Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

When one is brought into the depths of the Port Mafia, one usually wishes for the Black Dog.

The angry one. The fierce one. The one that kills quickly.

Because if someone gets stuck with the Black Butterfly's claws, they can only beg for mercy.

Black Butterfly is slow. Patient. Careful.

Black Butterfly will pull the information out, and look like he never wanted to touch the person in the first place.

Black Butterfly would look like he would cry.

Purple and gold eyes would look like they were made of liquid as he left, giving a commiserating look to the person in the bowels of the Port Mafia.

And then the Black Dog was gone completely. Gone from the Port Mafia, gone from the Black Butterfly’s side.

But.

Perhaps it would be easier to start from the beginning.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Atsushi groaned as he walked along the side of the road. He was utterly exhausted.

He had been walking for so long after he had run away from the orphanage. They had treated him so horribly, they had hurt him so horribly, and Atsushi refused to stay. 

They could hurt his soulmates when they hurt him. 

The world was funny, in a way. 

Whenever you hurt someone, the soulmate of that person would feel the pain. However, how close you were geographically had a factor as well, as well as if they were a romantic or platonic soulmate.

He came across a city’s outskirts, studying the people who ignored his existence. 

He preferred that. Atsushi preferred people ignoring him completely, too many people in the orphanage paid attention to him all the time, never giving him a moment to himself. 

He'd rather be ignored, he'd rather have moments to breathe, than to have all eyes on him.

Walking along the outskirts, along the wharfs, he came across a fight.

A girl and a boy were fighting a man.

Atsushi, with his fledgling morals and want to help, jumped in.

He changed the trajectory of his life completely, and the trajectory of those around him.

But how was Atsushi supposed to know that? 

He was just a kid.

A child.

He was supposed to be protected.

Instead, he was about to become the protector to a group far too large for him to truly handle.

But he wouldn't realize it until he was in a truly happy place. He wouldn't realize it until he had taken in children when he was an adult. Or adult-shaped. Would Atsushi truly be an adult, with the life he lives?

He wouldn't know.

Not until he reaches that point.

