Chapter Text
Atsushi's twelfth shift, he feels like dying. He’s still plagued by the feeling of Akutagawa's cheek under his hand as he applied bandages, the heat of it, the faint flush on Akutagawa’s cheeks, and despite him sleeping next to Lucy, something that helped him rest, he still didn’t get much of it because he kept thinking of Akutagawa. It hurts to know that his treatment of him likely meant nothing to Akutagawa, and it kept him up late and had him sleeping past his alarm, which was suspiciously off.
Maybe Lucy had turned it off, thinking she was helping him.
Still, he had to call Kunikida to tell him that he’d be late, but he had no idea who Kunikida put on the schedule with him, because he forgot to check. He finds out it’s Yosano and Dazai, and that Kunikida will be coming in later to take over for Dazai. Which means Dazai is going to have to rely on Sigma, Fyodor, or Chuuya to get him home. Atsushi isn’t sure why he’s thinking of this, as it’s none of his business who Dazai goes home with, but for some reason he’s decided to keep track of who Dazai stays with. It was supposed to be Chuuya’s turn a while back, but instead Kunikida then Fyodor picked him up. So it makes sense that Kunikida wouldn’t be the one Dazai stays with. And he hears that Fyodor, Nikolai, and Sigma all live together, so chances are, it’ll be Chuuya who picks him up, if Chuuya isn’t still mad at Dazai. Chuuya claimed he wanted to mess with Dazai, but it didn’t seem like he actually wanted to, because he stopped Tachihara, Gin, and Akutagawa from messing with the vacuums. Still, there’s a chance he’ll mess with them, so Atsushi has decided to be on guard.
Atsushi wants to collapse into a chair, and if Kunikida were here, there’d always be one open. Kunikida never sits down during his shifts, like a string pulled taut, always ready to do something. But Yosano usually sits, and Dazai always sits. However, Yosano, sensing his tiredness, offers her seat, to which Atsushi gratefully melts into.
“Wow, you look like you need a break, bad.” Yosano says.
“I’m tired, I’m hungry, I want to sleep because I spent all last night with Lucy staying up, please take the next cars for me, I’ll do towels and trash, just please don’t make me go out right now, Yo-san.”
“Calm down, I will. And did you spend the night at her place? What a womanizer.” Yosano accuses, wiggling her brows.
“I did, but I’d never get with her, God no. She’s like a sister to me, and I’m pretty sure I’m gay anyway.” Atsushi clarifies, looking absolutely horrified.
“Damn, didn’t mean to traumatize you, sorry. You’re just friends, got it.” Yosano shakes her head, smiling.
Atsushi has a feeling she doesn’t mean that apology.
“What’d you two even talk about?”
Atsushi tells her about them catching up on their lives, and makes the mistake of mentioning Akutagawa.
“Maybe Ranpo was right, you two do have crushes on each other.” She jokes.
“Wait, Ranpo said that? What in the world would make him think that, we hate each other.” Atsushi replies angrily.
“Welp, I’m going to go get a sandwich, you want anything?” Dazai suddenly asks, startling Yosano and Atsushi by standing up.
“Egg and sausage biscuit.” Yosano responds without skipping a beat.
“Aren’t you worried about owing him? He’s definitely going to ask for a horrible favor.” Atsushi asks.
“He owes me 7,900 yen. This is his way of paying it off.” She claims.
“How did he even get to owe you?” Atsushi is shocked out of his mind. “He seems like the type to never let anyone owe him anything.”
“Well, you wanna tell him?” Yosano says, smirking at Dazai.
“...I bet her 7,900 yen that Kunikida wouldn’t respond if I called him past his bedtime.” Dazai reluctantly reveals.
“And?” Yosano’s smile has grown much wider, satisfaction creeping into her voice.
“He did respond.” Dazai admitted.
“He’s very strict about his schedule, so that must mean he really cares about you. You should count yourself lucky.” Atsushi finds.
“That’s not all.” Yosano claims.
“What else is there?” Atsushi asks.
“Well, we’re waiting.” Yosano says, forcing Dazai to tell him again.
“...I called out of work at the last minute to gift shop for Chuuya’s birthday.” Dazai seems thoroughly shamed, but Yosano just has to push it further.
“Because?”
“I forgot about his birthday.” Dazai hesitantly adds.
“Bingo!” Says Yosano, turning to Atsushi and smiling triumphantly.
“So, what’d you get him?”
“A bottle of wine–” Dazai starts, but Yosano cuts him off.
