Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Tenko starred up into the crying sky. He blinked and his eyes burned from the rain, but he didn’t care. Through out his 21 years of life all he ever did was hurt the people around him. He didn’t mean to. It was all because of this stupid curse that made everything he touched with the right amount of fingers fall into dust.

His family? Dead. He killed them all by accident when the curse manifested when he was six. Ever since everyone has feared him. He’s been outcasted. No one has ever even tried to look at him as anything other than a murderer and a monster.

So that leaves him here. Hopeless and alone. Ready for the end. Waiting until the sobbing sky drowns him. Waiting for starvation to kill him.

In his despair, he doesn’t register the sound of footsteps approaching. He doesn’t register anything until a strange looking man wearing a white button up, purple tux, and gold eyeglasses leans into his line of vision. A cigarette in between his teeth and Tenko wonders what’s the point of lighting one if the tears of the night’s sky is going to ruin it before you can even put in good use of it.

“You dead?” the man jokes.

“I wish,” he responds.

The man looks at him with a creepy sympathetic expression. “Oh, yeah? And why’s that?”

“Because I destroy all that I touch and no one wants a cursed bastard like that around. So I might as well die and move on to the dark void that is the afterlife. Being alone would be better than the hand I’ve been dealt.”

“That’s depressing. You know, I wouldn’t mind having you around. Having an apprentice to help me in my work wouldn’t be too bad for my part. And who knows, maybe you’ll find something worth it while you’re at it.”

Tenko stares in disbelief. This man can’t be serious. Is he really offering him a job and perhaps meaning to his life just in the first few minutes of knowing him? “What would I be doing?”

“Well, lots of different things. All of them I can teach you how to do and I can promise you won’t be displeased. My shops right over here, why don’t you give it a look, at least? One more try at a long, meaningful life.” He gestures and Tenko follows his movements with his eyes to see a tiny funeral shop near by. As he does so, he turns his head enough for the falling H2O to fall directly into his ear.

Quickly he sits up to get the water out but it’s hard to do that when even more is falling on to him by the second. The other man sighs, “Come on, kid. Let’s get you inside and dry.” Tenko stands and follows the man into the shop and looks around at all the dismembered body parts that sit in glass jars on shelfs that covers every wall and tables in different areas throughout the room. Feeling like he’s going to gag, he turns away, back towards the man, who has already pulled a towel out for Tenko from somewhere in the room.

Taking the towel, he thanks the man, and as he pulls it around himself he’s careful not to disintegrate the warm, fuzzy thing.

Chapter Text

“So, what do you think about the place?” The man watched as Tenko examined the room once more. Despite all the body parts that resign there time to wasting away in the clear glass jars full of the disgusting liquid that perseveres them, the room has quite a homey feel about it. Like that of the living room of a wood cabin Tenko has never stepped foot inside.

“Creepy, but comforting,” he says, honestly. “I could get use to it. But there’s more to this place, isn’t there?”

“There is!”

“What’s going on in here?” An unknown man steps out from behind a curtain. Upon seeing Tenko the man lights up,”Oh! Hello there! You’re all wet. Wait, you were the young man on the sidewalk. Is everything alright?” Looking concerned the man steps out from behind the counter. “Giran, have you no manners? Come! Come, young man, I have food and dry clothes for you in the back!

Tenko follows and thinks over all this. The guy with the purple tux is Giran, good, he knows a name. Clothes… hopefully they aren’t off of dead people. And this man? Who is he? Tenko studies the man as they walk. The unknown man wears a red button up and a black vest that match his black pants. He wear red gloves darker than the shirt and hold a white cane in his left hand, although he doesn’t look old enough to need one, and as shoes he wears white, black toed boots that point slightly. Last, but too extravagant to be least, his head is home to a brown top hat with a single red ribbon and off white feather.

Like Giran, he is dressed up, but unlike Giran, Mr. Unknown actually looks like he puts in a lot of effort and thought into his appearance. Tenko wonders if the man works there and if so also wonders if wearing a tux is mandatory. For a minute he wonders what he himself would look like in a tux. He’s never had a reason to wear one, or much interest to, but these men are starting to make him think.

A second later, he’s asked for a size. “Men’s small,” he responds. Mr. Unknown gives him a cheery reply and hands him some clothes with the same enthusiasm.

“The bathroom is back the way we came. Room on the left.” Tenko nods and turns away. Going through the clothes as he makes his way to the bathroom. And to his surprise and comfort, it is indeed not a tux.

Chapter Text

In the bathroom he changes into the clothes. It’s simply a black tank top, red jacket, black pants and red shoes. While looking at himself he can’t help but think about how the color of the jacket reminds him of Mister’s button down. When he leaves he looks both ways in search of the men, who he finds right where he left them. Walking back to them, he starts to resume his earlier talk with Giran.

“So, what else is there? You’ve already got me half hooked.”

Giran brightens at that once again. “This way. Everything is here in the back.”

“Oh? What were we talking about?” Mister asks, seemingly intrigued.

“I think I’ve found us a new helping hand in our work. I’ve offered this young man an apprenticeship here.” Giran continues into another room and Tenko follows suit with Mister right behind him.