But let's continue in Atsushi's life, hmmm?

~~~~~~~~~~

Atsushi had saved a boy and girl called Shirase and Yuan. They brought Atsushi with them to the rest of the kids that were staying, gifting him a pair of shoes that were less tattered than the ones he had.

They grew in number on the wharf, and Shirase started to try out names for the group, trying to get everyone to work together so they could get more money.

It had been Atsushi who had put the name forward, and Yuan who had run with it.

Shirase hated it with a passion, stating that they should have something more formidable than a "stupid butterfly as an emblem!"

Atsushi liked the imagery of butterflies though. He remembered reading about them in the orphanage’s library. They were tiny, ugly things as caterpillars, and then grew into beautiful, mesmerizing butterflies that could blind you or poison you.

Yuan loved it. She had made butterflies out of glass, cracking colored pieces and carefully taking off the points and scratching parts so they wouldn't harm anyone should they rub against skin.

Everyone got different colors. Different styles of jewelry for the person.

Atsushi had gotten an earring. A black butterfly earring.

Problem was, Atsushi didn't have pierced ears. So he didn't see why he should get a butterfly earring.

“We need it to be seen! And it'll be so pretty, contrasting your hair.” Yuan had pouted, and since Atsushi could heal, he let her pierce his ear with a needle that had been held over the fire. 

It was a pretty earring.

But to now.

They had grown in number so much, renovating a warehouse that had been abandoned. They were growing, they were continuing to grow.

So Atsushi went out a lot. He was taking care of a lot of people now.

Atsushi was doing his rounds around the Naka Ward, his legs and speed taking him leaps and bounds over rooftops. Yuan compared his speed to a cheetah.

Atsushi shook his head at that, sighing softly as he stretched his legs after a run around the Ward.

He wasn't a cheetah.

He was a tiger.

No one had believed that until the first full moon though. 

Shirase immediately demanded that he should be their first defense and offense. Their best fighter, their fastest, their strongest. He technically was the fastest and strongest. Which made him the best fighter.

Atsushi privately thought that it was stupid to place everything on one person's shoulders, but he kept his mouth shut and messed with the black glass butterfly earring. 

They had made it their emblem, everyone in the Butterflies was wearing one somewhere. 

Atsushi raced along, allowing his hair to flutter behind him and his earring to jingle beside his ear as he ran.

He wasn't quite sure why the Butterflies, why Shirase, was so insistent that he was the strongest of them all. He was just the one with the Ability between all the children they had in the group.

Just because Atsushi had an ability didn't mean he really knew how to use it. He could turn into a big white tiger, whoop de doo dah. He wasn't much of a fighter, not really. Could he fight? Sure. Didn't mean he liked it.

But “Head of the Butterflies” wasn't a position he wanted either, so he escaped it by delegating it to Shirase and Yuan and running away from the meeting of the Wings to do his rounds around the Naka Ward.

“Excuse me.” A voice called after Atsushi, and he skidded along to a stop on a rooftop and peered over the edge.

A man with long hair and dressed like it was winter stood there, looking up at Atsushi. He had gold eyes and was younger than most of the workers in the wharf. There was another man too, his hair streaked through with gray and he had a monocle. He was dressed more sensibly though, although it was a lot higher quality than anyone could find in Naka Ward.

“Can I help you?” Atsushi asked, staring down at them. “Are you two lost?”

“No.” The younger man said. “We were looking for you.” He had a slight accent, like his first language wasn't Japanese.

Atsushi tilted his head. “Why?”

“Our boss would like to talk to you.” The other man spoke. His voice was smooth but there were hints of gravel along the edges, and Atsushi could smell smoke, cigarette smoke, on him from up here.

“I'm not someone anyone would want to talk to.” Atsushi replied.

“But our boss does.” The younger man countered. 

“I already have a boss.” Atsushi said. Technically it was true.

Shirase was his boss. He sent Atsushi on runs and stuff and asked him to go get this stuff from the stores because the storekeepers liked Atsushi more. 

Atsushi was apparently nicer when talking to people.

“He only wants to talk to you, young one.” The older man said, and it made Atsushi frown. He was fifteen. He wasn't a child.

“Let me see what my boss says first. If he says yes, why don't we bring both our bosses here in two days time, at the same time as now?” Atsushi proposed.

The men looked at each other, then back at Atsushi.

“That is acceptable. Good day.”

Atsushi nodded, and raced off.

Shirase wasn't exactly happy with the report when Atsushi got back.

“Why didn't you just kill them!?” The other boy hissed. “Atsushi, you're our fighter! Why didn't you just kill them!?”

“They didn't do anything.” Atsushi frowned. “Why would I kill them when they haven't done anything?”

Shirase let out a long hiss of breath, he almost sounded like a snake.

