Chapter Text
Atsushi played with the chains.
There wasn't anything else he could do to entertain himself down here, he was too hungry for anything else to hold his attention for very long.
He was so tired and hungry all the time.
He didn't understand why he was down here.
He didn't understand how he had been bad. He had just gotten his chores done as fast as he could! Why should he be punished over something like that? It didn't make sense to Atsushi.
The doorknob at the top of the stairs rattled, like someone tried to open it without a key.
Atsushi dropped the chain he had been playing with in shock, making it clink and clank together.
It wasn't time for him to be let out or to be fed.
The doorknob rattled again.
Atsushi watched the little he could from his view.
The door was kicked in.
It flew off its hinges, down the stairs, and in front of the cage, making Atsushi yelp and scramble back into a corner.
A boy jumped down the stairs, skipping all of them, glowing red like an oven burner.
He had orangish-red hair, in a little ponytail at the base of his neck. A hat sat on his head, and his bangs covered one of his eyes.
He brushed his hair out of his eye, and scanned the room.
Blue eyes latched onto Atsushi.
"Fuck."
~~~~~~~~~~
Chuuya groaned as someone jostled him awake. "Noooo, go 'way."
A soft chuckle brushed against the air. "Chuuya-san, you need to wake up. Kunikida-san will be expecting you in an hour or so."
Chuuya buried himself further into the futon.
"I have coffee~!"
Chuuya sat up, reaching blindly for a cup he didn't know even existed and wiping sleep from his eyes.
A mug was placed in his hand carefully, the blessed liquid that is only second to wine being held like gold.
"Be careful, it's hot."
Chuuya hummed as he chugged the liquid gold, not caring for how it burned his mouth slightly.
He finished the mug in one go, smacking his lips and sighing. "Thanks Atsushi."
Atsushi smiled at him, holding a hand out for the mug.
Chuuya ignored it and stood, cracking his back and went to put the mug in the sink himself.
"Chuuya-san!" Atsushi whined, following behind him.
"Sit." Chuuya yawned, darting into the bathroom and coming back with a hairbrush.
Atsushi was sitting at the table with a pout, but it was only a façade.
Chuuya knew Atsushi loved having his hair done by someone else. Chuuya above all, Yosano next, then Ranpo.
Chuuya dragged the brush through Atsushi's hair, humming softly.
"You should be getting ready." Atsushi whispered, shoulders relaxing.
"Kunikida will wait however long it takes for me to get ready." Chuuya shot back with ease as he finished brushing through the silver hair. He fluffed it up, marveling at the length of it now.
Atsushi usually kept it short.
"You want me to cut it? It's gotten to your chin." Chuuya muttered.
Atsushi sat there, contemplating.
Chuuya stayed where he was, letting his kid think.
"No." Atsushi finally whispered. "I think. . . I think I'm finally ready to let it grow out again."
Chuuya squeezed Atsushi's shoulders. "I'm proud of you."
Atsushi sighed, and pulled his hair up in a half-up ponytail.
Chuuya knocked his hands away and did it, making sure to make it look cute. Yosano would appreciate it. "There we go."
"Go get ready, Chuuya-san. Kunikida-san won't be understanding forever." Atsushi shooed him away, towards the bathroom.
"Alright, alright, I see how it is!" Chuuya laughed, shutting the door behind him.
He sighed happily as he washed his face.
How did I get such a good kid?
~~~~~~~~~~
Atsushi hummed as he went about his work day, letting Kunikida-san know that Chuuya-san would be a bit late as he hung his hat on the hook by the door.
The man had waved him off, used to Chuuya-san showing up a little later than usual on days like today.
He had nodded at Atsushi though. "Your hair looks nice."
Warmth burst in Atsushi's chest as he started on his paperwork. The eighteen year old was still getting over the fear of having long hair.
A body draped itself over Atsushi's back.
The smell had alerted Atsushi beforehand though, and the person probably knew that already, which is why they did it.
They knew everything else, after all.
"Atsu-shi." Ranpo-san sighed, burying his face into Atsushi's shoulder. The tone was different.
Once again, Ranpo-san knew all.
