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— — — — —
“For the sake of this city’s peace, the best course of action is for you to woo Akutagawa, stabilize shin soukoku, and then defeat Yokohama’s enemies with the power of love buffing Rashomon and the tiger!”
At twenty-one, Atsushi considers himself as having quite the good life. A stable job with a stable income, while surrounded by people he considers friends and family. With enough savings to not be considered a total mooch once he moves out of his current residence that is the closet inside Kyouka’s room.
He’s also nearing the one-year anniversary of dating his first—and, if their wishes are granted, only—boyfriend.
Life is pretty good, which is something that has been a pipe dream for so many years.
…It would be so much better if his mentor isn’t frothing at the mouth while they’re supposed to be investigating a certain case.
As with Dazai whenever he’s in one of his mushroom episodes—or worse: his “Chuuya is an ugly cockroach” rants—he’s rambling on-and-on with a speed that can rival a hummingbird.
A lengthy experience of listening to this drivel helps Atsushi eventually understand that Dazai is listing out plans to matchmake him with Akutagawa.
“Um—”
“—a mission to a haunted house in the mountains, where the two of you will have to work together and spend time alone in the dark—”
“Um, but we’re already—”
“—tie you up and then he’d come crashing in, trust me, seeing someone come to the rescue like a dashing prince is guaranteed to make your heartbeat faster, even if the other party is the tiniest person you hate most in the world—”
“Um, was this about that time Chuuya-san rescued us—”
At this, a sharp glare from Dazai, so he rapidly amends it with a, “when he rescued you, and I’m just there as background fodder, he definitely didn’t include me in his rescue plans, nope—”
“—and then you’d come up and touch Akutagawa-kun all over to see if he’s been injured—”
“Um, but we’re already—”
“—it’s guaranteed to make him blush, and even if he tries to insult you, he still wouldn’t cut off your limbs, so you can just continue groping him—”
Atsushi looks at his mentor, who’s already sporting a glazed look, no doubt reminiscing about a certain mission that has involved a rescue from the Port Mafia. Since he seems busy with the recollection, he decides to be a good protégé and not disturb him—he’s already disturbed enough, probably.
Instead, he sits a good distance away as a precaution. Then, he takes out his phone so he can text someone pinned on the top of his contacts.
[you really looked like a prince that one time, yatsugare-kun]
He knows that Akutagawa wouldn’t reply until several minutes later, because he’d do his best to pretend as if he doesn’t have a special ringtone for him. It really is quite cute, trying to act-out this make-believe that he isn’t that eager to read his messages. It’s probably a tactic that he’s learned from his mentors.
In the meantime, he also reminisces about that rescue.
After all, even if Dazai has conveniently forgotten it, Akutagawa was actually there too and has helped rescue them. In fact, that’s the exact mission that has sparked their relationship to shift from “rivals who occasionally train together and sometimes not-so-accidentally punches each other” to “boyfriends who occasionally train together and punches each other with their mouths”.
He sighs as he looks on, concerned, as Dazai lists out another scenario to matchmake them in.
Sadly, maybe he should revise their relationship title to: “boyfriends, but nobody believes that they’re already dating”.
— — —
“In conclusion, you are a fool who could not explain our situation to Dazai-san.”
At twenty-three, obtaining a life that could be best described as ‘domestic’ is something that he never had the inkling of dreaming of, even at his most childish and unjaded.
A solid place carved out in Port Mafia’s hierarchy, where he could be free to do whatever he wished as a solitary being, because he possesses the support of his colleagues. Gin is enjoying her newfound hobby of teasing Higuchi and the Black Lizards by sometimes appearing to work in a dress. With enough savings that he could retire and still be able to support his sister’s shopping and feed the jinko with whatever he wants to eat.
Something that he has learned over the ten months, two weeks and four days that he has dated this fool: he would eat anything that he gives him. He especially enjoys eating meals that Akutagawa cooks for him.
It does not make sense. His level of cooking prioritizes things being edible with enough nutrients to give him energy to perform his tasks. He does not care for fancy flavors or aesthetic presentations. Eating is a mere chore that he must go through in everyday life.
