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It was nearing 5:30pm when the two families left McDonald's together, and while they hadn't been reunited for very long, there was still plenty they had left to do before they could head home and call it a night. Between picking up groceries and general necessities Kazue should need, it's a lot left to get done and seems near impossible to squeeze into one day, but stressing themselves out won't help, and it certainly won't do it for them. So long as they stay on task and makes sure they remember everything, all should be well.
"Where should we head to first?" Atsushi casually asks Akutagawa as soon as Dazai, Chuuya, and their children parted ways with them, walking down the sidewalk in an opposite direction to them still in visible sight. "Clearly there's a lot we can't get right away like furniture and the like, but most of the important stuff should be easy enough to obtain."
"Well, I definitely think that you and I should split up, for starters," Ryuunosuke suggests as the two trot down the street shoulder to shoulder, Kazue walking between them as he holds both their hands. "We can get this done much quicker that way."
Atsushi had to agree with that. As weary as he is about going their separate ways given that it'll be dark in a couple hours, he knows that is what's for the best, and it will get the little one home faster.
"Alright then, do you have any stores in mind for your first stop? We should try to meet up in between shops, so we can make sure we're getting what we need and know where the other person is going. I also don't mind taking turns with Kazue, if that helps in any way."
"I suppose that's fair. I'll handle picking up the groceries, so Kazue can come with me first in case there's anything in particular he spots," Akutagawa informs as they approach the long strip of stores and buildings, not quite lit up yet for the sun isn't too eager to set so soon in the beginning of May. "Where are you heading off to then?"
"Hmmm... I guess I'll go pick up the toiletries, and also some more clothes so he'll have some pajamas and extra outfits for tomorrow and onward. I know of a store that'll carry both, so I won't make it two stops," Atsushi says, the pair now stopping in front of the grocery store Akutagawa intends to enter.
"Okay, just try not to fuck it up, weretiger," the mafioso smirks all in good nature, a smile gracing Atsushi's lips as he slips his hand out of Kazue's so he is crouching down to his height for a moment, hand petting his son's head while he reassures him,
"I'll be back soon, my baby. Dad just has to drop by that store across the street for a few minutes, see!" Nakajima talks to him in a sweet and comforting tone, pointing down the road to where he was next heading with enthusiasm. "Be a good boy for Daddy now and make sure you find something yummy to eat!"
Akutagawa can feel his heart melt just by watching the two of them interact, especially when Kazue's entire expression lights up like the sun on a summer's day whenever his parent so much as stares at him with such loving eyes. The straight-faced facade immediately breaks away, his doe-eyes sparkling as his lips curve up into a smile more genuine than Ryuu has ever seen in his life. But how could anyone not fall to their knees when Atsushi is so naturally warm and inviting, like a dangling lamp trapped in the darkness beckoning the lost and helpless to embrace in his glow.
While he's never once said this to him or anyone else, Akutagawa knows damn well that someday in a future quite so far away yet, he'll no doubt open an orphanage of his own just so he can save children from suffering a similar fate to the both of them. He'll never understand how someone so utterly battered and bruised by the world can love it just the same, and yet being in the presence of such a beautiful soul almost feels healing to somebody like himself who feels they're too torn to ever be fully repaired. But even the most chronic illnesses with no cure have their remedies that they turn to so the pain can be numbed for at least a little while, and there's no better way to describe the weretiger's impact on his life than that.
"I better head off now before we waste even more time stalling. Will I meet you back here?" Atsushi asks after exchanging his temporary goodbyes with their child.
Akutagawa nods. "Alright. If you're not back here by the time I'm finished, I'm coming to find you, so no taking forever."
"Got it," he giggles, waving the pair off and blowing a kiss to the little one before crossing the street, Akutagawa watching him from the entrance to make sure they wouldn't experience a repeat of what happened the last time.