“And who helped you pick that out?”
“...You.” Dazai sounds completely and utterly humiliated.
Atsushi realizes he likes seeing him like this. Very different from his usual aura of composure as he ruthlessly tears down others. He doesn’t know what it says about him as a person that he likes to see Dazai ashamed, but he’s decided he doesn’t care right now.
“Oh yeah, what else did you get?” Yosano adds.
“A chain and a collar, because he’s my dog.” Dazai casually mentions, unbridled confidence (unfortunately) returning.
“Didn’t need to know that.” Yosano and Atsushi speak in unison.
“And some dog toys.” Dazai wiggles his brows suggestively while saying ‘toys’.
Yosano winces, “Please, I implore you, shut the fuck up.”
“Just, get the sandwich, please.” Atsushi mutters, “And please tell me this isn’t an excuse to go fuck your boyfriend in the bathroom.”
“I did bring my strap.” Dazai says, looping one arm through his backpack and edging out the door.
“DIDN’T NEED TO KNOW THAT.” Yosano and Atsushi yell in unison.
Dazai leaves, and Yosano and Atsushi are left in a comfortable quiet.
“So, what’s your favorite colour?” Yosano asks, breaking the silence.
“Icy blue, what about you?”
“The colour of my girlfriend's hair.”
“Ew, gay.” Atsushi fires back.
“Just kidding, it’s purple and gold.” Yosano says.
They return to quiet, until Atsushi remembers Kyouka’s gift to him. The stripes on the tiger drawing are purple, so he decides to show it to Yosano.
“Isn’t she so talented, Yo-san? I could see her becoming a professional character designer or animator someday.” He gushes.
“You seem like you’ve really taken to that kid, Atsushi.” Yosano smiles wistfully. “I wish I could be in her life again, but Kouyou has been pretty firm about her not seeing me at the moment. Still, I think she’ll eventually forgive me for giving her alcohol. She is at the age where it’s not too damaging.”
“Well, I hope so. You two seem like you’d be a good pair.”
“We would, wouldn’t we?” She responds.
Dazai actually returns at a reasonable time, and they eat their lunch in silence.
Kunikida comes in a couple of minutes, likely with Kyouka and Kenji in tow, and Atsushi is excited to see her again.
When Kunikida arrives, he brings the two k’s and a laptop.
“Once I’m done with school work, the four of you can watch a movie.” Kunikida says, “In between cars, for the two of you.” He glances at Atsushi and Dazai.
Kenji lights up.
“Can we watch a documentary?” He asks.
Kyouka opens her mouth, but before she can say anything, Dazai adds his two cents, “how about a horror movie?”
“Kyouka, what do you want to watch?” Atsushi asks.
“...Horror comedy film.” She offers shyly.
“And you, Atsushi?” Kunikida questions.
“I don’t care.”
“Two votes for horror, so that’s what we’ll watch. Dazai, any preferences on the subgenre?” commands Kunikida.
“Horror comedy is fine.” Dazai says, smiling and nodding encouragingly at Kyouka. He seems to regret cutting her off earlier.
“Alright, horror comedy it is. Let me get this car real quick before I start on my work.” Kunikida decides, stepping into the tunnel.
The rest of the shift goes like this, Kunikida popping in to get homework done, but spending most of his time doing school work, checking/cleaning towels and throwing out trash.
“Thank you, Atsushi, for taking over the tunnel for the majority of this shift.” Kunikida sounds almost excessively grateful.
Atsushi waves him off, saying, “Don’t worry about it! I know life is tough on you between school, work and kids.”
“Truly, I deeply appreciate you doing something when this lazy bum forces me into the pay station.” Kunikida nods his head in Dazai’s direction, to which Dazai indignantly squawks.
“I’ll have you know I have the very important task of caring for these children right now!” Dazai says, holding a cloth full of carrots that Kenji just gave him, not even pretending to be interested in them.
“Yeah, you’ve been doing so much, we get it.” Atsushi murmurs.
“What was that?” Kunikida and Dazai look at Atsushi, completely shocked.
“..oh. Did I say that out loud?” Atsushi rubs the back of his neck anxiously, “Sorry.”
“No, you’re good, and right, it just surprised me.” Dazai claims.
They fall into silence in between Kunikida’s incessant tapping on his computer. Atsushi can feel himself drifting off this plane at the noise, which is why he’s grateful for the little break every once in a while when a car comes or when Kunikida checks something off in his notebook.