However, he is not completely immune to being affected by the jinko enthusiastically gobbling up his meals. He has an inkling that his boyfriend knows this and is constantly exaggerating his praise for his cooking in order to get him to cook more often. A subtle, positive manipulation that he could not help but allow himself to be pulled into.
Despite that suspicion, they make it a habit to meet up in his apartment so he could make use of the kitchen and the pantry that is now filled to bursting with all sorts of things.
If someone told Akutagawa years ago that there would come a time when he would willingly fill his pantry with food, he would have probably greeted that person with Rashomon. Unless of course it was Dazai-san. Or Chuuya-san, but that does not count, because he could fight many things in an effort to prove his strength, but he is not masochistic enough to futilely struggle against gravity. Especially not when Dazai-san would be very displeased at the thought of his partner being harmed by someone else.
Right now, Atsushi is making faces at him, harming his self-control in preventing himself from pinching the other’s cheeks. While he is distracted, Atsushi’s fingers swiftly steal spring rolls from the plate before he could even serve them properly.
“Weren’t you telling me just now that you—” A brief pause, and Akutagawa uses this chance to absentmindedly wipe off crumbs from the other’s lips. Something that Atsushi rewards him by licking his finger, before continuing, “—also couldn’t convince Chuuya-san that we don’t need matchmaking, huh?”
If someone told Akutagawa years ago that there would come a time when he would willingly trade mundane stories about how his day went, he would have probably greeted that person with Rashomon. Unless it was Dazai-san. Or Chuuya-san. Or Gin.
Right now, he does not resort to stabbing Atsushi with Rashomon to stop him from bringing up his failure to get a word edgewise earlier, when Chuuya-san insisted on teaching him how to woo the jinko by punching him several times.
“It’s guaranteed to bring him to his knees,” is a line that has never sounded so terrifying before.
In any case, regardless of how useless his senpai’s advice is, he can still use the things that he has personally learned over the time that he has dated jinko. And one of those things is that: he would eat anything that he gives him.
Therefore, Akutagawa blocks Atsushi’s further words with a spring roll. And when that runs out, he silences him using his mouth, pinning him against the counter until he forgets the things that they have been discussing.
— — —
“I can help you bring him to his knees.”
“No, no, there’s no need for that, Kyouka-chan!”
He’s really thankful that he’s surrounded by supportive friends, but he’d really like it better if they’re not offering the kind of support that would end with someone needing life support!
“He’s already keeping tabs on you before you’re even dating.” At seventeen, Kyouka looks like someone with the wisdom of an eighty-five-year-old. Then again, nobody at that age would be eagerly offering to cut someone down. Maybe. Hopefully.
Anyway, ‘keeping tabs’ sounds so sinister, but it’s really just the two of them chatting on LINE throughout the day. He still hasn’t gotten around to convincing Akutagawa to create a Twitter account so he could add him there too. It would be nice to have something else on his feed aside from Dazai passive-aggressively commenting on Chuuya’s tweets about wine auctions and tourist destinations.
“We’re already dating,” he says this patiently, but he also can’t help but blush. Perhaps due to having his statements always getting blocked when he talks about this to Dazai, being able to say it fully aloud still retains a certain charm.
She shakes her head, “Being rivals who promise to fight each other doesn’t count.”
He has an inkling that this is something that she’s heard from her elders at the mafia. He shakes his head too. “We’re going out for a movie.”
In fact, he’s waiting for Akutagawa to fetch him from the dorms, because the other man has insisted that he needs to do it in order to prove that they’re really dating.
His lips twitch. He can just imagine his boyfriend’s exasperation at his coworkers bombarding him with questions as to whether he knows the real meaning of going on a date.
“Dazai-san said that you must cultivate a good relationship for the sake of this city,” she says, solemn as she holds his hand so she can place a couple of things on his palm. “Take this with you.”
He looks at the paraphernalia that could probably be more appreciated by someone staging a kidnapping.
“………Kyouka-chan, I think it’s illegal to bring those things out in the public.”
— — —
“As requested by Chuuya-dono! I, the great and illustrious Kajii! Have come to offer you important—illegal, but that doesn’t matter to us mafioso—paraphernalia! To ensure that you get to make the Agency’s tiger swoon for you!”