Shopping with Kazue was as smooth as he expected. The three year old was perfectly behaved so long as Akutagawa let him hold anything he put in the cart for a few minutes before his attention would move on to the next item the man would drop in. Obviously, Ryuunosuke knew the basic foods to buy, for the man was very particular about healthy eating and is talented in being aware of the best quality of brands to select compared to Atsushi who lives off of instant ramen and rice, but at the same time he was trying to keep in mind that this is a child he was feeding, and if he's anything like himself, then picky they will be.
Kazue didn't have much of a clue as to what he wanted to buy, probably because a kid that isn't hungry in the moment doesn't care much for what they're having to eat later, but chocolate puddings and chocolate milk were an automatic victory, as well as jellos and the cute little animal crackers. He was very amazed by the color of the blue gelatin, and the wide-eyed expression he made when Akutagawa showed him all the other flavors on the shelves was priceless.
At the end of their shopping journey, Akutagawa definitely had a cart full, probably because he threw in any food item Kazue had paid any sort of attention to. He, of course, had the healthier foods like white/chocolate milk, fruits and vegetables (that didn't include mandarins or pineapples for his own selfish reasons), as well as some other ingredients he had been needing to restock for his own fridge at home. But then there were the more contrasting products to what he would usually buy, like dinosaur nuggets. He was half tempted to put the bag of smiley fries back in the cooler when Kazue laughed and said they 'look just like daddy'!, aka him because Atsushi sure as hell doesn't look like that, but still he grumpily tossed it into the cart and pretended that didn't deepen his insecurities about his ugly smile.
When he pulled up to the nearest lineup absentmindedly, hearing the familiar voice of a young woman handing her debit card to the cashier had his eyes bulging out of his head, his fight or flight response kicking in when he realizes that the blonde head stood in front of him was in fact his subordinate Higuchi. No way in hell did he want her seeing him here in this sort of casual environment, let alone buying a bunch of snacks for a son she may or may not even know about.
The man curses under his breath when a sign hangs from the only other conveyer belt, stating that it was currently closed. Kazue doesn't seem to realize his father's tension at all, even after he swore and sighed in annoyance, and Akutagawa somehow feels that his son is laughing at his misery when it's the driving force that attracts the girl's attention.
"A-Akutagawa?!" she sputters in surprise, face flushed red at the sight of her true love. Once (somewhat) getting over the initial shock of seeing him, her eyes revert to the happy little boy sitting in the seat of the cart, giggling and playfully batting at his parent's fingers that now gripped the handle much more tightly. "W-Wait, is that the baby everyone's been talking about?! Oh my goodness!"
"Listen, Higuchi, I know this might upset you, but-!"
"HE'S SO MUCH MORE ADORABLE THAN TACHIHARA SAID! I could squeeze the cheeks off of him!"
Akutagawa blinks in surprise at such a positive reaction, a part of him half expecting her to cry and go full stalker mode again at discovering he has a baby with an unknown suitor. Maybe she's aware of the full story that happened, since Atsushi had been with Tachihara and Hirotsu the other day and likely explained everything to them, but still, he doubted that would completely erase her jealousy. Maybe she finally is starting to move on.
Kazue's little fingers reach out and tangle in the blonde strands of her hair that fell out of the bun, and Higuchi looked as if she was about to start crying for all the purest intentions. Akutagawa's hardened expression significantly softened, actually feeling really relieved she's taking this whole baby thing so well.
As much as this is a surprise even to him, it was Higuchi's response to hearing the news that he feared the most, more so than anybody else's. Gin had told him about the Katai incident and how Higuchi had went crazy after her when she thought the two were a couple, and while Akutagawa has no reason to fear for Atsushi's safety when he was more than capable of defending himself, what he was really worried about was the effects it would have on her emotional state.
Other than his sister, Higuchi was the first real person to ever express any love or concern for Akutagawa, regardless of how awful he treated her in the past, and to lose her would physically devaste him. They've been on such good terms for quite some time now, especially since Gin moved out almost two years ago so her and Higuchi could share an apartment of their own and be roommates.