"Ran-po-san." Atsushi replied, a small grin on his face as he continued to write his paperwork out.
"I'm bored~!" Ranpo-san whined, pulling his head out of Atsushi's shoulder and resting it on Atsushi's head. "Entertain me? Chuuya's not here yet!"
"Chuuya-san will be here soon." Atsushi commented, finishing typing up the first case file for the day. Following Ranpo-san around had a few disadvantages.
Mostly the increase in paperwork. Thanks to Ranpo-san solving his cases so quickly, the police shoved more on him. And that in turn shoved more cases on the Armed Detective Agency.
Such was life.
"Boooo! He should've come with you." Ranpo-san huffed, squeezing Atsushi. "Your hair looks good. He did it, yeah?"
Atsushi's grin turned a bit more genuine. "Yeah. I guess he didn't want me to look unfashionable."
Ranpo-san scoffed. "We both know the truth, Atsushi. Don't lie."
Atsushi's hands paused in pulling up the second file.
Ranpo-san squeezed him again. "You've become so strong, Atsushi."
Atsushi closed his eyes, trying to keep the tears at bay. "Thank you, Ranpo-san."
Ranpo-san put a green tea candy on his desk, before ambling off to pester Kenji-kun, who would just as easily pester back, although unknowingly.
Tanizaki-kun and Naomi-san entered a little while later, Naomi-san skipping and Tanizaki-kun yawning.
"Long night?" Atsushi asked.
"Naomi wanted to watch all of the Pitch Perfect movies." Tanizaki-kun sprawled over his desk. "The noise kept me up all night."
Atsushi grimaced. "My condolences, would you like some coffee?"
Tanizaki-kun looked up with pleading eyes.
Atsushi snickered and got up to get him a cup. "Naomi-san? Would you like a cup?"
"Yes please, you're a darling Atsushi-san!" Naomi-san cooed from where she was gossiping with Haruno-san.
Atsushi shook his head as he got their coffees ready.
Ranpo-san passed by him, heading to the back to go to Shachou's office.
The other agency members, beside Ranpo-san, never found the courage to ask the siblings what their relationship was, in fear that their worst thoughts would be true.
Atsushi had asked right away, because he needed to know if he needed to help Tanizaki-kun escape from a situation he didn't want to be in.
Tanizaki-kun had apologized, explaining that his sister's antics were just how she was coping with the recent loss of their parents.
"She's distracting herself." Tanizaki-kun had whispered. "I can't bring myself to stop her, even if it's embarrassing. I just want her to be happy, y'know? It's my duty as the older brother."
Atsushi had smiled, patting Tanizaki-kun's hand and ordering him a cup of hot chocolate.
He set the coffee down in front of Naomi-san, who immediately started to sip delicately at it.
He set the other coffee down in front of Tanizaki-kun, who pulled a Chuuya-san and immediately started chugging it.
"It's not going anywhere!" Atsushi laughed.
Tanizaki-kun ignored him and kept chugging.
Atsushi shook his head and sat back down. He pulled the file back up.
Tanizaki-kun put the mug down.
His phone rang.
Everyone in the office paused. Hoping that it was a case.
Tanizaki-kun answered his phone. "Hello? Yes, this is them. Yes. Yes, we do. Alright, do you know where we are located?"
A long pause.
"Well then, please come at your convenience, we will be waiting!"
Tanizaki-kun hung up and stood. "We have a case!"
Immediately Kunikida-san started instructing everyone to start cleaning the clientele area, which hadn't been used in a while, thanks to the police throwing them the more unique cases.
Approximately fifteen minutes later, Kenji-kun came up with another blond, humming cheerfully.
She was dressed impeccably in a suit, her hair hanging down around her shoulders as she sat primly on the couch for clientele.
Tanizaki-kun began to question her.
Atsushi walked by, carrying his printed case files to put away securely.
Gunpowder and chocolate.
Atsushi narrowed his eyes as he kept his steps steady and filed his cases purposefully.
How interesting that two things that are so bad for me are mixed together in one person. He mused with a hint of ironic humor.