Each exclamation is accompanied by one lemon bomb being placed on the tabletop. As someone who has worked in the mafia for seven years, Akutagawa has grown quite used to explosions occurring every so often when it comes to the mad scientist’s laboratory. It is another thing entirely to have bombs offered up to him, for his fighting style does necessitate the need for additional explosions as back-up.
Still, this offer does make him pause.
His phone vibrates and heralds the arrival of a message from jinko, stating that he should take his time before going to the Agency’s dorms, because he is still pacifying Kyouka’s bloodthirst. He feels a smile flickering on his face; it is good to hear that Kyouka is doing well in sharpening her craft even if she has sought the path of light.
Lips pursed, he asks, “How effective is it in making the jinko swoon?”
Atsushi can be prone to bouts of clumsiness and is therefore not a stranger to suddenly crashing against his body. Prior to their agreement to link their lives together with means aside from bloodshed, he has successfully utilized Rashomon in tripping the other man in battle. Most notably, those times when he stomped on his face using his foot, and on their first meeting where he actually tore off his leg.
Nowadays, making his boyfriend trip over thin air can be done by simply calling the other’s name, for it always gets the reaction of, “Oh, so you still know that my name isn’t actually jinko” followed by some exaggerated swooning.
Kajii looks gratified that he poses that question. “I’m glad you asked! The first step is to surprise the weretiger by defeating him with these bombs!” He presents the lemons with the same enthusiasm as Atsushi whenever he insists that it is fine to dine on his favorite chazuke restaurant five days a week. “The second step is to blackmail him to become your boyfriend!”
After several moments of silence, he prompts, “And the third step is?”
“Get Chuuya-dono to treat us all to a luxurious all-expenses-paid hot springs resort vacation, after we’ve successfully fulfilled his task to matchmake you!”
“Jinko is already sufficiently wooed,” he says with a click of his tongue. While he appreciates the support from his colleagues, this is something that he does not require any assistance on.
Overt shock, to the point that he actually drops one of the lemon bombs from his hand. It explodes immediately, but Rashomon’s activation has grown faster over the years of practice, and Kajii’s Ability is to be immune from such things.
He coughs a bit at the smoke, but is otherwise unharmed.
Kajii looks far from recovering from his surprise. “How did you manage it? With violence?? With explosions???”
That is actually quite an excellent question.
How did he even manage to convince jinko that he would be more interested in stabbing him with his tongue rather than his coat? More importantly, how did he even manage to convince himself that it is something that he would like to pursue more than his chase for strength and acknowledgement?
Then again, there is one important thing that he has learned about the jinko and that is: he would eat anything that he makes for him.
How does that phrase go again? “The way to the jinko’s heart is through his stomach,” he admits with a wry smile.
Kajii lets out a sigh of relief. “So you did stab him through his gut,” he says while nodding to himself, visibly recovering from his shock. “I heard from Chuuya-dono that going out to the emergency room weekly is part of their usual… not-dates.”
A part of him—the one that used to starve for acknowledgement from the man that has brought him a new lease to life by having him join the mafia—is the tiniest bit pleased that he has been placed in the same level as him. Even if it is for something as mundane as being thought to have similar experiences in the emergency room.
However, there is something that he must clarify.
“We just go out on dates deemed as ‘normal’ according to all the shoujo manga that I… Atsushi has researched.” He coughs to hide the flush he feels blooming on his face at that reminder.
On their first date, they met up on a bookstore so they could study magazines and books on how to properly date. He remembers the look on the jinko’s face when he simply purchases all the relevant materials for further study, along with an accusation about him being too rich. It is swiftly followed by a declaration that he would count on him to finance him for the rest of their lives, a statement still echoes in his ears each time he lies down on bed at night, pondering about the flood of positivity in his life.
Another cough. “I will be taking him out to a movie later.”
Kajii’s relief has rapidly morphed into a certain kind of look. The one that makes it seem as if he is futilely convincing him to buy some very obviously illegal and nonprofitable scheme.
With a wry shake of his head, “It’s no good… Kids these days don’t understand proper romance anymore… How can they be considered as the ‘new soukoku’ if they consider watching movies as a proper date?”
— — —
“As a wonderful senpai, it’s my responsibility to make sure that you know what it means to go on a proper date.”