Gin was extremely hesitant about leaving him there by himself since she'd always help him with his laundry and comforted him on really rough nights he'd like to forget about, but Ryuu was genuinely sincere when he said not to worry about it. He actually liked living alone in solitude, the peace and quiet really relaxing even though Gin rarely made a peep while they were home together anyway, but her presence he could still feel, and that made a difference. They still drop by very often to check in on how he's doing or just to pester him with the intentions of making him laugh or, if you want to get really deep with it, less lonely, and for that to be taken away all because of a sweet, innocent child... The world can't be that cruel, could it?.
"What's this cutie's name?" Higuchi asks him with a smile, but as he was expecting, Akutagawa didn't need to answer because Kazue already uttered his name to her, which sent the girl into squeal-mode once again. "He's so adorable, oh my god! He looks just like you!"
"To a certain extent, yes," the man admits. "But he no doubt has Atsushi's eyes, and not just the color. His lips as well, I could recognize that smile from anywhere."
Higuchi was staring at him now, grinning like an idiot, and even though Akutagawa was standing, he shifts uncomfortably, mumbling a weary, "W-What?" between the coughs he hacked into his hand.
"Oh, nothing!" she hums pleasantly, suspiciousness underlying it as her hand absentmindedly rubbed the child's arm. "If I'm being honest, I'm just really, really glad to finally see you happy. I happened to spot the three of you earlier today, when you saved Atsushi from that oncoming car, and to see you care so much about somebody... What you felt towards Dazai was so unhealthy, and of course your sister I would expect you to love unconditionally anyway, but now with Atsushi after finally growing past all the resentment and jealousy... You've found something very precious, and that means more to me than having you put a ring on my finger. I truly do love you, Akutagawa, and it's because I love you that I want this to work out so badly."
"Higuchi..."
"Don't worry, I'm not expecting you to offer me a response of any kind, I know you well enough to understand that you tend to struggle with these types of sentimental chats," Higuchi laughs, and the emotion leaking through her voice sounds so aching accompanied by the tears that burned her sclera red. "Enjoy your time with the little one while he's still so young. Time goes by so fast, and when you least expect it, everything you've ever known suddenly feels so different and out of reach. Take it from someone who understands what it feels like to lose your biggest dream because the clock didn't wait for you to catch up..."
He tries telling her to wait as she quickly gathers her reusable shopping bags in hand and thanks the woman working the cash before speed-walking out the door, but sometimes it's for the better that you walk away before making a situation worse. Clearly this wouldn't be the last time they'll see each other, but Akutagawa knows there'll be no trace of this evening to ever be brought up again, and he isn't sure which he would rather...
When he is next in line to get checked in, the air between him and the cashier is awkward. Akutagawa is so distracted in his thoughts that he almost left his black Port Mafia bank card on the counter, containing every cent he owns. He's sleepwalking, and yet feels more awake than ever.
Atsushi's shopping mission had went successfully for the most part, except for the particular brand of baby's body wash he was looking for that happened to be out of stock. He quickly checked the watch on his wrist when he stepped out of the store to see what time it was before looking across the street to see if Akutagawa was waiting on him. All the man notices is Higuchi rushing out of the grocery building as if the place were on fire, which he figures he'll have to ask Akutagawa about whenever they meet up.
Seeing as his co-parent wasn't ready yet, the weretiger supposes he'll have enough time to stop by the drugstore nextdoor to check and see if they've got the product he's looking for available. It's not very busy at the moment, so it should only be a quick purchase. He is just as fast at making up his mind at that moment as he plans to be, and is then entering his newfound destination with a goal to achieve.
But anything very rarely goes the way Nakajima wants it to, and although the most common and expected obstacle would be for the store to have also ran out of the body wash, Atsushi's life isn't simple enough for such a casual occurrence.
Instead, he bumps the back of somebody in line and drops his bottle on the floor, the person in front of him bending over to pick it up for him just as an apology starts to fall from Atsushi's lips. The first syllable of the word comes out polite and easy, but when finally meeting the eyes of they who he struck, it falls short to a whisper, the orphan's blood running cold as a wave of disregarded but unforgotten emotions shake him to his core.