"Would you like us to come with you? To see these men?" Tanizaki-kun asked, polite as always and wanting to help where he could.
Atsushi nearly tore the file in his hands.
"Yes please, if you wouldn't mind." The woman, Higuchi, Atsushi believed her name was, said earnestly.
Atsushi thinned his lips. He prepared himself, grabbing another cup of coffee.
Time for action then.
He spun around, and nearly knocked into Higuchi.
"Ah! I'm so sorry!" He whispered, backing up almost immediately when he realized how close they were to each other. He took a look at everyone. "Are you heading out, Tanizaki-kun? Naomi-san? Miss. . ."
"Higuchi."
"Higuchi-san." Atsushi smiled.
"Yes, we are Atsushi-san! Would you like to join us?" Naomi-san teased, skipping over and grabbing his hand.
"Ah! I would! I've been in the office all morning! But um, could we wait, just for a little bit?" Atsushi put on his kitten eyes. "Chuuya-san hasn't gotten in yet, and I wanted to ask him something."
Tanizaki-kun turned to Higuchi-san, who seemed to be wavering in the face of his kitten eyes.
Perfect.
"Alright." She sighed. "I suppose so long as you catch the smugglers in the middle of the act, it doesn't matter what time we get there."
Atsushi beamed at the woman. "Thank you so much! I just wanted to ask my mentor something, and then we'll head out! Would you like some tea?"
Atsushi asked this, despite holding another cup of coffee.
Higuchi-san looked somewhat uncomfortable now, but tried to hide it.
Naomi-san's eyes sharpened.
"No, thank you."
The door to the Agency slammed open, Chuuya-san yawning as he waltzed through the door.
"Chuuya! You're late!" Kunikida-san yelled half-heartedly, not bothering to look up from his paperwork.
"Fell asleep in the shower." Chuuya-san replied, fixing his gloves.
Atsushi rolled his shoulders.
"Chuuya-san!" He put on a bright grin. "Here!"
Chuuya-san took the cup with a grateful sigh. "You're an angel."
His blue eyes flicked over Atsushi. Dissecting him better than any scalpel ever could.
"What's wrong?" He asked with his lips hidden by the mug.
Atsushi smiled more, feeling Higuchi-san's eyes on him, wondering what was taking so long.
Atsushi held out some headphones. "Would you mind listening to these songs while I'm out? And letting me know if any are worth listening to?"
Chuuya-san's eyes narrowed, but he took the headphones. "You're telling me later."
It wasn't a question.
Atsushi's smile turned a little bit genuine. "Of course I will."
Chuuya-san finally backed off. "Alright. Take care." He huffed, sipping his coffee, slipping the headphones on, and waltzing over to his desk.
Atsushi smiled at the group after he grabbed his hat. "Well let's get going!"
Higuchi-san led the way, her back straight.
Naomi-san clung to Tanizaki-kun's arm, and gave Atsushi a look as they walked. "I didn't know you were getting into music, Atsushi-san!"
Atsushi smiled. "Yeah, but Chuuya-san has better taste, so I want his input as well. Besides, I'll be playing it in our dorm, so I want to make sure he likes it too."
"Considerate as always, Atsushi-kun." Tanizaki-kun sighed, elbowing his sister.
Naomi-san stuck out her tongue. "You didn't have to watch all of them with me!"
Tanizaki-kun huffed. "It makes you happy."
"Here is the place." Higuchi-san broke up their conversation, stopping in front of an alley.
Atsushi studied the opening of it.
This can only end well. He thought wryly.
~~~~~~~~~~
Chuuya furrowed his brow as he listened to the music Atsushi selected.
It was shitty, normal pop music.
Nothing out of the ordinary.
Nothing to cause alarm.
And yet-
Chuuya knew Atsushi. He's known his kid for some six years now.
Atsushi had been nervous.
He'd been nervous and was trying not to show it, suppressing all his tells. Chuuya hadn't seen that level of suppression since they had first joined the Agency.
The next shitty song rolled on, and Chuuya sighed, sipping his coffee. His perfect coffee, that Atsushi had made twice today.