It wanted Atsushi to almost smack him, simply because it was a tiger tendency. A big cat tendency, to always fight with something that could try to match them in speed.

His tiger tendencies liked to bleed over into his every day life. Atsushi would find himself wanting to fall into the warm patches of sun, curl up in tight spaces, or to never show his belly to people he trusts. He's been with these people for going on five years and he's still learning to trust. What a waste of time.

Instead of continuing these thoughts and letting the orphanage headmaster hiss in the corner of his brain, Atsushi distracted himself with playing with his butterfly earring.

“I don't think they mean any harm.” Atsushi said slowly. “They just want to talk, at least to me or you. And if I'm there, then they can't do anything. Since I'm the strongest, right?”

Shirase paused at that, before sighing. “Yeah. Yeah. You'll be there, and they can't do shit, otherwise you'll slash their necks open.”

“Violent.” Atsushi muttered to himself, and Yuan snickered.

Two days later, Atsushi and Shirase were at the meeting point.

There were three men, and one young girl.

Two of the men, Atsushi knew. It was the younger man and the older man. The one dressed for winter and the one who smelled of cigarettes. Atsushi relaxed slightly at their appearance, because that meant they kept their promise.

The new man and the young girl were. . . Odd. The man had nearly glowing magenta purple eyes, and a smile that felt artificial. And the girl was huffing and puffing and whining about not wanting to be here.

The girl was perhaps the oddest one.

She smelled artificial. She looked too. . . Too something. Atsushi couldn't put his finger on it. But the girl was too picture-perfect.

Even though Atsushi had only known those hurt by adults, the girl felt too unreal to be real. 

But this meeting wasn't about his feelings for the girl. This meeting was about two leaders talking.

“I'm so glad you two could make it!” The man with magenta eyes said happily, clapping his hands and sweeping forward. His black coat twisted behind him with the movement, almost acting like the wings of a great black bird.

Atsushi got the distinct feeling of dread and death, like he always did whenever he saw the corvids circling a place in the Naka Ward. They usually circled where something died.

Shirase crossed his arms and lifted his chin, meeting the magenta eyes with his own gray eyes and pursed his lips. Despite his fierce appearance, Atsushi knew his friend's mind was already calculating the outcomes of the meeting. “My subordinate said you wanted to talk to him. Why?”

The man tilted his back, his smile still holding the tinge of artificial to it, but it became just a little more genuine, almost embarrassed.

Atsushi's feeling of dread and death grew.

Atsushi's feeling of danger predator runrungottarun grew.

“You see, I run a small organization that has Ability users in its ranks.” The man started. “When I heard word that there was one that could run as fast as a twinkle of light in the Naka Ward, I grew intrigued. I didn't know he belonged to an organization already.”

Shirase’s eyes grew calculating. “Uh huh. And you still want him to join regardless, huh?”

“I do.” The man nodded, and it was perhaps the most sincere and truthful thing he had said out of this entire conversation. “He would be quite invaluable to me.”

“What would you trade?” Shirase asked. “Food? Protection? Money? Why should I hand over my best person to you?”

And honestly, Atsushi shouldn't be surprised that he and his ability have become a bargaining chip. But the entirety of the Butterflies, the entirety of their continued existence, rested on his shoulders now.

“I would provide you with what your organization needs.” The man said, closing his eyes and smiling. The promises were falling off of his lips like the sweet honey that Hoshiko-chan had stolen once from another warehouse. It had been sticky, making the dirt and dust stick to everyone, but everyone had claimed it was worth it. 

It had sunk into Atsushi's stomach and created a ball there, and Atsushi wondered, then and now, if honey could be poisoned.

Because promises that were as sweet as these that this man was promising, they had to have some secret to them. They had to, it was how the world worked. Simply having Atsushi and his ability would not be enough for the protection and resources that this man was promising Shirase.

The man himself was not helping the fact either.

For him to be in charge of this organization, that had ability users like he said he did, then he must be powerful. He must be powerful, or had a tongue made of quicksilver, and words just as poisonous. 

It also meant that Atsushi could not kill him, if he was so powerful.

Atsushi's hand reached out, tugging on Shirase's coat. “The Wings.” He said calmly.

He knew Shirase would get what he was saying, that they should consult the Wings, the council, before they make a hasty decision.

Shirase's gray eye studied him, before nodding. 

“Can we meet again in two days time?” Shirase asked, turning back to the dangerous, dangerous man. 

“Of course! If you have quite a few people, it would be best to consult them. You're very clever for thinking of that.” The man with poisonous words nodded, and the poison seeped into Shirase, making his chest puff out at the apparent praise. “Two days time then. Toodle-oo!”