"Well isn't this a sight for sore eyes. How's my little kitty doing these days, hmm?" a man just three years older than Atsushi smirks in his face, their inappropriately close proximity making the bones in Nakajima's body rattle.
"I'm... f-fine," the fear-struck boy somehow manages to muster, shocked he was even able to get that much out with how enclosed his throat felt.
"Is that so? Damn, well I guess you would be, given all of your fame I've been seeing in the paper lately. Little orphan boy turned hero, huh? Sounds like a cheesy children's film."
"Y-Yeah," Atsushi chuckles unnervingly, only realizing a tear had slipped from one of his eyes when he feels the man's thumb beginning to slowly slide down his cheek after blinking it away, finger grazing the trail it left with agonizing delicacy. The weretiger felt so lightheaded in that moment, he didn't think his feet were capable of dragging him to the cash, let alone all the way back to their meeting place.
"Heh, you haven't changed a bit," he mutters cruelly, smile a devilish grin as his following statement, "you're still my little bitch," is accompanied by a low chuckle, Atsushi's breath hitched in his throat as he watches him step forward to pay for his cigarettes.
He regrets not just leaving it alone and going back to Akutagawa as arranged, but of course when life hands you a series of lovely happenings, the bigger it is, the larger the downfall waiting at the end of the stick. It's a lesson he's known all his life, particularly because of him, the Headmaster's nephew, because he knew that whenever the Director happened to be going a little bit easier on him for several days to a week, it meant that bastard of a boy would soon be arriving for a visit, and will traumatize him ten times worse than his guardian ever could.
The reason why the man wouldn't harm him so much leading up to his relative's arrival is because he wanted Atsushi to be in good condition for when Hisashi would fly in for a week's visit with his dear uncle, relishing in the physical and mental abuse he could do onto Atsushi because his family had brainwashed him into believing he was this cruel, heartless creature that's only a mere bloodstain on the world; a monster that needed to be punished for being born a killing machine, and that through every tear and drop of blood he made Atsushi shed, he was doing the world justice.
Nakajima felt himself ready to hurl, legs weak and ready to give out when the man's ugly smile passes him on the way out.
At this rate, Akutagawa was going to have to carry him home...
Akutagawa has been impatiently waiting outside the grocery store for about five minutes now, and just when he checked his cellphone for the time, he realized it was starting to get dark out. On the outside, he was irritated having to wait on the boy who was clearly taking his dear time after hearing him say not to be too long, but then on the other hand, a nagging part of him was worried something bad might have happened during the short time they went off alone, grateful that at least he knew Kazue was safe and with him.
After several more minutes of waiting, Akutagawa is just about to barge into whatever store Atsushi had been previously at before he finally spots the boy crossing the street, his eyebrows furrowing in anger at how he was in no rush to get back over with some hurried apology of what was keeping him so tied up, actually walking rather slow and sluggishly as if they're not on a really tight schedule right now!
"Where the hell have you been?!" Akutagawa interrogates the second Atsushi is in hearing range. "I would like to get home before midnight, you know!"
"I'm sorry, please don't be mad," Atsushi quivers, and it's now that his partner realizes how his face had become white as a sheet beneath the bright glow of the street light, the mafioso now experiencing a different form of anger, one not so much directed at the man before him anymore but toward the person who had the audacity to have him make such a pitiful expression.
The weretiger flinches when Ryuunosuke's hand suddenly cups his cheek, eyes widening and breathing quickening as he's reverted back to the moment from the drug store, but once registering in his mind that this was not Hisashi but Akutagawa holding him, he wants to cry for help and melt into the skin. A part of him craves to revert back to old habits and run away so he could find the nearest hiding place, whereas another, more recently developed half wants to desperately throw himself into Akutagawa's arms until he scares all the monsters away with a threatening glare.