After a month of constant barrages from every single person he knows, the novelty of hearing advice as to how to woo Akutagawa has rapidly gone from “something cute they can talk about over dinner” to a horrifying realization that they’re surrounded by people with wacky ideas about relationships.
In fact, Atsushi’s convinced that it’s the result of everyone having seen soukoku together and somehow thinking that their relationship is the gold standard, instead of being the outlier lying all the way to outer space. If this misconception about his relationship status with Akutagawa is to end anytime soon, the most important hurdle is convincing Dazai that his ‘help’ is absolutely not needed in this matter.
He clears his throat and enunciates his words as clearly as possible, like he’s explaining something to a kid who insists that pulling someone’s pigtails is an acceptable way of communication. “Dazai-san, I’m already dating Akutagawa. In fact, we’re about to have our first anniversary soon.”
Dazai gives him a look, equally patient if one ignores the fact that he’s gnashing his teeth. “Atsushi-kun, that would mean that you and Akutagawa-kun haven’t been single for a long time.”
“Um, yes?”
“That would mean that you’ve been dating for such a long time when I still haven’t managed to find a beautiful lady to agree on a double suicide with me?” Translation: he’s still woefully single, those trips for when he ends up ‘convincing’ Chuuya to accompany him to the emergency room don’t count.
In Atsushi’s mind, why must an emergency room be involved? Each time he trips over air and lands square on his boyfriend’s chest, he makes sure to play up the ‘hurt’ so Akutagawa would bundle him up and insult him for being clumsy, all while checking his entire body for any bruises. Wouldn’t it be so much more effective if the other party plays as a homemade nurse? Sometimes, he really can’t fathom his mentor’s mind.
“…Um, yes?”
Dazai freezes—like Kunikida’s old computer that has been drowned in malware from all the bogus links that an anonymous person (also known as Dazai) sends him about the perfect stationery and office supplies. Then, he forcibly reboots and stiffly repeats, “As a wonderful senpai, it’s my responsibility to make sure that you know what it means to go on a proper date…”
— — —
“…Let me get this straight. In order to convince yourself that we’re already dating… you’re going out with us on a double date.”
“Ha?! Double date?! What double date?! I’m just here to make sure that Akutagawa’s upholding the name of Port Mafia by knowing how to be a proper date!”
“Ew, why would I date someone I can’t even see?”
Atsushi looks very unimpressed, like all of his patience about dealing with this scenario has already been forcibly depleted. Hands on his hips, “So you’re here to be nosy chaperones.”
That statement garners another round of protests from their seniors.
If someone told Akutagawa years ago that there would come a time when he would end up willingly dating someone for an entire year, he would have probably greeted that person with Rashomon.
And yet, here he is. A full year has passed since they have agreed to date each other, and they are out to celebrate it with their seniors watching over them.
Seeing their seniors in such eye-catching outfits that would have them mistaken for celebrities… It has its uses, because everyone’s eyes would be focused on them and Akutagawa could reach out and hook Rashomon over Atsushi’s belt loop, so he can keep him close while his hands are busy with opening up a map so they can pick the first spot that they would visit.
“Where do you want to go first?” Atsushi turns to him and holds his hand. “Let’s just ignore those two—they’re just jealous that we have such a nice dating life.”
If someone told Akutagawa years ago that he would warmly respond to a statement that involves ignoring Dazai, he would definitely have greeted that person with Rashomon.
Now, he looks around the amusement park before focusing back on his boyfriend. “You ate less than three bowls of rice for breakfast. You would feel hunger soon, so it is imperative we solve that problem first.”
An almost-helpless sigh, “Am I such a glutton in your eyes?”
“Yes,” is his whip-quick response. He squeezes the other’s hand as he attempts to be bolder in public, given that it is their anniversary. “I believe that the word ‘cute’ would fit such a behavior.”
Aside from eating whatever meal he makes for him, one of the things that Akutagawa has learned about the jinko is that he has a strange definition of ‘cuteness’. There are frequent occurrences of the jinko sending him photos throughout the day of various trinkets, usually accompanied by a, “this is so cute, it reminds me of you, yatsugare-kun”.
If someone told Akutagawa years ago that there would come a time when he would end up dedicating an entire wall of shelves for another person’s gifts that serve no other purpose aside from sentimentality, he would have probably greeted that person with Rashomon.
