Gray is Our Colour

Chapter 6: Reporing Back

Once the four had returned home, they all entered into Kunikida and Tanizaki’s apartment, opting to discuss their plans for catching the traitor while keeping their identities hidden. Also so that they could call home. They gathered around a rectangular table in the apartment, a laptop had been placed at the center of the table. They used the laptop to fill out files and contact the Agency and Port Mafia if necessary, they each had their own, the one currently sitting in front of them was Kunkida’s. Dazai was the one to pick up the video call and they all made light jokes about their first day before Kunikida asked how they managed to get in without an interview or tests.
“Oh! That was me!” Dazai exclaimed over the video call.
“And why didn’t you tell us?” Kunikida demanded.
“Making you guys study and go to an interview made it seem more real, what kind of students and teachers don’t need an interview or prior knowledge to get into the most prestigious hero school in all of japan!” Dazai explained.
The four of them just glared at him through the phone before he quickly switched to a more serious face and they knew that he was more serious now.
“You guys need to sell the parts, I don’t think Kunikida and Tanizaki will have too much trouble as most mistakes could be chalked up to inexperience but you two” Dazai looked at the mafiosos “might have some complications. You ‘ll need a cover story as to why you’re so close.”
“That's been taken care of already, Dazai, we grew up in the same town and have been friends since we were 5.” Atsushi said “Did you not read the mission report?”
Dazai gasped overdramatically, a hand going to cover his heart “I’m hurt Atsushi-kun! Of course I read the mission report, it's just that you two are too close to be explained away by knowing each other for a long time.” Atsushi looked confused at this and Dazai sighed before continuing “Most people don’t cling to their friends like you do, Atsushi-kun.”
Atsushi looked away from the phone, blush rapidly growing on his face and muttering “I’m sorry I didn’t have a childhood.”
Kunikida and Tanizaki’s faces darkened after hearing that and seeing the look on the face of their past co-worker. Akutagawa only scoffed before Rashomon grabbed the weretiger and pulled them towards her user.(Akutagawa uses she/her pronouns for Rashomon, I think, well he did in Dead Apple, so) The weretiger let out a surprised yelp before settling down once they realized it was Rashomon.
“See?” Dazai asked, sarcastically.
The weretiger grumbled in acceptance before turning back to Dazai “So how DO you act around friends?” a genuine expression of curiosity on his face.
Kunikida and Tanizaki were stunned, Dazai just replied “Ask those two, they can probably help you more than I can, or~” he let his voice trail off.
“Or what, Dazai-san?”
“Or~ you could pretend to be a couple!” Dazai exclaimed gleefully, giggling at Atsushi and Akutagawa’s reactions to his suggestion, both of their faces had gone bright red.
“With all due respect, Dazai-san, we fight all the time.” Akutagawa managed to say.
Dazai hummed in acknowledgement “You two fight less than me and Chibi did in our days in the mafia, and people STILL thought we were dating, you’ll play the roles just fine. Plus, don’t act like you both don’t have feelings for one another!”
The two looked at each other, blushing, yet Atsushi could feel dread and fear creep into his mind, ‘what if he doesn’t like me back?’ ‘But Dazai’s never wrong.’ ‘But he could be, just this time.’ Atsushi managed to shake the feeling slightly, but it lingered in the back of his mind, gnawing away at his emotions and he knew that he’d need to get an answer soon.
“Then that’s taken care of! You two are a couple and you two are a teacher and his previous student.”
Kunikida just sighed, his headache returning at the constant teasing of the bandaged man on the other side of the phone.
“You must be careful, the principal is extremely cautious and pretty smart, he probably already has Kunikida and Tanizaki on constant watch and just one slip up from one of you two could end up in you being watched as well.” Dazai said, his expression growing grim. “Atsushi.” The boy looked up at the phone. “Be as vague as possible about your past, those heroes might jump to conclusions and try to keep you somewhere or force you to get help. Same goes for you, Akutagawa.” Both of the mafiosos nodded their heads in understanding. Dazai smiled again, “Then that concludes this meeting!” and promptly hung up.
Kunikida sighed “He didn’t even let us ask any questions.”
The two mafiosos quickly excused themselves after the call ended, saying they’d eat dinner at their apartment, their faces were still red and they wouldn’t look each other in the eyes. The two mafiosos silently made their way to their apartment and Atsushi immediately went to the kitchen to begin preparing their meal. While Atsushi cooked dinner, they both managed to get over their embarrassment.
Once they finished eating dinner, Atsushi asked Akutagawa “Is what Dazai said true?” His voice was weaker than normal as the fear of rejection lingered.
The older boy blushed furiously and began scrubbing the dish he was cleaning harder “Be more specific, weretiger.”
His fears and hopes spiking at the ambiguous answer Akutagawa had given him, he tried to focus more on the hopes that the other did like him back - but the fear still lingered, voicing his fears louder than his feelings of hope could ever speak. He was nervous, he was afraid, and most of all, he was hopeful. Hopeful the other would like him back, that this wouldn’t make things incredibly awkward between them, that the boy who knew nothing but pain until a year ago could finally have love.
Atsushi’s face also began to redden, and it only deepened as he spoke “About you having feelings for me - romantic ones…” His voice trailed off at the end and he buried his head in his knees, afraid his eyes would start tearing up as his fears heightened, the uncertainty of it all weighing on the boy.
Akutagawa sighed and put the dish he was washing in the sink before walking over to sit beside Atsushi on the couch.
“Atsushi.” He was startled at the use of his actual name and not a nickname. “Look at me.” Atsushi slowly raised his head, meeting Akutagawa’s eyes. Akutagawa took a breath before speaking again “Dazai-san… was not wrong. I believe I do have romantic feelings for you.” He spit out the word like it was venom on his tongue, a word he never thought he’d use, certainly not on the boy he had planned to kill just a year prior, but seeing Atsushi’s eyes light up at the sentence was well worth it. Atsushi practically threw himself onto Akutagawa, his arms encircling the older’s neck. Akutagawa was taken aback by the sudden display of affection, but quickly returned the weretigers hug.
“So what are we?” The weretiger muttered into Akutagawa’s shoulder.
“Enemies with benefits.” Akutagawa replied, jokingly.
Atsushi pouted and hit his shoulder “Are we boyfriends now? ‘Cause I’ve never done anything like this.”
Akutagawa nodded “Neither have I, weretiger. We’ll have to figure it out together.”