After taking a look around at all the people that are still out going around, he tugs on both Atsushi and Kazue's hands and leads them to the nearest empty alley, bringing them far enough inside that they weren't a sight for public eye. It's when they're safe and hidden away, bags sitting on the ground at their feet, that Akutagawa begins.
"Jinko, I'm not mad at you. You've seen me angry, and you know damn well this isn't it," he lectures, voice frighteningly composed compared to how violently his hands shook with fury. "All I'm asking for is an explanation, and if you can't provide me that much, then just a name will do. They don't call me the black-fanged hellhound for nothing; I can track this fucker down in ten minutes tops. Perhaps five in this case, for causing you such an unbearable expression to stare at."
"Then look away," Atsushi whispers timidly, and if looks could kill, not just the angry kind, Akutagawa would have dropped dead in that moment.
Taking a step forward, the pair are standing so close that the air between them barely had any room to breathe. And just as softly as the look they exchanged as they stared into each other, one weak with reopened wounds and another burning with the urge to protect, all it takes is the whispered, "I could never," barely above a breath that causes Nakajima to implode, Akutagawa dropping his forehead to rest against his with closed eyes.
When the build up of tears and anguish finally started to pour from his eyes, Kazue cluelessly stares up at his father, expression stunned and just as pained as Akutagawa's. He's tugging on his thumb that dangles loosely in front of his face, pressing the back of his father's hand to his cheek to provide a source of comfort as he watches Atsushi drop his head to the older's shoulder, for once giving in to the impulsive force by throwing his free arm around his other half desperately, fisting the leather of Ryuunosuke's jacket at his back like it was the only thing keeping him steady, which at this point it probably was.
"We've picked up enough now to do us some time, I think, so we'll be fine if we decide to call it a night," Akutagawa murmurs into his hair, gently stroking his back as if the fragile being in his arms were made of porcelain glass. "You've got Kyouka still living with you, so the three of us can just go back at my place."
Pulling away, Atsushi silently nods his head, knowing damn well his appearance is in a god awful state right now but being too tired to care. He's been awake since five o'clock this morning as the orphanage has programmed his body to do every single day, and seeing as his bedtime is usually nine and they've been on their feet literally all day, on top of just crying, he's about ready to collapse.
"Now, I don't know if little Kazue is a fan of cats, but I have one eagerly waiting to meet you back at home," Akutagawa turns his attention to their son next, his smile and upbeat tone meant to reassure him everything is okay as he takes him by the hand once again.
The little boy gasps in amazement at the mention of his favorite animal, gazing up at his father as he exclaims in disbelief, "Really?! Meet me?!"
"But of course!" Atsushi chuckles as he wipes the remaining moisture from his eyes using the sleeves of his dress shirt, playing along with Akutagawa's enthusiasm to also ensure that he knows Dad is no longer upset. "As a tiger, I speak cat, and Asher told me he is very excited to meet his new brother!"
Hearing Nakajima say that was like giving the boy a million dollars, for he was more than eager now to reach the apartment and meet the cat that's been oh so anxious to see him. That enough is able to dry the dampened mood, and this time on the way home, Akutagawa says it's Atsushi's turn to walk in the middle, meaning he had the support of both his son and closest companion guiding him home, hands entwined on either side...
It would've been a much longer trek home if they would have stopped at the ADA dorms for Atsushi to get some of his overnight things, seeing as the black leather satchel he always carried around wouldn't contain clothing and toothbrushes in case of emergency sleepovers. But he did carry his phone and charger inside amongst a few other random things, so he would be more than fine for just one night. He's certainly slept in much harsher conditions than a free warm bed.
When they were halfway home, Kazue had become extremely tired, and so Akutagawa had to carry him the rest of the way back, where he immediately fell asleep the moment his head hit his chest. The remaining pair uttered barely a word to each other, still holding hands and occasionally bumping arms.