Dazai gazes adoringly at Kunikida as he checks another item off the list.
“It’s hot how organized you are,” He says bluntly.
Kunikida flushes.
“Wh–You–” Kunikida flusters. “Don’t think you’re coming home with me tonight, you and Chuuya need to talk.”
“Yeah, yeah, get off my ass about it.” Dazai brushes him off.
“I’m serious! It’s not fair to h–” Dazai cuts Kunikida off with a glare.
“Not here.” Dazai glowers.
Kunikida hesitantly agrees. “Sorry for bringing it up.”
“So, are you and Chuuya dating, Kunikida?” Atsushi wonders.
“No, we’re both monogamous.”
Atsushi scrunches his nose. “How does that work?”
“We both only want to date one person, but we’re also both fine with that person dating others. Technically still monogamous, just only on one side.” Kunikida pushes up his glasses. “Or rather, two, in this case.”
“And you don’t get jealous?”
“Of course I sometimes get jealous of my metamours, but we work through that through communication.” Kunikida clarifies.
“Huh, neat.” Atsushi responds.
A couple minutes later, Kunikida turns around his laptop, showing Netflix on the screen.
“I’m done, you all can start on the movie now.”
“Yippee!!” Kenji shouts.
Kyouka and Dazai look just as, if not more, excited.
“Calm down, no need to yell.” Kunikida says, but the trio is already rushing to pick out a movie. As per their original choice, it has to be a horror comedy, but Dazai and Kyouka can’t seem to agree on what they want. Then, Kenji chips in, asking for a movie with agriculture involved.
“No!!” Kyouka and Dazai speak in unison.
“There’s actually a movie that you two were already considering that takes place on a farm. How about we choose that one?” Atsushi aims to compromise.
“Fine.” Kyouka and Dazai are perfectly in sync, Dazai’s pout somehow looking even more childish than Kyouka’s.
So they start a movie and Atsushi is enjoying it, until partway through it, a familiar car pulls up.
Black, with white stripes.
He feels a drop of dread at facing him again, and a funny feeling in his chest that he needs to ignore.
Akutagawa parks in the Angel’s lot, much to Atsushi’s chagrin, since he now has no reason to scold him now and has to actually just apologize like a normal person.
So when Akutagawa walks up to pick Kyouka up, Atsushi is forced to apologize, something he both genuinely wants to do and hates that he has to do.
“I’m sorry for breaking your nose.”
Atsushi starts, but Akutagawa cuts him off.
“…thanks. For taking care of me.” Akutagawa mutters, “I provoked you, so I deserved it.”
Atsushi smiles. He was actually receptive to the apology. Maybe this won’t be so bad.
“I accused you of something, that you may or may not have done, you had your reasons to fight me.” Atsushi softly adds, “Someone needed to take care of your sorry ass.”
Akutagawa scoffs, but his smile tells a different story.
Why did they even hate each other, again?
Dazai returns, and suddenly Atsushi remembers. Akutagawa blamed him for his mentor’s shittiness, and acted like a dick because of it, making it Atsushi’s problem. He feels his face harden, and Akutagawa’s is matching.
“Oh, what are you doing here, my ex-pupil?” Dazai emphasizes the ex.
“I’m here to pick up Kyouka, but Gin has someone over, so I’m going to have to stay here for a while.”
“You could just take Kyouka for ice cream or something.” Dazai snidely offers.
Atsushi is struck with just how immature Dazai is. Whatever Akutagawa did, it certainly doesn’t warrant this. But he supposes Akutagawa is also immature, blaming Atsushi for something that wasn’t even his fault.
“No way! I want to watch the rest of the movie, it is just getting good!” Kyouka chirps, pausing the movie, eyes pleading. “Please please please I’ll be good I just want to finish this!”
Akutagawa seems shocks, and Atsushi is struck with the sense that Kyouka doesn’t press for things often.
“Tell me the name of the movie and we can watch the rest at home.”
“And how long will it take for Gin’s partner to leave?” Kyouka practically begs, “I want to finish it here, with Atsushi and the others. Please?”
Akutagawa's face darkens at the mention of Atsushi, but it’s outweighed by his surprise.
“Fine, you can stay here. Can I watch the movie with you?” He asks Dazai as much as he asks Kyouka.
“Fine.” Dazai tersely says, shoulders drawing close to his ears and body closed off from Akutagawa.
“Absolutely.” Kyouka nods vigorously, and Akutagawa seems to take solace in her enthusiasm.