“Oh? Are you sure, young man? Someone of your age shouldn’t be as acquainted with death as we are. You’ve got a whole life ahead of you.”

“No, sir, I’m not sure and that’s why I want to learn more first. And I’m cursed so I’m more acquainted with death then most people my age, yes. And being alive isn’t having a life if you don’t have a reason to stay,” Tenko answers.

“A wise one, I see,” Mister states and laughs. “I hope you stick around. It hard to find someone as wise as you these days.”

“First room,” Giran says, drawing back Tenko’s attention. In the middle of the room is a glass case, and inside of it is the body of a young man. Maybe he was in his thirties when he passed but then again it’s hard to tell. Besides that, all Tenko can see is that the man has purple hair with black roots and pale skin. On a piece of paper taped to the coffin, it reads ‘Kurogiri’. “This one was very close to us. Well, closer to Sako than me. Much closer.”

“Awww, Giran, don’t be so sappy in front of our guest,” Sako jokes but his eyes are ever so slightly laced with pain. Tenko starts to feel a little guilty, so he decides to change the topic.

“Tenko Shimura,” he states. “ You can call me Tenko.”

“Tenko? That’s a very uncommon name. Just when I thought you get anymore special.” Giran laughed and continued on into another room. This one had many more bodies. Motioning Tenko over, Giran showed him one body that immediately Tenko fixated on. “I think you’d like this one, Tenko,” the Giran began,”This one was also cursed. I think you’d get along.”

Tenko starred in disbelief. This body seems younger than the last one. But that’s only judging by the fair pale skin and black hair, his lower body is covered with a sheet and he has stapled on patches of purple skin. “But he’s dead,” he says and the other two men laugh.

“You don’t get it do you?” Sako asks. Tenko shakes his head. “Let me show you something cool.” Sako walks over and holds his hands over the body and begins to speak in a language Tenko’s completely unfamiliar with. He can’t even recognize it. Sako’s hands begin to glow a soft blue and Tenko slowly starts to understand. This dead man is being brought back to life.

After a minute, the light fades and the words stop. He waits in anticipation for something to happen and when the body’s fingers move and it’s eyes open Tenko is ecstatic. “He’s cute! What’s his name?”

Sako looks back at him with equal excitement. “He doesn’t have one yet. How about you choose?”

“How can he not have a name?” Tenko’s confused. Most people have names. “It’s just a thing everyone has and it makes them who they are.”

“Exactly. That’s why he needs one. When you die and are brought back, not all of your soul returns. Only some of it, therefore leaving gaps. And you could call them by their old name but that would be cruel because when you say that name it brings back memories to you of them that they can’t and don’t have. So it’s better to start from scratch,” Giran explains.

Tenko nods. “Okay, then. I have one. Touya.”

“Touya?” Sako asks.

“Touya,” Tenko confirmes.

Chapter Text

Over the next few hours Tenko is doing everything to take care of Touya. He teaches him how to sit up steady, feeds him, and dresses him. In a way, Touya is like a doll. Tenko can make him do all kinds of things, just like how you control a doll. And yet, Touya also isn’t like a doll at all. Dolls need help for even the slightest movement, but Touya, although he can’t do too much can do plenty without help. He changes positions, can hold and pick things up(as long as there not too big or heavy).

However, he can’t stand and can’t dress himself yet. But Tenko doesn’t mind, he loves talking care of his darling doll. A patchwork doll. The purple medical graphs and silver staples draw a lot of attention and are very fragile. But once again, he doesn’t care. Touya is lovely. Touya is perfect. He’s handsome and sweet.

So, no matter how out of place he may seem, no matter how fragile he is; Tenko loves him. Tenko adores him. And Tenko will protect him, for the rest of his life is dedicated to Touya.

“I love him,” Tenko tells Sako and Giran, who have been watching him for the past few minutes. “I never thought I’d feel something like this. Look at him, he’s so cute.”

“We’re glad you’re happy,” Giran says, “Do you expect my offer?”

“Do I get to stay with Touya?”

Sako smiles. “Give him time to relearn of these necessary life skills and he’s yours. You can take places, he can live with you, whatever. But let him rest a minute.”

Tenko sits down on the table, pretending like he wasn’t about to try to teach Touya how to walk so quickly. The smile on his face shines bright. He hooks an arm around Touya’s shoulder and watches as Touya leans into him and cuddles close. Tenko beams at the doll as Touya nuzzles his chest and something a little like flowers bloom through out his body, a weird sensation he welcomes with open arms.

“I can’t wait,” he says. He looks up to lock eyes with Giran, “Yes, I’ll be happy to work for you,” he grins, a small, cute gesture that leaves Sako and Giran to return in all of Sako’s friendliness and all of Giran’s creepiness.

Chapter Text

Over the next few weeks Tenko makes a lot of progress with Touya. He teaches him how to walk, say some words, and helps him with muscle strength and balance. He finds out from Sako that Touya’s curse was that he could control these burning blue flames at will but that the fire burns up to 2000 degrees and was cooking him alive from the inside out most his life.