Atsushi has a habit of unintentionally walking too close to people in general, which Dazai and Ranpo will always tease and comment on whenever he'd drift extremely near, and he caught himself several times doing it with Akutagawa. However, the only difference is that he'd drag him back in with their joined hands whenever Nakajima noticed and tried to create their previous comfortable distance, the older's grip on his hand more firm and pleading for him to remain glued to his arm.
Atsushi can't help but smile in his direction, proceeding to conquer the dark streets that had completely succumbed to nightfall by now.
Ten minutes later, they were standing outside Akutagawa's front door, Atsushi holding the child so the former could unlock his apartment and finally usher them all inside. Nakajima can't help but quietly giggle and cover a sleeping Kazue's ears when he hears Akutagawa cursing the door and its existance in low grumbles when the lock refused to budge, looking especially irritated when Atsushi is able to get it open with one easy try, requiring no effort even as he proceeded to carrying Kazue.
"Okay, show off, bravo," Akutagawa claps sarcastically, and Atsushi's laughter intensifies but in safe volume, for the last thing either of them wanted was to wake the poor thing up after such an exhausting day.
Nakajima steps back to allow Ryuunosuke entry into his apartment first, following closely at his heels as they both happen to sigh tiredly while dropping their shopping bags onto the man's leather sofa. Atsushi is amazed at how beautiful and expensive his home was as he gazed around the open concept for the very first time, an equal balance where it didn't look below middle class but also not too rich to the extent it no longer looked liveable
He couldn't take in much when no lights had been turned on, probably because the man is so particular about light and power bills Chuuya so happened to once tell him, but just by the gorgeous view surrounding all of Yokohama through the curtains of his large windows looking out over the city, Atsushi would have already been sold. The floor he purchased his apartment on was fairly high up, and to look out over that balcony silently calling his name would be a breathtaking experience.
The weretiger tears his gaze away from the window when he hears Akutagawa start talking to him again, having not realized the mafioso had already started putting away the groceries that had risk of spoiling if kept out of the refrigerator for too long. But it seems help wasn't what he was looking for, or at least in that task, anyway.
"Gin's bedroom is still here, so you can put Kazue down there. You picked up pajamas for him, right?" he asks casually while placing the milk cartons in the fridge, his tone quiet and careful so to not wake the child in Atsushi's arms.
He nods his head despite him being too busy to notice, walking toward the sofa once more to retrieve the boy's pajamas from one of the shopping bags, which were flannel in a very soft baby blue. Atsushi carries him and the clothing down the hall as they went in search of his aunt's former living space, which was difficult to decipher between Akutagawa's since both weren't very personalized at all. When he first flicked on the light to his partner's chamber, he's immediately cooing an apology to his black cat that had been so peacefully sleeping in a ball on the corner of his kingsize, opened eyes immediately shutting tightly at the disturbance of the darkness.
The guest turns the lights off again right away before venturing into the only remaining bedroom in the apartment, Kazue's eyes fluttering open when Atsushi lays him down on his back atop of the mattress.
"Hi, Dad," he murmurs groggily, silently watching with interest as his parent unclipped his overalls.
"Hey, baby. Dad is just helping you get into some PJ's," he smiles down at him fondly, Kazue beaming in return as he proceeds to stare him in the face with lidded eyes. In the tone Atsushi frequently spoke to him in, he made everything sound fun and exciting even if it were the simplest of chores. It's half the reason why Kazue always has such a wonderful smile on his face.
He wasn't positive about an exact size while picking them up, but the pajamas seemed to fit him to a tee, looking so adorable that he couldn't resist slipping his phone out of his pocket and snapping a photo, which he immediately sends to Chuuya because my god, that man loves their child just as much as they do.
After putting the device back down following his message and attachment to Chuuya, Kazue's arms are outstretched forward as he makes grabby hands, his dad getting the hint as he giggles and picks him back up in his arms, where immediately he's being hugged.
"Is Dad no longer sad?" the little one's precious voice now fills the empty air, and Nakajima is paralyzed at hearing him ask such a thing. He almost forgot that their son had been there to witness that, let alone understand what was going on.