Akutagawa takes the furthest seat from Dazai, which happens to be right by Kyouka and Atsushi.
“Don’t think we’re all buddy buddy now.” He utters.
“I wouldn't dream of it.” Atsushi replies.
As the movie goes on, it gets scarier, and embarrassingly, Atsushi finds himself clinging to Akutagawa. Kyouka is somehow unphased, which adds to Atsushi’s shame, because if an actual child is faring better at braving this movie than him, he’s got some issues.
“Would you stop grabbing at me?” Akutagawa hisses.
“I can’t, it just freaks me out–OH SHIT–” Atsushi ducks at another jumpscare, hiding his face in Akutagawa's shoulder, to which he is rudely pushed off.
“Aww, nice to see my boys in love.” Dazai teases with a shit eating grin.
“NOT IN LOVE.” Said boys shout in unison.
Kyouka jerks up, and Atsushi is hit with the realization that not only is she not scared at the movie, she’s actively falling asleep to it.
The movie goes on, and Atsushi finds himself glued to Akutagawa’s side while he laughs, and eventually Kyouka rests her head on them both and fully succumbs to sleep.
“I can’t believe she can actually be tired when this is playing.” Atsushi finds himself gripping Akutagawa’s arm harder.
“It’s not even supposed to be scary right now, you’re such a wimp.” Akutagawa smirks.
“A wimp who broke your nose.”
“And apologized immediately to treat it, yeah, you’re not just a wimp, you’re a doormat.” Akutagawa whispers, to which Atsushi is glad, because:
“Say that any louder and I’ll break it again.”
“OOooOOoOOooOooo I’m quivering in my boots I’m oh so scared.” Akutagawa jokes.
“I will.”
“Sure you will, you’ll have to stop clutching my shoulder for long enough to actually make a swing.”
Atsush finds himself grabbing on harder as another jumpscare plays.
“Oh, fuck you.”
“You wish.”
“Do you have any better lines than that?” Atsushi irritatedly questions. Akutagawa had said that before.
“Stop your lovers quarrel and get me a sandwich, Tetchou’s running the shop tonight so I don’t feel like going.” Dazai butts in.
“Go get it yourself, lazy bum.” Kunikida says.
“Hmmmm how about no?”
So Atsushi, suddenly grateful as he realizes this is his way out of the rest of the movie, carefully readjusts Kyouka so she’s only leaning on Akutagawa, and leaves.
He ignores the way he misses the physical contact, and makes his way to the store.
He walks in on a black haired man stabbing a white-haired man with red tips with an umbrella.
White haired man’s nametag reads Jouno, and black haired man seems to be Tetchou.
What’s odder, is that under the apron uniform of the store, they seem to be wearing police uniforms.
“What’s with the cop get-up?” Atsushi asks.
Suddenly realizing someone else is there, the two straighten, pretending they weren’t just…whatever they were doing.
“Ah, we just got off patrol.” Jouno says.
“Cops usually get paid decently, why are you working a second job?” Atsushi questions.
“Ah, our boss bought all the Angel’s in the district to pay off some debt. He doesn’t have enough staff, so we fill in for him when he can’t make up for it.” Tetchou adds.
“Oh, cool.” Atsushi responds.
He picks out a sandwich, and faintly hears the two hiss at each other, continuing whatever fight they were in.
It seems very one-sided, Jouno attacking and Tetchou having none of it. Still, none of Atsushi’s business, so he buys the sandwich and leaves.
Once he gets back, the movie is almost over, and Dazai makes grabby hands in his direction.
“Gimme gimme.”
“It was 400 yen, pay up.” Atsushi says.
“But wasn’t it a generous gift to the absolutely wonderful being that is yours truly?” Dazai bats his eyelashes.
“Not on your life.”
Dazai sighs and hands Atsushi 400 yen.
Atsushi pockets it and watches as the credits roll, thankful that the movie is finally over. He watches as Akutagawa gently shakes Kyouka awake, and she yawns cutely.
Akutagawa gently takes her by the hand and pulls her toward the door, waving goodbye to everyone (including, shockingly, Atsushi), as he goes.
Maybe they aren’t just enemies anymore.
Maybe.
The shift is over, and Sigma drives in with Fyodor's lambo, presumably to pick up Dazai.
And when Dazai goes to get into the car, Kunikida yells after him, but by that point, they're already driving off.
Atsushi distantly remembers he was supposed to go home with Chuuya that night.
Huh, weird.