~~~~~~~~~~

The Wings were torn down the middle.

On one hand, no one really wanted to give Atsushi up. He was their fighter, their protector, their best defense and their best offense. “How could we protect ourselves without him!?” Those council members cried.

On the other hand, some could see the benefit of trading Atsushi for more protection than he himself could give them. “The greater number of us will be protected!” Those council members cried.

And Atsushi?

Atsushi sat on the rooftop of the warehouse, watching the stars and listening to them argue.

In the end, the decision would lie solely on Shirase's shoulders.

Shirase hadn't shared his decision by the time that two days had passed.

Atsushi was on the rooftop when Shirase found him, and stood over him.

“I'm leaving with them, aren't I?” Atsushi asked, watching the clouds drift.

Shirase's mouth was a line. “Atsushi. . . You're great and all. But–!”

“But the Butterflies need more than just me.” Atsushi sighed. He supposed he could see the reason. He supposed he could see the merits.

He didn't want to leave his friends though.

He got up, dusting off his clothes. “Alright. Let's go.” He whispered.

“No saying goodbye?” Shirase asked.

“Is there any point?” Atsushi asked. “I think we all knew what decision you would make, and the Wings have been arguing loudly. The person would have to be deaf to not know about it. It would be a waste of time to go around and say goodbye.”

There was nothing more to say.

As Atsushi walked to be beside the man with magenta eyes side, he paused. “Can I write letters? To them?”

The man paused. He seemed to be considering it.

“I don't see why not.” The man said slowly. “You're a diplomat after all.” His lips were being pulled up and into a grin.