For him to consider anything that does not directly translate to letting him attain more strength—it is perhaps one of his jinko’s strongest traits.
A charm for a ‘healthy pregnancy’ that has been blessed by a shrine, as a way to tease a disgruntled expression from him. A small purse in a shape of a broccoli, as if to taunt him about his abhorrence of vegetables. A clay mold of a pot that has been planted with shrimp tempura, to tease him about that one notable time when he had actually believed Dazai’s words about those things growing out of a soil. A keychain of a grumpy snowman, with a note from Atsushi about how he is so much better when melted.
Trinkets that are filled with warm thoughts from another person, they also fill the shelves of his room that has always existed in pure minimalism before.
Perhaps the most notable amongst said trinkets: a brooch of a snarling tiger, one that he pins high on his shirt, right above his heartbeat.
He is someone who has done his best to not dwell on the past, treating memories as something to be burned for fuel for his goals. But his mind has imprinted that scene to his memory, of Atsushi presenting the trinket to him, eyes more iridescent than ever.
“I saw this during the job earlier and I thought of you,” is a cloyingly sweet sentiment that dulls in contrast to the next part of his statement. “The tiger is snarling so cutely! It reminds me of how cute you are when you’re angry at me for eating too much chazuke.”
If someone told Akutagawa years ago that he would be considered ‘cute’ by someone, he would definitely have greeted that person with Rashomon. The nearest thing to ‘cute’ in his person is his ability to cause acute pain by means of cutting down someone to shreds.
It’s a statement that has floored him so much, that he’s spent the following night simply lying down on bed, staring at the ceiling while attempting to reconcile that claim with reality. The morning after has him booking a discreet full medical check-up for the jinko, in order to have his eyes checked for possible damage. It has led to Atsushi whispering how cute he really is over and over right to his ear, in order to drive his point home.
In contrast to how it has taken him awhile in order to accept the fact that his lover has strange tastes, Atsushi finds it easy to accept his teasing now. “Okay, if you really find it cute, then I want to eat so many things!”
That decides their itinerary. He turns to their seniors—who are still looking at them, rather flabbergasted. “Dazai-san, Chuuya-san, let us have lunch first.”
A loud gasp from Chuuya, before he mutters, “Akutagawa actually wanting to eat?” This line does not seem to be directed towards him, but rather towards Dazai, so he does not bother responding.
He squeezes Atsushi’s hand, in a manner that is similar to handing a baton to the other, so he would take the lead instead. Compared to his lover, he is not picky when it comes to his meals, so he does not have any preferences for the restaurant. As long as it could sustain his stomach, as well as make Atsushi happy, then the specifics do not matter.
In the process of traveling towards their lunchtime destination, they continue to walk as if they could not bear to have a smidgen of space between them. With how closely their limbs are entwined, he could keenly feel their matching red bracelets brushing together.
He is fully aware that the bracelets have started out as something akin to a prank. Atsushi has decided to try his hand at hand-weaving, on top of deciding that the fruits of his labor would have to be bequeathed to him. The results are a pair of rather-lopsided things that the jinko has dubbed as ‘boyfriend bracelets’.
Gin has thrown her support towards him owning more colorful things in his wardrobe, and so she has suggested that they wear it after having it blessed by the local shrine.
Bracelets made of multiple thick threads on their wrists, as if to ensure that they have their own version of a red string of fate.
“It’s really nice huh,” Atsushi tells him, reading his mind. “You really look nice today, yatsugare-kun.”
If someone told Akutagawa years ago that he would consider invading someone’s personal space without the intent to harm, he would definitely have greeted that person with Rashomon. Of course, such an inane thing as ‘flirting’ would have also been such an alien concept that it would not have counted as within his galaxy.
Right now, he lets his gaze slide down to the dragon print of Atsushi’s shirt, a sense of satisfaction welling in him. A boyish look that would place the jinko at a fashion magazine targeted for those who wish to attain a fresh, sporty appeal.
He tugs him close, and tugs at the swell of his bottom lip by putting it lightly in-between his teeth. A small bite, before he gives him a kiss that aggressively says, “You look less of an idiot today, jinko. It suits you.”
