Closer to You (DISCONTINUED)

7. Akutagawa

🌊Akutagawa🌊

I just sat at the shoreline and watched Atsushi play in the waves, letting the ocean water occasionally reach my feet.

The weretiger was laughing like a child as he was tossed around by waves crashing down. *He looks like an idiot.*

Well, that's because he is one. I glanced down and found a shell laying beside me. The gray shell with choppy edges reminded me of Atsushi's hair, and I looked back up at him.

I decided to keep the shell, putting it down in the pockets of my swim trunks. I watched Atsushi stand, only to be knocked over by a strong wave. I felt myself chuckle.

He crawled to shore and I saw he was holding shells in his hand, struggling to make sure he didn't loss any to the ocean waves.

"Ah crap, no pockets..." I heard him say to himself as he felt around on his hip.

"I can take them, I have pockets," I called over to him.

"Really? Thanks!" he waded through the water until he was close enough to carefully hand me the shells. I tucked them in my pocket with the other one.

We broke into an awkward silence, not knowing what to say yet. He had sat next to me to take a break from the waves, watching the water gently slide over the sand.

"The waves look crazy," I finally said, following Atsushi's gaze.

"They really are! But it's fun." he brushed his knees off with a pout. "Although shell fragments keep embedding into my legs."

"Ah, that must hurt." I said, looking at his legs which had begun to go an irritated red as be nodded.

"Hey, maybe Dazai will give me some of his bandages."

"Does he do that after you train?" I asked, feeling surprised. Dazai just left me to walk to a doctor after training.

Atsushi blinked, his eyebrows furrowing with confusion, and concern. I scoffed at the concern for me showing in his face. "There's rarely any need for them... did Dazai not go easy on you?"

I looked away, coughing. "He did, I suppose. But the nature of our work is different."

"But the mafia relies more on defenseless-"

"Don't push me, weretiger." I glared over at him, swallowing a cough. Couldn't he see I didn't want to talk about it? I saw his eyes flash with hurt, and his voice turned quiet.

"Right. Sorry, Akutagawa." I huffed, looking away from his face. Seeing him hurt like that bothered me. It wasn't my problem that he crossed a line. Not my fault that I snapped.

*Deep down you know you shouldn't have said that.*

I ignored that thought. After today, just six more days.