Chuuya closed his eyes, savoring the liquid gold in his hands. Atsushi had used the Bones Strawberry Cheesecake blend, knowing it was Chuuya's favorite.
Why are you buttering me up? What are you planning, you sneaky cat? Chuuya wondered.
Chuuya tapped his fingers, energy and anxiety skyrocketing as the questions in his head went unanswered with each song that goes on.
Something filtered in.
Chuuya closed his eyes to sharpen his hearing on the new noises.
The music filtered out, the sounds of everyday people walking on the street coming into clarity.
Chuuya frowned.
Atsushi?
Yes, that was definitely Atsushi talking. And Naomi-chan and Jun'ichirō-kun.
And the client.
Jun'ichirō-kun asking questions.
The client suddenly talking loudly, confidently, when she had been quiet-
Gunshots.
Chuuya was out the door, headphones torn off.
Black Lizard attack.
They fucking divided and tried to conquer. Chuuya seethed, For the Tainted Sorrow roaring to life under his command.
Atsushi you little shit, why didn't you let me know outright!?
~~~~~~~~~~
Atsushi breathed out, the pain of the bullets hitting him dulled by his tiger's fur, but the pain of hard objects traveling hundreds of miles an hour hitting him was still there.
"Atsushi-kun!?" Tanizaki-kun cried out, his eyes widening in horror.
Atsushi rolled his shoulders, making the bullets fall and plink plink plink on the ground. "Get Light Snow ready." He whispered. "We need to end this fast, you and Naomi-san aren't bulletproof like I am."
As predicted, Tanizaki-kun's eyes hardened with resolve the second his sister was mentioned, taking in the fact that Atsushi had thrown himself in front of the both of them the second Higuchi-san had pulled the guns out.
"Got it." He muttered darkly, starting to glow green.
Atsushi turned his head, sighting Higuchi-san.
He sharpened his vision into the tiger's eyes.
"Wha- how are you not dead!?" Higuchi-san snapped, pulling out more magazines for her guns. She shot at Atsushi, who was still a protective wall.
Only for Atsushi to dissolve into a green mist.
Her guns were kicked out of her hands by Atsushi, and he gripped her wrists quickly.
"Unfortunately for you, I'm rather hard to kill." Atsushi said grimly, as Tanizaki-kun appeared out of his ability and wrapped his emergency handcuffs around her wrists.
"I'm so glad Kunikida-san makes us carry these." He muttered, calming down now that the danger was passing.
Atsushi sighed in relief as the handcuffs were snapped on Higuchi-san's wrists.
A breeze brushed through the alley.
Figs and blood.
Atsushi moved and tackled Tanizaki-kun out of the way.
"Naomi-san, MOVE!"
Rashōmon erupted where the two had been standing, and where Naomi-san recently was.
Atsushi breathed deeply.
He turned, facing one of his oldest demons.
"Akutagawa Ryuunosuke." Tanizaki-kun whispered in a choking voice from behind him.
Akutagawa coughed into his fist. His cold, fierce eyes never left Atsushi's form.
"Jinko."
Atsushi set his jaw.
"Akutagawa."
Atsushi felt Tanizaki-kun and Naomi-san jolt in surprise behind him. He turned his head just enough to address them without taking his eyes off Akutagawa.
"Stay back. He's too dangerous for you too."
Atsushi stepped forward, rolling his shoulders.
Akutagawa used a tendril of his ability to pierce Higuchi-san's handcuffs.
"Akutagawa-senpai, I'm so sorry-"
"Quiet."
Akutagawa shifted his stance, widening it to brace the power he was about to unleash.
"It was foolish of you to think you could take on this opponent. His head is mine alone."
Higuchi-san stepped back.
And then they clashed.
It was interesting, seeing new forms of Rashōmon and how Akutagawa was using them.
Atsushi was reluctantly impressed, knowing how hard it was for the older man to be creative like this.
But Atsushi was just faster.
It was something Atsushi was always superior in.
Rashōmon aimed to the opposite side of the alley that Atsushi was on, making Atsushi furrow his brows.
"Tch. Damn illusionary ability."
Oh.
Tanizaki-kun. He was helping.