Atsushi puffs his cheeks. “You could just say that you think I look cute today.”
“I think you look cute always,” he parries, knowing fully well that he wins this round. After all, he does get to see his jinko’s cheeks bloom red, a sight that puts springtime flower festivals to shame.
— — —
“…You two have really no shame, huh.”
On one hand, it’s difficult to not feel satisfied when he’s spending time with his usually-prickly boyfriend. On another hand, he really would like to have a lot of nice memories during this anniversary date, memories that aren’t tainted by their two seniors being supremely unhelpful with taking photos of them.
As expected, his statement garners protest the other senior who isn’t rudely photobombing them. “Oi, kid, fix your words, damn it! I’m not shameless like that mackerel!”
Yokohama Cosmo World isn’t as busy today, which means that they don’t have to go through a lot of queues when going from one spot to the next. There’s also not a lot of people near the attraction they plan to go to next, as well as the cutesy heart-shaped bench in front of it. It’s a nice bubblegum pink, and something that gaudy is just begging to be used as a backdrop for several couple pictures.
Upon seeing it, Akutagawa’s expression is enough to make his stomach hurt from laughter. That said, Akutagawa’s willfulness works wonders as a model boyfriend, successfully pushing down on his natural aversion towards colorful objects. With only minimal grumbling, he gamely sits with him on the bench, so they can have their photo taken by either of their two seniors.
With a haughty, “Chuuya, you’re too short to take anyone’s pictures”, Dazai volunteers to handle the photo-taking duties.
He should have known that volunteering to do extra work is something that his mentor is allergic to. He should have known that it’s just a ploy for Dazai to photobomb them, brazenly taking selfies instead, using them as the background.
Atsushi sighs, then spies his boyfriend’s face. He doesn’t say anything, but there’s an obvious excitement, probably something about being stoked to have a photo with his senior. He pinches Akutagawa’s arm, puffing up his cheeks. “If you’re this obviously happy, you will just encourage Dazai-san to waste space in the camera with his pictures!”
“Now, now, Atsushi-kun, you’re hurting my feelings!”
“I think you need to be punished for trying to disturb our lovey-dovey time,” he fires back, before standing up and making gestures at Akutagawa to help with his plan.
Something like satisfaction wells up in him when he witnesses Akutagawa actually try to look menacing towards Dazai, herding him towards the bench. Because he’s the one with regenerative abilities, he’s the one who dares to go to Chuuya and bring him to the heart-shaped bench, so that these two meddling seniors can be ‘punished’ by having their picture taken together instead.
“Why am I being brought into this?! I don’t want to take pictures with a fish!”
“Eh, that should be my line, why should I have to witness my dog being touched by someone else?”
He rolls his eyes upon hearing these dishonest lines. Honestly, he should just consider this as doing charity work, perhaps farm positive karma this way. Maybe if these two start acting in a way that’s considerably more ‘couple-like’, then the entire city would stop thinking that it’s his relationship with Akutagawa that’s lacking in romance.
Thankfully, these two seem to have been sufficiently weakened at being ‘forced’ to take a couple’s picture together. Dazai ends up frothing at the mouth, which means that Atsushi can now have his photo taken with his boyfriend without someone photobombing them. Similarly defeated, Chuuya ends up staring blankly into the distance afterwards, hand pressing the shutter to the camera in a mechanical fashion.
The camera has been foisted off to them by Gin, who wishes to have their photos printed in an old-fashioned way so she can make an album out of it. She’s really nice especially once she’s warmed up to his presence, and has stopped trying to send knives to his neck whenever he stares a little too hotly towards his boyfriend.
In any case, Atsushi squints at their two elders, then decides that this should be excellent practice on how to handle immature children. While it’s true that they’ve only been dating for a year, it’s not like he hasn’t known Akutagawa prior to them dating. Due to their pasts, it probably isn’t too far-fetched to think that they’d eventually look into helping out at orphanages, if not outright adopting.
He faintly remembers being surrounded with rebellious and rambunctious kids—but those are nothing compared to their mentors. If he could survive this day without screaming at their childishness, he should bring up taking care of toddlers to his boyfriend.
He looks through the camera roll, and stops on one particular shot.
