
The sounds of the mission eventually faded into the background. The gunshots stopped. And the wind began to whistle through the phone.
"Where are you now?" He whispered.
"Rooftop."
"Cool."
Atsushi's eyelids were heavy now. His lashes fluttered closed. His heart calmed down from the warm exhaustion.
"Jinko?" Akutagawa's voice was softer now.
“Mmm?” Atsushi murmured, already half-lost to sleep.
“Don’t make a habit of this.”
Atsushi's eyes went wide open, the exhaustion gone,
He stayed silent for a while. Wondering if he heard that correctly.
"...Ok." He whispered into his pillow.
"Next time, just call me over."
Atsushi's heart beat faster as a warm heat flooded his cheeks. Kyouka's breathing became quieter as all he could hear was Akutagawa's breathing and the wind.
"We'll see."
There was a faint, almost imperceptible huff from the other end. It might have been a sigh or a scoff of annoyance.
"Good night, Jinko."
By the time the call finally disconnected with a soft beep, Atsushi was already drifting off with a soft smile and his face red, the phantom sound of Akutagawa’s breathing still echoing in the silent closet.
“Good night, Akutagawa.”