Atsushi allowed himself to smile as he leapt up a wall, prepping to slam down an axe kick on Akutagawa's head.
Akutagawa sighted him, and swirled his ability in his hand.
"Rashōmon-"
Strawberry Cheesecake coffee and home.
Boom
Atsushi was encased in a red glow and held aloft.
"You!" Chuuya snarled.
Akutagawa let the ability energy swirl in his hand for a second longer, before dismissing it. "Chuuya-san?"
Chuuya-san pointed at Akutagawa. "I'm dealing with you in a minute!"
Akutagawa looked suitably cowed, backing off.
"You."
Atsushi grinned nervously as Chuuya-san stomped up to him.
"First, you make me listen to shitty music. Second, you make me listen to gunshots and make me WORRY. THEN, you fight Akutagawa of all people! I'm kicking your ass, Atsushi!"
"What do you mean, heard the gunshots?" Akutagawa coughed.
"Have your subordinate check her pockets." Atsushi said, holding his hands up in surrender to his mentor.
Higuchi-san began to search her pockets. She held up a bug. "When did you-"
Atsushi grinned cheekily.
Chuuya-san's face darkened as he dropped Atsushi to the ground. "Listen here ya lil shit-"
Slow clapping filled the air.
Port Mafia members, former and current, turned to the mouth of the alleyway.
"Seeing through a spy, manipulating a comrade, and holding off an opponent."
Dazai Osamu grinned sweetly.
Atsushi's knees felt weak from fear.
Chuuya-san stepped in front of him .
"Impressive as always, Atsushi-kun."
Chuuya-san tensed, preparing himself to fly at the bandaged man.
"Get the fuck outta here you shitty executive." He hissed, gloved hands flexing, fighting the urge to punch Dazai through a wall.
"Oh?" Dazai cocked his head. "But I want my subordinate back."
"He was never yours! He's mine!" Chuuya-san snapped, For the Tainted Sorrow glowing brighter with warning.
"What is going on?" Higuchi-san whispered.
Akutagawa lowered his head, covering his mouth as he coughed again.
"That's right, you joined after they left. Higuchi. These two are ex-Port Mafia Executive Nakahara Chuuya, and Nakajima Atsushi, the Silver Dagger of the Port Mafia. Both are accredited with some of the highest kill counts."
Atsushi twitched when he heard Tanizaki-kun and Naomi-san gasp behind them.
No going back now.
Atsushi raised his head, glaring at Dazai.
It was weird, seeing both eyes. In all the years of being in the Port Mafia, Dazai had had his right eye covered.
"I will never go back."
Dazai smiled beatifically. "That's what you think will happen, At-su-shi-kun~!"
The voice locked up every muscle in Atsushi's body.
Chuuya-san glowed brighter, almost like a beacon now.
"If you try, I will destroy this city." He promised.
Higuchi-san scoffed. "There's no way you can!"
"He can." Akutagawa muttered. "He can."
"And I have control now, in that state. The Mafia's Headquarters will be the first to go." Chuuya-san threatened, stepping forward and cracking the ground.
Dazai watched impassively.
"If that's your choice Slug, it means war."
"Go ahead and try." Chuuya-san hissed. "We both know who will win."
Dazai hummed, before turning on heel. "Let's leave for now, subordinates!" He cooed, his black coat flapping dramatically behind him.
"But-" Akutagawa started.
"Nope! We need to inform the Boss, first of all." Dazai shut him down quickly.
The Agency's members started to relax, Atsushi playing with his hat.
"Atsushi-kun."
The air in the alley seemed to turn into cement.
"Blue doesn't suit you. I prefer you in black."
Atsushi gripped his hat tight, trying not to break it, reminded himself to breathe.
"That's too bad." He whispered. "I rather like how I look in blue. It's my favorite color, since it's the color of my mentor's eyes."
Dazai let out an amused hum, before he swept out of the alley.
Atsushi collapsed, knees giving out at last.
He started wailing, the fear finally overwhelming him.
Chuuya-san scooped him up.
"Let's go." He told the Tanizaki's, who had heard the whole thing.
There's no turning back.