So he reassures him, "Yes, I'm all better now," making sure to smile for emphasis while running his fingers through his black head of hair.
"Are you sure? Daddy and I can kiss the owies away."
"You bet we could," another voice is added to the mix, and Atsushi nearly jumps out of his skin when he turns around to see Akutagawa standing in the doorway, smile on his lips and fondness in his eyes. He walks up to join the two so he could wrap his arms around Nakajima's waist from behind, holding him close and pressing a kiss to the exposed skin of his collarbone before murmuring into the flesh, "All you have to do is tell us where it hurts."
"And if I say it's everywhere?" Atsushi comes back jokingly to distract himself from how hot he felt at such an unexpected display of affection, unable to stop himself from giggling when his lips find themselves tickling behind his ear.
"Then I guess I'll be busy until morning, won't I?"
Nakajima laughs even harder at that comment, playfully swatting the man's head before it's Kazue that is next attacking his body, kissing his cheek after Atsushi slips out of Akutagawa's embrace to venture to the bathroom with him.
"See, Kazue, it's working," Akutagawa snickers as he follows along. "Look how happy Dad is now. We might have to keep this up."
"Well definitely not tonight, he isn't. Once little Kazue here brushes his teeth, it's time to go to sleep," Atsushi lectures with a grin, sitting Kazue up on the edge of the sink while he holds his miniature toothbrush, removing the plastic from the kid-friendly toothpaste he also purchased for him, strawberry flavored. "While we haven't established a bedtime yet, I'm certain it's way past it already."
"It's not past mine yet, though. Does this mean I'm still fair game?" Akutagawa proceeds to teasingly flirt, and Atsushi wishes he can stop smiling and blushing but he can't, half-tempted to throw the bottle of toothpaste at his head to make him stop staring at him like he's the most beautiful person in the world.
"Oh, hush it, you! Go fetch me his hair brush from one of the bags and I'll consider it."
"Got it. Be right back."
Atsushi and Kazue are both laughing as they watch his dad take off, then squeezing a really small clump of red paste onto the bristles to brush his perfect rows of baby teeth, all grown in but not expected to start falling out loose for another two years. Given it's sweeter taste compared to mint, Kazue didn't mind the process one bit, Atsushi falling into the coughing fits when Akutagawa's arriving comment of how their son looks like Lovecraft in 'slime mode' causes him to choke on his own saliva.
He returned with a small cup of water too, so the little boy was able to swish water around in his mouth once told what to do after spitting in the sink, then just about all ready for bed except for a few more minor tasks to commit to the routine. Atsushi wets a lukewarm face cloth and washes off his face, gently scrubbing at every nook and cranny once wiping away the sticky saliva still stuck to his chin and lips from teeth-brushing.
All the while he does this, Akutagawa is brushing the tangles from his hair so it isn't too knotted to maintain in the morning, something he understands from personal experience due to having an exact same haircut. He tries his hardest to make sure it doesn't hurt, using the trick of starting at the very tips and gradually making your way up, and with the help of the detangler spray Atsushi also thought to pick up (he thought it was mind-blowing how the boy thought of so much), the process wasn't too difficult at all, despite the occasional ows he would receive in response.
His hair was super soft and healthy, unlike Ryuunosuke's had ever been. When he was living on the streets with Gin and all the other homeless children, brushing his hair was the least of their concerns if starving and ill just about every single day of your life. The first time he even remembers combing his hair was when they were brought into the mafia, and he recalls vividly how long him and Dazai had spent in this very bathroom trying to salvage his head, except he wasn't ridding the knots nearly as gentle as Akutagawa does for his own kid now. He was on the verge of frustrated tears, body trembling as he struggled to endure the pain while trying to hide away his miserable expression from his new mentor, and whenever a tear or two did happen to slip down his face, all it did was earn him a slap from Dazai and another reminder that he didn't have to be here doing this for him. Perhaps it's knowing how it feels on the receiving end that makes him so empathetic, or how deeply he desires to prevent his kid from living a life even remotely similar to the one he himself suffered.