Atsushi wanted to step away. Atsushi wanted to run away. Atsushi wanted to run back to the Butterflies and never leave.

But that wasn't the deal that struck.

So Atsushi bowed in gratefulness.

Atsushi, small Atsushi. He was just a baby butterfly. He had no way of knowing that his friend had signed him away to a spider’s web.

~~~~~~~~~~

Randou-san had been assigned to be his teacher and his mentor.

In the Port Mafia.

The Butterflies had struck a deal with the Port Mafia.

The only thing that calmed Atsushi's anxiety was the letters he got back from Yuan and Shirase and the others. Otherwise he would have thought they had died.

Randou-san had gifted Atsushi new clothes. They were black pants, form fitting and snug to his legs, almost like jeans. His shirt was red, a very very deep red. It was nearly black, but the red could be seen in the shining light of the overhead light. His boots were black, strapping around his shins and protecting his ankles from breaking. Lastly, a coat wrapped around his shoulders and body, black as his pants. If it was zipped up, it would cover his mouth and nose. The fabric was a tough, rough to the touch canvas-like material.

Atsushi reached up and pulled his shoulder-length hair into a ponytail. It was the easiest thing to do.

Randou-san had said those were generic gifts, and that what he was giving Atsushi was his actual gift. Apparently when someone brings another person into the Port Mafia, they give them an article of clothing.

The box was innocuous enough, Atsushi supposed. It was of a lesser quality than the clothes, and Atsushi was grateful for that.

He opened the box that fit in the palm of his hand.

He nearly dropped it.

The voice of the orphanage headmaster grew louder, hissing sharper.

The wristwatch that Randou-san was giving him gleamed oh so innocently in its case.

Atsushi swallowed, and carefully pulled it out of its case to inspect it.

It was nice enough. A sturdy, silver band of interlocking metals. And the clock face was a background blue with a black butterfly on it. 

“You are aware that your codename is going to be Black Butterfly, correct?” Randou-san asked, as he watched Atsushi shakily place the watch on his wrist and secure it.

“Why?” Atsushi asked. “I'm a tiger after all.”

“Black butterflies symbolize death.” Randou-san said easily, making Atsushi freeze.

His hand rose up to his earring. Had Yuan known. . .?

“Now come. You're to meet your partners.” Randou-san said, leading the way, and Atsushi followed him.

“Who are they?” Atsushi asked.

“I believe they are a pair of orphans that Hirotsu-san picked up. Akutagawa, is their last name.”

Atsushi was quiet as they made their way deeper into the Port Mafia's bowels, treading carefully and keeping his eyes on his mentor's back.

Randou-san opened a door, and Atsushi followed.

It was a training room, the floor beneath him was slightly squishy thanks to the padding covering the concrete beneath it.

Hirotsu-san, the other man who had been with Randou-san in Naka Ward to recruit Atsushi, was standing beside two other children.

A boy with bangs, his hair falling around his face, the edges of it fading into white. He was dressed in black pants and a gray shirt, and a black coat that looked like it was made of some sort of canvas-like material on his shoulders.

And a girl, her ink-black hair pulled back and silver eyes that matched her brothers scanning Atsushi up and down. Likely pinpointing Atsushi's weak spots. She was dressed much like her brother, except her shirt was a deep purple, and her coat a gray color.

“Randou-san.” Hirotsu-san greeted.

“Hirotsu-san.” Randou-san greeted.

Atsushi very carefully did not shift when Hirotsu-san’s eyes fell on him. “Black Butterfly.”

“Hirotsu-san.” Atsushi said softly, inclining his head. 

Hirotsu-san motioned to the kids beside him. “This is the Black Dog, and the Black Lizard.” 

Atsushi nodded to them both, feeling his butterfly earring bounce. He didn't know how exactly to greet them. “Nice to meet you” didn't exactly feel appropriate in this type of setting. They were deep in the spider's web after all.

The boy scowled at him. The girl merely looked intrigued.

Atsushi had a feeling that they weren't exactly going to get along.

Chapter Text

Atsushi was pleasantly surprised that he and the Akutagawa's got along.

Sure they weren't the best of buds, how could they be in the spider's web?

But they didn't argue. They didn't fight. They didn't stab each other, surprisingly.

Well.

They didn't stab at each other when they weren't sparring.

Black Lizard was more capable with her knife, dancing lightly with it and jabbing at Atsushi. Black Dog liked to use it in tandem with his ability, trying to take Atsushi's limbs off.

The first time he took Atsushi's leg off and Atsushi regenerated it, Randou-san had called a time out.

Which, rude. Atsushi definitely could have kept going. He could have kept fighting! Wasn't that the point of sparring, for them to figure out their blind spots and to cover them?

Atsushi brought it up to Randou-san as he inspected his new leg, and the man paused with his probing, before sighing and patting the leg.

No answers were given, except for an instruction for Atsushi to dodge and not take the pain.

But.

Black Dog hadn't attacked him.

He had simply sat beside him. And rolled his pants leg up. Revealing a band of black around where he had taken off Atsushi's leg.

Atsushi's jaw dropped, and he wanted to smack himself. He had forgotten about soulmates! 

He had thought he would never meet his soulmates, that he would never be near them. He hadn't–

“I'm sorry.” Atsushi whispered.

Black Dog shook his head, rolling the pant leg down, and standing.

They hadn't said anything since.

There was no need to.

Well.

Atsushi would like to know whether Black Dog was his romantic or platonic soulmate. One could always tell by what the band was made of if a soulmate of theirs lost a limb. But Atsushi didn't have his eyesight sharpened at that particular moment, so he didn't know.

He did, however, get their names. After about a month of sparring together.

Akutagawa Ryuunosuke and Akutagawa Gin.

Their names suited them.

He had told his name in return.

Akutagawa-kun had immediately started calling him by his given name, and Atsushi was taken aback by his forwardness, but Gin-san had rolled her silver eyes and told him to call them by their given names as well.

So he did.

They were simply lounging in Atsushi's apartment one day, the one that he had below Randou-san. The man was out though, on a mission, and he hadn't taken Atsushi. “You aren't ready enough.” The man had intoned.

Gin-san’s hand reached up and caught his butterfly earring. “Why do you wear this? You never take it off.”

Atsushi hummed, eyes not straying from his book in front of him. Ryuunosuke-kun was lounging on another cushion, but by the tilt of his head, he was also intrigued by Atsushi's answer.

“It belongs to the people I technically belong to.” Atsushi said. “The Butterflies of the Naka Ward.”

Ryuunosuke-kun frowned. “Aren't you Port Mafia? How do you belong to two different organizations?”

“I'm a diplomat to the Port Mafia.” Atsushi said, his lips turning down as he remembered the Butterflies. “In exchange for their safety, I became a permanent diplomat here.”

Quiet was the ruler of the room, and no one wanted to upset the throne.

Ryuunosuke-kun and Gin-san reached out at the same time. Ryuunosuke-kun grabbing Atsushi's ankle, and Gin-san grabbing his wrist.

We won't leave you. Their touch conveyed. We won't ever give you up.

“It's not so bad guys.” Atsushi said quietly, trying to force a smile. “They write me letters! I write them letters! We exchange them back and forth! So it's fine.”

Ryuunosuke-kun squeezed his ankle tighter. “Don't lie. Not to us, or to yourself.”

Gin-san was always a person of few words. So she said nothing and simply leaned against Atsushi.

Surrounded by the people who wanted Atsushi by their sides, whose trust Atsushi was gaining and Atsushi was gaining in return, Atsushi was content.

Perhaps not happy. Perhaps not thrilled. But he was content.

Randou-san came back, stroking a hand through his hair. Teaching him how to braid it back and when they sparred, he taught Atsushi how to avoid people grabbing it.

“Where did you learn this stuff?” Atsushi would ask his mentor.

The man tilted his head, frowning and staring off into the distance. “I don't remember. Maybe I will tomorrow.”

Atsushi didn't mind his mentor not remembering. Sure the man would trail off with his sentences and stare off into the distance at odd times, but he was a nice man. Despite being in the Port Mafia, Randou-san was a fair mentor. Always treating Atsushi fairly and kindly and helping him settle.

Atsushi is finally ready for a mission.

Randou-san finally deems him ready for a mission.

