Secret (shinsoukoku)

Chapter 8

Atsushi was running. Running and running and running. Not turning around. Not even a single time. A few times he slipped on the wet floor, but the tiger treated his small wounds in a matter of seconds. Then, he raised himself, and started running again.

How could he hurt him like that? Why would he hurt him like that?

He only remmebers how he took care of his partner's bleeding and returned him to the mafia where he could get properly treated. He doesn't know how he did that all so fast. Or maybe was it slower than he imagined? Atsushi doesn't know.

He hopes his partner is okay.

He can't go home. Not like this. Not when there's still Akutagawa's blood on his shirt and hands. Even though the rain washed some of it, the smell was still there.

The weretiger hated it.

After a while he found a nice spot where no one could see him and he curled up on the ground. His tail appeared and he started hugging it a bit. He wanted someone next to him, but who was he supposed to call? Kyoka shouldn't worry about him, and he doubts Dazai would make him feel better. And that's all the people he's close with. Why would the other agency members care for him?

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A few hours pass and he's heard his phone buzzing a few times already. He picks it up and goes on the contacts app. Three people have written to him. Dazai, asking where he is. Kyoka, asking when he'll come back and if he could buy some ramen on the way back and Chuuya with a threat, that if Atsushi ever hurt Akutagawa this badly again, there will be consequences.

Then, a new message appeared.

„But don't worry too much kid. He's alright"

Atsushi started crying again.

Akutagawa didn't die... The weretiger felt a strange sort of relief go over him and he put the phone to his chest.

The words the diablo said right before he wounded him were still in his mind. How did he know? He never told his secret to anyone. Not even Kyoka.

He found it out when he went to the supermarket that day. He secretly bought a test and after googling how it works, he proceeded to do multiple of them. Not a single one came back negative.

At first Atsushi didn't know how it was possible. But then, he got a dream. And a memory. It was kind of in the middle. His tiger, Byyako, showed him how it all started and how it was even possible. His and her body kind of got combined. She started feeling more human, which gave her the ability to speak with Atsushi in a human language. Atushi on the other side got a better eyesight, better hearing and ultimately also the tiger's child.

He needed to tell someone. He wanted to tell someone... But he didn't know who.

He wanted to tell Kyoka. But how would he even start? ‚Hey, sorry, I'm pregnant and you're going to be an older sister and also have to help me deal with a screaming toddler'?. No. That wouldn't be fair to Kyoka. She just got saved from the mafia and has already enough responsibilities at the ADA.

There was another person on his mind.

The person who already knew the truth.

Atushi was hesitant, but he knew it wouldn't be long before Aktagawa would use this as blackmail to him. And so, the weretiger stood up and the next stop would be the Akutagawas's house.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Akutagawa was still sore from the huge wound on his chest. Mori saved his life fairly quickly, and almost immediately let him go back to his house. Akutagawa got 3 days of health-care time before he would have to go back in the job.

Gin still wasn't home. She was on a week long missioni in Italy and once she got a call from Chuuya that her brother got hurt, she wanted to go to him, but Akutagawa managed to make her stay on the mission. He got hurt all the time, and she shouldn't skip on an important misson just because of that.

But it still warmed his heart that his sister cared for him so much.

He was sitting one the couch, holding a cup of tea and being covered by a blanket when he heard a knock on the door.

He immediately prepared his Rashomon. Whoever was behind that door wasn't Gin nor anyone else from the mafia, so it had to be an intruder.

Akutagawa slowly stood up and put the cup of tea on a table nearby, then went to the door.  The mysterious person behind it knocked again.

The diablo opened the door with a fast swiff for the element of surprise and knocked the person to the ground. The person whined and caught eye contact with Akutagawa.

To his surprise it was Jinko. He immediately let him go.

„What are you doing here?" He asks. There's anger in his voice but the entire adrenaline has left him, so now his voice just sounded tired.

The weretiger is still on the ground. He seems a bit shaken and Akutagawa tsks. He picks him up with his Rashomon. He pushes him agains the wall.

„Are you deaf again?" Akutagawa asks and Jinko's eyes keep looking everywhere but him. He starts regretting coming here. Why would he even think Akutagawa wouldn't kill him the second he saw him?

„You were right" He quickly says, which makes the diablo releas his grip a little.

„About what?" He asks, but he already knows the answer.

„The pregnancy"
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I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter
-Nat