When you're inside for just about all day, it's manageable, but when you're outside in the wind, it tends to get really tangled, and that was the advice he gave to the little boy as they worked through it. Of course, he didn't have to get into a lecture as to why you shouldn't sleep with dried up blood stuck in your hair, and they pray he'll never have to.
After making sure he peed before bed, the wee one was more than ready to collapse underneath the sheets and call it a night. He eagerly walked on ahead of them, although the bed was a little too high up for his reaching, and so indefinitely needed the boost Akutagawa gave him, his father grunting over-exaggeratedly about how 'unbearably heavy' he was. Kazue once again landed into the giggle fits, especially when he drops him face first into the pillows.
At first, the parents assumed he was going to be a very quiet and reserved child, much like Ryuunosuke, but it turns out that once he feels you're a kind and loving person no matter the exterior, he's much more like Atsushi after all; warm, pleasant, and attracting. He has such a hope in his eyes that Akutagawa lost so long ago, and if he were to make his life goal in preserving such a rare display of hope in a world so cold and fucked up, he would someday die with his years well-spent.
"Ooh, wait! Before you go to sleep, I have a present for you!" Atsushi grins, and immediately he has Kazue's full and undivided attention as he squeals in excitement. Even Akutagawa wasn't too sure what he was talking about as he waited inside the bedroom alongside his kid, pulling back the duvet for him to crawl in and get tucked all nice and snug, but given their current scene, he felt he should've guessed what it was when Atsushi came back in with a giant tiger plushie, which had Akutagawa shaking his head and smiling uncontrollably.
Kazue let's out the biggest gasp, exclaiming how, "It looks just like Dad!" before engulfing it in his embrace, the tiger twice the size of him but still being squeezed to death in his crushing hug. "Now all the monsters will stay away!"
"You know it," Akutagawa plays along with a laugh. "Even when he isn't physically here to keep you safe, his tiger will do the job for him while he's away. Isn't that right, Dad?"
"Oh, but of course! No creature is of any match against the Beast Beneath The Moonlight! Just ask your Daddy, he knows from personal experience~!" Atsushi digs with a wink, elbowing the man in the side as he grins angrily in his direction. The bitter laugh that escapes the man through gritted teeth is comical, and Nakajima almost fears what fate will await him once they leave the proximity of their child.
"Anyway, we've kept you up for long enough," is where Akutagawa draws the line, tugging on the string of the lamp to keep it on as he goes to sleep while Atsushi walks over to the doorway to shut off the ceiling light. The older leans down to smooth away his bangs and kiss his exposed forehead, murmuring, "Sleep tight, angel. Tomorrow morning, expect to have pancakes when you wake up," before stepping away to give Nakajima his moment with the boy.
When Akutagawa had raised his head back up, he's stunned when Kazue's little hand raises up to softly caress his cheek, feeling a physical hurt in the pit of his stomach at how much love and trust their child carries for him that no one else ever had. He sits up in bed and to mimick his father's actions, he brushes his front bangs out of his face and keeps it pinned back with his hand, leaning forward to peck him the very same way Ryuunosuke did. The way the man's entire face lit up like a Christmas light was priceless, but more importantly, Atsushi wish he could've captured that moment forever, even if he doesn't doubt he'll ever forget such a precious display.
"I wish you all the sweetest of dreams, my baby. We love you more than you'll ever know," Atsushi smiles down on him, pressing a lingering kiss to his cheek when Kazue reaches up to link his arms around his neck, pulling him down for a hug so he too could press his lips to the top of his head. Nakajima could of laid there forever basking in his warmth, but he did force himself to pull away and finally leave the child to his own dreams.
If there was one thing both Atsushi and Akutagawa wished they could do for him, it's to experience that rare feeling of going to sleep at night anxiously anticipating for what's in store for tomorrow, even if it's the most ordinary of days...