In the photo, he’s putting up a peace sign, grin lopsided. Beside him, there’s Akutagawa mirroring his pose, smile a bit awkward but not to the point it can be used as the grand finale to a haunted house attraction.
His gaze is stuck on the pale fingers that are obviously unused to such a gesture. It climbs to the snarling tiger brooch that’s pinned on the other’s purple jacket, part of Akutagawa indulging his nagging at him to wear more colorful outfits. There’s also more color to his cheeks, as if he’s bathed in vitality.
Compared to his previous sickly pallor, and to his temporary stint as a vampire, a light dusting of pink on the other’s face is really more attractive.
The attraction that they’re supposed to visit next is the Ice World just a few steps away from the heart-shaped bench, but instead of feeling any of the cold draft wafting from its entrance, Atsushi just feels very warm.
He rubs his cheek against the fur lining on the collar of his boyfriend’s jacket. Akutagawa doesn’t question this sudden bout of affection, simply cooperating to squeeze his waist. Fingertips brush against the chains dangling from his belt.
…Maybe they should just skip the rest of the amusement park and just—
Unfortunately, Atsushi has forgotten that they’ve somehow fantastically birthed two oversized children. Even more unfortunate is that these two children are also their seniors, who also haven’t forgotten that they’re here to be useless chaperones. The phrase ‘terrible twos’ have been used to describe toddlers, but he’s beginning to think that it’s a phrase that soukoku wishes to take for themselves too.
Really unfortunate that while Atsushi’s busy basking in the prior romantic atmosphere, the terrifying duo seem to have been reinvigorated to the point that they’re ready to cause more trouble.
“I applaud you two, Atsushi-kun, Akutagawa-kun,” and it’s accompanied by actual slow clapping. “You have decided to try and convince us that you’re actually dating, just so we’d stop trying to matchmake you two.”
“Only you would think of such a roundabout plan,” he grumbles under his breath. It’s really very unfortunate that the person beside Dazai is someone who has the power to manipulate gravity, so trying to run away from them would just make them appear like an embarrassment. Faceplanting to the ground is one thing, but he’d loathe to do anything that would dirty his current outfit, given that it’s nice enough to make Akutagawa look at him in hunger.
“Since you two are protégés of this mackerel here,” a rude gesture, “you two are definitely capable of thinking of such a plan.”
“Only you two would think that it’s worthy of being called an actual plan,” he continues to grumble, but it’s only Akutagawa who hears his complaints.
Dazai claps again, looking so much like a teacher out to terrorize his students into dropping out of his class. “That said, if you want us to really believe that you’re dating, then you’ll have to prove it to us!”
“You guys don’t even know how to have a proper double date with us,” he adds, even if he knows that his dissent is irrelevant.
Then again, this is an opportunity to have those two let them enjoy their anniversary date in peace. While he knows that his mentor’s allergies include leaving people in peace, Atsushi can’t help but be optimistic about their chances.
They decide that the ‘first round’ of an impromptu ‘dating quiz’ should begin before they enter Ice World.
Chuuya’s hands are on his hips as he poses the first question to them, “If your date is feeling cold and he forgot to bring a jacket, then what should you do?”
Oh, this is easy!
Without needing to count to three:
“I will lend him my jacket.”
“I’ll hold his hand to keep him warm!”
A look of deep dismay, like they’ve just announced that Dazai has won an ‘Most Hardworking Employee of the Month’ award. Shaking his head, “No, you dropkick him because how can he be so stupid to forget bringing such a thing!”
Dazai makes disgusted noises. “No, you make fun of him and see if he’ll shrink into an even smaller slug if he becomes too cold.”
Atsushi clears his throat and steps closer to his boyfriend, holding his hand tighter. “May I remind you that we’re on our first anniversary date? We have more experience in dating than you two?”
In order to drive the point home, he shrugs off his jacket and hugs Akutagawa with it, drawing him in for a kiss that deserves fireworks going off with the motion.
Gaining more confidence in himself when it comes to protecting Yokohama is a road that he’s experienced over the past few years. Becoming more decisive with his actions—it has really paid off.
There weren’t any fireworks during their earlier kiss, but he doesn’t let it get to him. It more than suffices that something has seemingly exploded in their mentors’ minds, rendering them speechless for the next hour.