~~~~~~~~~~

Atsushi stared down at the complex he was supposed to infiltrate.

His eyes sharpened, turning into his tiger eyes. The colors dulled, but the shapes sharpened. He could see everything, even the people that tried to hide with camouflage clothing.

The mission was really rather simple, but it was scary in its simplicity.

Infiltrate. Kill everyone.

Atsushi had never killed anyone. Atsushi had barely hurt anyone, not even Ryuunosuke-kun or Gin-san in their spars. He was the one that was the target of the spars.

Sure, he knew how to kill. He definitely knew how to take a life. It was part of Port Mafia training.

But he's never done it before.

There were only supposed to be three people in this complex. Three people he had to kill. Three figureheads for his mission. Three figureheads that had been making the Port Mafia's job harder.

Staring down from the vent, Atsushi frowned.

There were about seventeen people by his count.

Their intel had been wrong. He should go back the way he came, he should go back to Randou-san and report that the intel was wrong. He should tell Mori-sa– Boss that the intel was wrong and that they should try again a different time.

Atsushi nodded to himself, and started to shuffling backwards in the vent.

It broke.

Atsushi fell through the ceiling, swallowing a scream and then simply couldn't scream as he hit the ground chest first. The air refused to move from his lungs and refused to move around his body. His body itself refused to move for precious few seconds, before he could twitch his fingers and push himself up and stagger to his feet.

A mistake.

He had been focused on his body, not the people in the room.

Gunshots ripped through the room, bullets ripped through his body, and he fell again. Backwards this time.

“Holy shit! That's a kid! We just killed a kid!”

“Quiet! Obviously they aren't an innocent kid, so we just gotta–”

Atsushi stared at the ceiling.

If I die here, then I don't have to go on another mission.

If I die here, then Ryuunosuke-kun doesn't have to feel more pain from me getting hurt.

If I die here, will the Butterflies still get protection?

That last thought was the only one that made Atsushi's lungs breathe again. That last thought was the only one that kickstarted his heart. That last thought was the one one started his healing process.

Atsushi stood, his blood dripping to the floor. His blood dripped off his clothing. His blood dripped off his hair. It was drying there. It felt gross.

He heard the outcries of his enemies. His targets. He ignored them.

His flesh and blood knit back together. Creating his prison. Recreating his body again. Recreating his prison, his body.

The wristwatch gleamed, Atsushi's own blood now splattered in the grooves of the band.

Atsushi closed his eyes, losing himself in memories.

"You are not a human child." The headmaster hissed in his memories, in the corner of his mind, and Atsushi opened his eyes and set them on his targets.

"So what!?" Atsushi, tiny Atsushi in his brain, the memory Atsushi asked. Cried. Wept. "Does that mean you can't treat me with respect?"

"Parasites do not get to be treated like humans." The headmaster's cold voice echoed.

The cries of "Monster!" from his targets broke through the silence.

"You're wrong." Atsushi muttered. "I'm not a parasite. I'm not a monster."

Then what are you? The headmaster in the corner of the room hissed. What could you possibly be?

Atsushi opened his eyes, the colors shifting in them.

“I'm a tiger.”

He remembered nothing more. Not until Randou-san found him.

Randou-san found him when he didn't come back out.

Found him among the carnage.

He just sat in the middle. Completely untouched by the blood and the massacre that Atsushi's claws had wrought.

Atsushi himself was untouched at the center as well. 

Not a drop of blood on him that wasn't his own.

Dull, muted purple-gold eyes looked at golden eyes. 

"Am I the Black Butterfly that Mori-san dreamt of?" Atsushi asked.

Randou-san's hand felt heavy on his shoulder. 

"You're probably more than he ever dreamed of." Randou-san intoned.

It felt like a death sentence. It felt like a noose around his neck, simply waiting for the trapdoor to fall and to tighten. It felt like the gun pressed to his head and there were more than five bullets in the chamber.

