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Atsushi held the key in both of his hands, staring at it intensely. “You have seen a key before,” Akutagawa said dryly. “I know you have.” He paused, and Atsushi didn’t move at all. “Do you want me to…?”
“Let me have this moment,” Atsushi said, and Akutagawa sighed, amused, hands tucked in his pockets.
“Can your moment move a little quicker? It is just a tiny bit chilly today.”
They stood together in front of the door to their apartment. It was a much simpler building, with outside access from a breezeway; a thousand times less fancy than Akutagawa’s luxury apartment with a buzzer and doorman but still so much nicer than the ADA dorms Atsushi had been living in. Reverently, Atsushi finally put the key in the lock and opened the door.
“Not very big,” Akutagawa said from the genkan, as Atsushi stood in the main room, walking over to the balcony doors to look out. It was a slightly larger balcony than he expected, enough to stand outside on, and their side of the building didn’t immediately face any other large buildings which made for a hint of privacy. “A bedroom,” Akutagawa continued, walking around behind Atsushi, “and this main room, and…” his voice disappeared into the washroom. “Well, I think we can both fit into this tub with a little creative rearranging….”
Atsushi smiled but ignored the small measure of disdain at the accommodations coming from Akutagawa. He stepped over the threshold into the bedroom. “We can still have a big bed,” he called, spreading his arms out in the room and laughing. “Our bedroom,” he said, and turned around to see Akutagawa in the door, watching him. “Our home,” Atsushi said, and Akutagawa smiled softly and oh, oh he loved that expression. Something that used to be so unusual, but now….
“Our home,” Akutagawa repeated, and Atsushi put his hands on Akutagawa’s waist and kissed him. “Shall we have a quick fuck then, break the place in—?”
Atsushi smacked his chest with both hands, unwilling to cop to having the same thought. “After the furniture gets here,” he said, and Akutagawa tilted his head, a smile still tugging at his mouth.
“Can’t blame me for trying.”
Atsushi didn’t have many possessions to move in, and Akutagawa’s bed—sadly—was a touch too big for the place, so they got a new, slightly smaller one. It was weird and domestic, picking out the furniture, the pieces of this new life; and while they waited on the delivery Atsushi made plans to run to the grocer—only to open the front door as Gin had her hand raised to knock, Higuchi’s arm around hers, clearly attempting to pull her away from the door.
“Oh,” Atsushi said, startled. “Uh, hello.”
“Atsushi-kun,” Gin said cheerfully, holding a pair of plastic bags. “I thought we’d make dinner for you tonight, as I know oniisan won’t have any food yet in the fridge. Isn’t that right, Icchan?”
Higuchi regarded Atsushi with a small measure of disdain. “I suppose. Just to make sure sempai is properly fed, of course.”
“Of course,” Atsushi said dryly, holding the door for them.
Akutagawa was unimpressed to be left sitting with Higuchi at the only proper piece of furniture they currently had, the low table in the main room in front of the television. Gin glanced back over her shoulder at the pair of them a few times while Atsushi helped her chop vegetables, then shook her head and smiled softly. “You’re good for him,” she said. “He’s healing.”
Atsushi raised his head and looked at her, but she didn’t elaborate further. He smiled anyway and resumed cutting, and said fondly, “I love him.”
“I know,” Gin said. “Thank you.”
Higuchi got even more enthusiastic when the beer that had been in the second bag came out and had to be distracted during the furniture delivery; and by the time Gin ushered her out of the apartment the sun was already fast sinking below the horizon. Atsushi washed dishes while Akutagawa sat at their brand-new kitchen table, able to watch him work over the short bar counter. “Gin-chan approves of me,” Atsushi said, setting a bowl on the strainer, and Akutagawa took a measured sip of his tea.
“She has always liked you,” Atsushi expected a rebuke for speaking to his sister so familiarly but received none. “Even before.”
“Oh?”
Akutagawa hid his expression in his cup. “Always on me to make friends.”
“Mm. That does seem to be a particular challenge of yours.”
Akutagawa snorted, and Atsushi smiled, rinsing a plate.
He turned the television on while Akutagawa was in the bath, sitting at the table now himself—there were still a few unpacked and unopened boxes that had been stacked in the main living area as things were shuffled around, but they didn’t block the TV from this angle—and his eyelids were drooping by the time Akutagawa emerged. He put his arms over Atsushi’s shoulders and said softly, “come to bed.”
Atsushi yawned. “You wanted to christen the bed?”
“I am not a fan of the last time we tried to fuck, and you decided to fall asleep with your cock up my ass,” Akutagawa said, and Atsushi turned red. “It’s been a long day, let’s just go to bed.”
The sheets had been washed yet still smelled new, but Akutagawa smelled like Akutagawa so Atsushi buried his face against the crown of Akutagawa’s head. Akutagawa didn’t say anything, but wrapped his arms around Atsushi, and they fell asleep together.
Something that had not been put into consideration before passing out was that the big window on the wall in their bedroom faced east.
Atsushi woke ungodly early when the sunlight hit him full in the face; he muttered and rolled over, attempting to pull a pillow over his head which disturbed Akutagawa, who had rolled away in the night. Instead of blocking the pillow, though, a sleepy Akutagawa caught his wrist with Rashomon, ducking his head under the pillow with Atsushi’s and kissing him. “Ngh, morning breath,” Atsushi whined, sleepy still. “It’s too early.”
Akutagawa touched his face and Atsushi squinted golden eyes open to meet his, open and glittering, and Akutagawa said, “fuck me?”
And oh, okay, he could do that.
It was supposed to be a quickie, but Atsushi wasn’t good at those because he wanted to take his time, eating Akutagawa open and listening to his breathing quicken, those little panting gasps that were delicate music to his ears. And then, finally, when he pushed his cock inside and Akutagawa opened up for him, he reached up and touched Atsushi’s face with his hand as Atsushi hung over him and he smiled, smiled, his heart was so free.
After, when they’d worn themselves out and someone’s phone alarm had been silenced rudely, Atsushi lay beside Akutagawa and brushed some of his damp hair off his cheek. Akutagawa cracked open those coal-dark eyes, studying him intently. “What is it?” Atsushi asked him, soft as a whisper, and Akutagawa reached out, caught his outstretched hand and tangled their fingers together.
“I want this,” Akutagawa said, “forever.”
“This?” Atsushi asked, their hands on the pillow between their faces. Atsushi made a bit of a show of considering it, teasing him. “I guess I’ll have to think about that, forever is a long time, after all….”
Akutagawa shoved his other hand against Atsushi’s shoulder, and Atsushi laughed, rolling up on his side and leaning in to kiss him.
“Weretiger,” Akutagawa said, and his eyes softened again. “Atsushi.”
“Ryuu.”
Akutagawa squeezed the hand he was still holding. “I mean it,” he said. “Stay with me forever. And when you’re through thinking,” he added, leaning in close. Atsushi grinned against his mouth, kissing him again in the brilliant morning sun.
Say yes.