…Well.
He squints at how Dazai has stealthily glued himself to the person he claims he can’t even see. Years of experience at being his coworker, Atsushi doubts that his mentor’s speechlessness is as innocent as being completely due to having his eyes opened to the supremacy of a simple, sweet lovey-dovey relationship.
Nevertheless, one of the things that he’s learned over the years is how to take advantage of certain opportunities.
Clutching his boyfriend’s arm during the Disk’O ride as they’re swung hard from left to right. Screaming freely during the violent lurching of the Galaxy ride. Not even needing to exaggerate his screeches during the Super Planet ride that has seemingly dislocated all of his internal organs worse than that time with Rashomon.
They go to the Horror House next and the dark environment has seemingly reenergized their seniors.
Behind them, he hears Dazai say, “Seeing a sleeping slug’s drooling face is scarier than any of these things.” Before Atsushi can grumble as to why his mentor is even looking at his supposed-rival’s sleeping face to begin with, Chuuya fires back with an angry, “Big words from someone whose messy bedroom is a horror story in itself.”
Amidst this commotion that has no respect whatsoever for the hard work of the staff in this horror house, Akutagawa clears his throat and issues a gallant, “I will not let any harm befall you, jinko.”
He cooperates by fake-swooning into his lover’s arms. Knowing fully well that his mentor is fond of ‘complaining’ about Chuuya while also calling him a prince, he mentally issues a challenge and says, “You’re really a good prince, yatsugare-kun, even if you’re lacking in eyebrows.”
“This yatsugare-kun is about to shave off your eyebrows so you shall have something to be horrified about,” is the easy response, indulging him in light banter.
He doesn’t reply with anything like, “The biggest horror I can envision right now is eating my next chazuke without you by my side.” Saying something like that is bound to warrant him a smack to the forearm, because Akutagawa would register it as him second-guessing himself.
…Life is really quite good, huh.
Smiling this much while surrounded by horror displays would probably have people questioning if he’s gone crazy. In fact, as they walk out of the attraction, he hears two voices debating behind them.
“That kid has probably gone crazy, oi.”
“Ano ne, Chuuya, who gave you the confidence to call taller people as ‘kids’? But, you have a good point. If they’re always this nice to each other, they don’t understand the real concept of dating!”
Life is pretty good, but there’s something that can make it better.
“Well, we’re not always this nice and calm,” he says while holding the attention of their mentors. They’re surrounded by so many colorful things, but right beside him is a man who has donned on so much color at his behest, a man who has introduced additional colors to his life. His smile widens. “We spar each week to decide on what position we’ll use in bed.”
He could feel Akutagawa silently laughing beside him, chest rumbling as he attempts to clamp down on the noise lest he disrespects Dazai too much. As expected, his lover is really strong, because he couldn’t help but laugh at the matching shocked expressions on their mentors’ faces.
Dazai looks like he’s been turned to stone, then to a zombie, ashen and practically foaming at the mouth. Chuuya’s yelp is more animated, but he’s also frozen in place after he jumps like a cat sprayed with water, his hat even flying to the air while surrounded with a red glow.
Showing off soukoku’s synchronicity, they struggle to speak together: “Y-Y-Y-Y-You’re already sleeping together?!”
Ah, this city is hopeless, if everyone else thinks that these two should be considered as the gold standard for a relationship.
As someone who loves this city almost as much as he’s grown to love Akutagawa, he shakes his head and decides to be benevolent. With the gentlest voice possible, “I think you two are the ones unfamiliar with the real concept of dating.” He deals the finishing blow, “Do you need us to help you out?”
Dazai and Chuuya seem to have become completely lifeless at this point, defeated by their protégés.
“We could make things interesting this week by sparring inside a Ferris Wheel,” Akutagawa tells him after several moments of continuing to stroll around, leaving behind their noisy chaperones so they can enjoy the rest of their anniversary date. There’s a faint blush on the other’s face, making him appear even more excited.
Their arms entwined, he hugs Akutagawa’s arm close to his chest as if to fuse them together. “We’re really winning at dating,” he says, and it comes with the promise to continue winning for the foreseeable future.
— — —
bonus omake: gin’s photo album
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end