At this Tenko explained his own curse and Giran gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze of sympathy, while Sako practically went off on a rant about how people can be so cruel to others over something they can’t control.

Tenko smiles at the memory. He looks down at Touya who is nuzzling Tenko’s chest and that flowery feeling returns to his body for what must be the thousandth time that week. He’s been thinking about it and he’s gotta admit that his apartment feels so much lonelier now but not because he’s got no one. It’s because he has a special someone who isn’t with him when he’s there. Sako had explained later on the night Tenko met Touya that he could start taking him home with him at the three week mark but nowhere else until the three month months mark.

“It’s been three weeks!” Sako all but shouts.

Already knowing what he means Tenko grins. “He can really come home with me?”

“Of course! I promised! Just bring him back here with you tomorrow! Good night, Tenko! Have a safe trip home! And remember to watch that thing, he points to Touya.

Tenko mocks offense, “How dare you call Touya a thing! Look at how alive he is!”

Touya looks up at Sako, “Hi.”

“See?” Tenko smiles.

Yes, yes. Very alive,” Giran states with a joking eyeroll. “Now get out of here, kid. It’s late, you should get home soon.”

Tenko chuckles and helps his doll to his feet. With a last farewell, Tenko and Touya leave the shop.
…

When they reach Tenko’s apartment they both fall onto the couch. The patchwork doll lays in the disintegrators’ arms. They lay there and breathe, every breath making them more tired than the last. Right before they fall asleep Tenko rises to his feet, Touya in his arms bridle style. Touya beams at Tenko, who carries them to the bedroom, a decent sized rectangular room with a queen bed, a desk, a chair, and a huge window with a view of the city street below and the nice brick wall of a neighboring building; though, right now the curtains were closed.

Setting Touya down, Tenko takes of his jacket and shirt for comfort and lays down. His Darling cuddles close with his head in the crook of Tenko’s neck, pressed close, Touya gets lost in the comforting warmth that is Tenko’s body heat. The two drift off in the dark room, and for Tenko, this little apartment feels like a home.

Chapter Text

When Tenko awoke the next morning, Touya was holding him in a death grip. Tenko smiles down at his doll. He leans his head closer to press a soft kiss to Touya’s hair, laying back down his turns to look at his alarm, and he jumps. He’d over slept, he’s gonna be so late. Touya starts awake at Tenko’s jerk, he looks at him, questioning him.

“I’m sorry,” Tenko tells him, sliding out of his arms, out of the bed. “But we’ve gotta go, I’m late for work.” Touya whines and presses deep into the bed. Tenko wonders if he actually understands his words. Until…

“No,” Touya says and reaches out for Tenko, “I wanna stay. You stay too.”

The disintegrator smiles sweetly at Touya, “I’d love to stay here with you, but we’ve gotta go now, Doll.” He grabs his hands and kisses the palm of Touya’s right, which makes the doll shiver below him. “Come on, Darling, we’ll have tonight.”

Tenko pulls away to dress while Touya pouts and plops right back down on the bed, briefly, before getting up again. Touya watches Tenko get ready, he watches with dissatisfaction and amusement.

“Like what you see?” Tenko jokes and Touya pouts more and lays back down to curl into a ball. “Doll~.” Touya groans. Tenko pulls him up and to his feet, “Come on now.”

Sighing, Touya follows him to the front door, they step out into cool autumn air. As they walk to the funeral shop, the doll holds tight to Tenko, nuzzling his hair.

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Okay! My mom took my phone away so I won’t be able to update for a while and when I do it will be REAL heavily restricted so I might not be able to update for possibly YEARS but this fic WILL get completed if it’s the last thing I do. So right now I’m typing this all out on my friend’s phone and if they let me I might be able to update through here but NO promises! The updates are going to be very short. :(. Love y’all and I’m so sorry. I’ll be back, lovelies!!!!!! So sorry!! 😭😭😭😭😭

Chapter Text

When Tenko and Touya enter the shop, the bell rings upon their arrival. As they make their way farther into the shop, Sako comes out from the hall and greets them cheerfully. “How did everything go last night? Was Touya alright?”

“Everything went fine. Sorry I’m late, I didn’t set my alarm,” Tenko responds.

“That’s okay. But don’t do it regularly,” Giran offers, coming out from around the corner.

“Yes sir.”

“Now,” Sako claps dramatically, “To work!”

Tenko smiles, holding on to Touya a little tighter.

…

When Tenko leaves the funeral shop that night he is once again accompanied by Touya. And when he eats dinner and showers and when he falls asleep that night. And the following morning, they make it to work on time.

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Over the following months, Touya stayed with Tenko. When it came time that Touya could actually get out more Tenko took him to parks, movies, and Tenko's favorate restaurant. Touya was always clinging to Tenko, but he didn't get in the way. The funeral shop was great, he got payed well and Sako and Giran were always good company.

The only problem that he ever really had were ones similar to his problem right now. Sometimes Touya's staples would come undone and Tenko had to restaple him back together. It wasn't a hard job for Tenko but it was a painful experience for Touya. But they both continue, knowing it needs to be done.

When It's over, they fall into bed for the night. It rains outside but it doesn't matter.