The (rut) cycle (shinsoukoku)

Chapter 22

"Ryuu!" His sister hugs him as soon as they're finally out of the house Akutagawa was held in and the diablo smiles.

"Where were you?" Akutagawa asks but before his sister can answer, Dazai puts a hand on his shoulder.

"She'll tell you later. We need to get you to safety and check-up first... Good job, Akutagawa. Not many people would be strong enough to survive what you had to live though" He says and the diablo feels proudness fill him.

Unfortunately, disappointment too. Dazai doesn't know that some days, Akutagawa enjoyed being in his kidnapper's presence.

The diablo just nods and lets himself get guided to the port mafia cars and driven to one of Chuuya's safe houses.

_________

"So he just badly hurt you?" Akutagawa asks his sister after getting out of the shower. Everyone was surprised he had completely no bruises on him. It seemed as if he was even healthier than before,

Maybe that drink Atsushi gave him every day with the weird taste really did help him heal?

"Yes... You only saw how he dragged me out of the basement. But he never killed me. Even when he bit me, his teeth weren't deep enough to make any fatal damage."

"But...why?" The diablo asks and sits down next to her. Gin looks at him and there's a sad smile on her face.

"He told me that I should be there for you if you ever manage to get out. I guess he always knew Dazai and Chuuya were going to find you but... he spared me. Only for you."

It was somewhat romantic in some sense, Ryyonsuke thought.

Wow, Atsushi really broke his mind.

What was he thinking, asking Atsushi to come back for him?

Was he really so desperate for love?

He had Gin now... right?

But... platonic and romantic love are completely different from one another. Those new feelings that the weretiger made him feel, he wanted to feel again.

And he would wait for him, patiently. Until maybe one day, they could run away somewhere, far far away.

Sure, Atsushi would likely forever stay... maybe not abusive but very needy in the bad sense. Akutagawa didn't want to use the word abuse. It's not like he was drawn to it because of Dazai.

No. Atsushi was someone who Akutagawa got the attention of completely by himself.

"Ryuu?" Gin asks and softly grabs his arm, taking him out of the trance.

"Oh, sorry" Akutagawa apologizes and his sister looks at him with a worried look on her face. She stands up and sighs a bit.

"I'll let you have some privacy. Call me if you need anything, okay?" She asks and the diablo just nods.

He doesn't stay long in the living room. He stands up and walks over to his room. The room he was not able to be in for many months now,

Walking in was weirdly nostalgic but at the same time felt like the most natural thing in the world. He never had many things in there but for now, his room was perfect.

He walks over to his bed and lays on it. On the chair next to him is his coat and he grabs it, then puts it around him. He missed this jacket. He often thought of it as a protective layer... Atsushi took it off many times. He wore it, too.

Akutagawa smells it, wanting to smell Atsushi's scent but the jacket smells like chemicals. His sister probably washed it for him.

He smiles, not knowing what he did to deserve her. She was such a caring person, very undeserving of the dark and terrible world of the mafia. She was an incredibly talented fighter but Akutagawa still has dreams where she was able to grow up in a normal environment, with parents, a pet and many friends around her.

And so, he falls asleep with the jacket around him.

__________

"What happened to yer arm, comrade?" An old man with a long, white beard and a golden tooth asks the young, also white-haired man that just entered his ship. The younger man had a cloak on him and his arm was covered in a bandage which was very visible because he was wearing a t-shirt.

"I was hurt in a fight. But it's finally starting to heal!" He says with a smile on his face.

His ability was finally getting back to normal.

The old man laughs and pats his shoulder.

"I'm guessing you won!" He laughs and lets Atsushi pass him.

The boat he's on isn't a public ship. It's used to catch and transport fish. The entire ship smelt like it and Atsushi licked his lips, already hungry. However, he would have to hold out a little bit longer until it was night. He couldn't let anyone know he was eating. their caught prey.

A few days have passed since he last saw Akutagawa and he knew his mate needed a bit of time away from him. Once they separate for long enough, Akutagawa will know how much he actually missed him. How good Atsushi was to him.

And maybe, it will be Akutagawa running back to him and Atsushi won't have to search for him for long.

"So where should I let you get off?" The man asks and Atsushi takes off the cloak. He walks over to the edge of the boat and looks forwards.

"To Russia. I will need to meet someone there" He says and turns to the man with a smile. A smile which hides a secret.
_________

I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter
-Nat