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Gin has never enjoyed talking. People often misunderstand them or make assumptions instead of listening.
Besides, they've never truly enjoyed their own voice.
So they remain silent as much as they can.
There's only one person who’s ever been able to really understand them without the need for any communication.
And they confuse even him at times.
Gin smiles softly as they watch their older brother glare at the price tag of a suit. “This is wasteful,” he grumbles.
Gin nods. It wouldn't look good on him anyways, it’s an off blue color that he hates and it’ll be a too tight fit on him. The entire time he’s supposed to be presentable to the mafia and their allies he’ll also be fidgeting. Then by the time he’s called into action, he’ll drench the thing in blood by how agitated he’ll get by that point.
Akutagawa steps away and gives them a nod. “You’re right.”
Gin wonders not for the first time if he can read their mind or if they let their expression slip and was actively giving the suit the stink eye.
“Don’t you need something as well?”
Gin shrugs. Usually they’re working as security at these types of events. This one will probably be no different.
“I think it would be,” Aktutagawa scrunches his nose, “fun if we got to attend one of these fancy events together.”
Gin tilts their head as they follow Akutagawa through the aisle. “So I asked if you could attend with me.”
Gin's eyes go wide, they’ve never been invited to one of the port mafia held balls before. Even Akutagawa has only attended two as a guest instead of security.
WHY? They sign.
Akutagawa turns away from them, Rashoman raises his collar so they can’t see his face. Gin huffs and tugs at the trench coat, which melts under their touch and shows Akutagawa's face once more.
“Ugh, fine.” Akutugawa crosses his arms. “I was with that stupid weretiger while he was hanging out with Kyouka. He said something that,” Akutagawa clenches his fists, “made me want to kill him.”
Gin nods. Most words out of Atsushi's mouth makes Akutagawa want to kill him.
However, Gin finds Atsushi to be a good influence on their brother but will never allow Akutagawa to find out. Knowing his little sibling actually likes the were-tiger may drive him to truly kill the younger man.
Gin smirks under their mask and nods slowly.
Akutagawa continues. “He asked if I ever,” he gags, “hang out with my sibling like he does with Kyouka. Then he told me they often danced together at events the agency gets invited to. Though I doubt those events hold a candle to the events the port mafia holds.”
He grins as if the party is a victory over Atushi.
YOU DANCE WITH ME? Gin signs, raising their eyebrows.
“That is the plan. I know you enjoy music.”
Gin bites their lip to avoid laughing outright.
Akutagawa clears his throat. “And you enjoy shopping. I wanted to enjoy our days off together.”
Gin smiles and the corner of Akutagawa's mouth raises just slightly.
They pat their brother on the chest and gesture for him to follow them. The two leave the store and Akutagawa follows his younger sibling as they weave through the crowds of people in the mall.
He nearly loses them twice and is almost run over by a child who doesn't seem to regard anything other than an ice cream shop in the distance.
When he reaches Gin, they’re giggling to themself. “The parents should keep him on a leash,” Akutagawa grumbles.
Gin doubles over in quiet laughter as Akutagawa adjusts his trench coat and sticks his nose into the air.
Gin’s laughter only grows. Akutagawa smirks and turns away from them.
Gin narrows their eyes and smiles, he can’t hide anything from them.
They gesture at the store they stopped at. It's more a costume store than anything but Akutagawa follows his younger sibling inside.
They lead him over to a row of suits that look as though they came directly out of a gothic novel.
Just his style.
Akutagawa’s eyes widen as he lets his finger drift over a suit made of black fabric with silver accents. He pulls the hanger off of the pole and holds it out for Gin.
There is a white jabot hanging around the neck with a red jewel in the middle.
Gin nods in approval and pulls something else from the rack, a matching cape. It goes over the shoulders and down to his waist with frayed edges at the bottom.
PERFECT. They sign.
Akutagawa nods, it's one size larger than what would be considered his actual size, even better. “Thank you.”
Gin waves him off. PUT-ON. They sign at him, then point at the changing rooms behind him.
He doesn't move for a second too long and Gin begins to shove him forward. Instead of walking forward like he was going to, Akutagawa digs his heels into the ground and smirks as Gin struggles to push him further.
After a firm punch to his side he relents and enters one of the changing rooms.
Gin waits for him to exit, taking a seat in a plush chair directly in front of the changing rooms.
The door jostles slightly before it is finally pushed open. Akutagawa stands, adjusting the cape over his shoulder. The pants need to be hemmed, but other than that it fits him perfectly.
It's just big enough on him that he doesn't look uncomfortable but not large enough that it looks like it's falling off of him.
Akutagawa stops fidgeting and looks down at his chest. Usually his jabot covers his entire chest but this one is smaller. “Huh,” he whispers.
Gin tilts their head.
“I enjoy this.” he says, smiling down at the outfit. “You should come shopping with me more.”
Gin rolls their eyes as they stand up to adjust the cape. They step back and nod once before they pull out their phone and snap a quick picture.
“What was that for?”
Gin raises a single eyebrow. “Do not send that to Higuchi!” Akutagawa protests.
Gin raises an eyebrow but pockets their phone.
“I take it all back, I do not wish to go shopping with you again.”
Gin rolls their eyes again.
“Now we should find something for you,” Akutagawa says. Then looks down at his clothes. “After I change.”
The moment the door closes Gin pulls their phone from their pocket and quickly sends the picture they took to Higuchi.
Akutagawa exits the dressing room soon after Gin replays to Higuchi's many texts, reassuring her that he would be wearing it to the ball and giving her the name of the shop so that she could possibly match with him.
“Alright, do you want something feminine, masculine or something in between?”
Gin shrugs. They really only have one so-called fancy outfit and that's the white sundress they’ll occasionally wear.
“Then we’ll find out.”
Akutagawa scours the store with Gin close behind, nodding or shaking their head at outfits that Akutagawa presents to them.
After they’ve made their way through the entire store Akutagawa pushes Gin into a changing room and hands them the outfits.
Gin carefully pulls a black dress with a mermaid cut skirt off of its hanger. They pull it on and stare at themselves in the mirror.
The chest of the dress hangs down awkwardly, their own chest too small to support it. They frown and pull the dress off. It's far too showy.
They pause and take a picture of the dress once it's on the hanger and send it to Higuchi, the girl will look good in it.
The next outfit they try is a form-fitting black suit. Simple in style but with enough pockets on the inside of the coat for them to feel safe.
They look at the mirror and pause. It fits them perfectly but something still feels off.
They open the door and put their hand on their hip for Akutagawa's examination. “You don’t like it,” he states.
Gin waves him off with a roll of their eyes and closes the door.
The third outfit is a flowing black ball gown with a silver star pattern. It has long sleeves and a high collar. Gin is pleasantly surprised to find pockets.
They open the door and Akutagawa nods. “We would match,” he says.
Gin nods and smiles doing a small twirl.
Their smile grows wider as they do so.
“A contender then.”
They enter the dressing room again. The fourth outfit is a suit much like the first but much less form fitting, with a fluttering tail coat. They frown as they tie the tie around their neck, it doesn't seem like the correct color. Other than that the outfit looks amazing. They gently touch the tailcoat and grin.
They open the door and Akutagawa nods in approval once more. “You can borrow one of Chuuya's ties,” he says and narrows his eyes at the tie. “A more flattering one, red perhaps.”
Gin snorts.
“He won't mind if it's for you,” Akutagawa says.
Gin closes the door once more and grabs the last outfit that is similar to the one they just tried on. It’s a tuxedo suit with a trailing tailcoat that ends in a dress train that drags across the floor.
Gin tilts their head. It looks good on them, their heart flutters slightly at the sight of themselves in the mirror. They poke at the shoulder pads that give them a much sharper silhouette.
They open the door and Akutagawa tilts his head. “Impractical, but it does look good.”
Gin nods and enters the changing room once more to change back.
Once they leave the room they are greeted by Akutagawa who's on the phone. “A red tie, yes, the color of wine, I know you have several, I just need one.”
Gin rolls their eyes at him. Akutgawa huffs. “It's for Gin, I- Chuuya?” he looks at his phone. “He hung up on me.”
Gin rolls their eyes, he’s probably buying them a specialized tie for the occasion.
Akutagawa looks down at the outfits and takes the first black dress and the second suit away from them. He hangs them up on a used rack and nods at the three outfits Gin holds. “We’ll get those three.”
Gin shakes their head quickly but Akutagawa is already pulling them over to the register. “If you enjoy an outfit you should have it! Then whatever way you feel on the night you can have options.”
Gin rests their head on his arm for a second and Akutagawa ruffles their hair in turn.
“I had fun.”
Gin nods and grins as they hold the outfits closer to them.
Them and their brother are going to be the best dressed at the ball.
Gin can’t wait to blow everyone out of the water.