Atsushi closed his eyes again. “Okay.”

~~~~~~~~~~

Mori-san, Boss, had called the mission an absolute success. He had said it was wonderful, that it had proven Atsushi's resolve. He said that it was the perfect starting mission for Atsushi, that they could call him Black Butterfly with pride now.

Ryuunosuke-kun and Gin-san held his hair back as he retched into the toilet after that meeting.

Randou-san made him peppermint tea and soft foods for his stomach.

“You will grow numb to it.” The man said as he ran a comb through Atsushi's hair. It was free of blood now, washed thoroughly, probably too many times.

“Will it ever get easier?” Atsushi asked.

Randou-san did not reply.

The man did not give false platitudes after all.

Ryuunosuke-kun and Gin-san stayed by his side, refusing to move when he did not. 

“You are our partner.” Ryuunosuke-kun said sharply as he used his ability to adjust Atsushi's clothes in his closet to his liking. “What use are we if we cannot give you comfort after this first kill?”

Atsushi started laughing hysterically. 

Because it wasn't a first kill. It was the first seventeen kills. He should be over this. He killed seventeen people.

But no.

Atsushi was laughing so hard. He was laughing. He was crying. He was sobbing.

He wanted someone to comfort him.

He wanted someone to hold him.

He wanted someone to keep him safe from the darkness that others had decided to drown him in. 

But there would be no saving for Atsushi.

He was trapped in the spider's web, well and truly ensnared in the filaments that had been weaved around him.

They chained him down below the waters that ran Port Mafia black.

Gentle touches to his shoulders, trying to pull him out of his hysteria.

There was no saving Atsushi from passing out.

His mind saved him from himself, darkness rushing up to engulf him away from the images that haunted him.

It was peaceful in the dark, his tiger curling around him for comfort.

He curled into his tiger, closing his eyes and just letting the world go for a while.

~~~~~~~~~~

Akutagawa Ryuunosuke was not expecting to find a soulmate so deep in the darkness of the Port Mafia.

He was not expecting him and his sister to know a friend while in the Port Mafia.

He stroked his soulmate's hair, shivering at the remembrance of the pain of phantom bullets hitting his skin.

Ryuunosuke was not someone who knew much about soulmates. All he knew was that he felt pain when Atsushi felt pain. He did not know how to tell the difference between romantic and platonic.

And who could he ask?

Gin was as confused as he was, unknowing if her own soulmates would feel her pain. He certainly couldn't ask Hirotsu-san. The man would be obligated to report it to the Boss.

And Randou-san was out of the question, because he was Atsushi's mentor. He was a protective mentor.

Ryuunosuke would likely die if he asked Randou-san.

His hand caught on the butterfly earring, and he paused, studying it. He gently worked it from the hole in Atsushi's ear, remembering when he got a lancing pain in his ear when he was a child. He studied it in the light for a second, holding it aloft.

“I'm a diplomat.” Atsushi's words came back to haunt him. “In exchange for their safety.”

Ryuunosuke thinned his lips. 

How dare they?

Perhaps Ryuunosuke was biased. Atsushi was indeed one of his soulmates. Romantic or platonic, it didn't matter. He was precious to Ryuunosuke. 

How dare some Butterflies give his soulmate up? Some children thought that safety was more important than his soulmate's happiness? 

Despicable.

His soulmate was worth three organizations.

Ryuunosuke sighed, bringing the earring back down and back to the ear.

Wait a moment.

Ryuunosuke panicked.

Where the hell did the hole that the earring went in go!? It was supposed to be there!

~~~~~~~~~~

It had been a year. 

Ryuunosuke-kun and Atsushi and Gin-san had been on so many missions, usually with Ryuunosuke-kun or Gin-san taking the kills.

Atsushi appreciated it. Atsushi hated it.

He was sixteen now.

He could handle the blood and death that came with being a diplomat.

He also took a lot of jobs that had to do with his diplomatic position in the Port Mafia, talking calmly but clearly. On these types of missions, Ryuunosuke-kun and Gin-san were his bodyguards, ready to kill an intruder or another person at a single moment's notice.

Atsushi was sixteen.

He could do his own killing.

He could now.

He could slice people to ribbons and not even get a drop of blood on him.

Randou-san was right. He grew numb to killing.

It didn't grow any easier. Especially since Atsushi ensured to look his targets in the eyes.

He was coming back from a mission like that. A mission where he looked his target dead in the eyes as he cut their neck. 

Ryuunosuke-kun was huffing, saying that he could have taken the killing upon himself. 

Atsushi was rolling his eyes, trying to explain that Mori-san wouldn't accept weakness.

Gin-san walked beside them both, a shadow to the MonoKuro. 

Their codename.

Black and white.

Monochrome.

How fitting, for the two of them.

Atsushi was sighing as they came up to their apartment building, and stopping completely when he smelled it.

He took off, the Akutagawa’s following him with no words. They recognized the urgency of his steps. They recognized the need to get to where he was going.

“Please no. Please no. Please no.” Atsushi whispered to himself as he raced up the steps. 

Not him. He's one of the only strings keeping me alive.

He raced.

He prayed.

He wished.

He wanted to be wrong.

Please, let me be wrong. He pleaded to any higher powers, any higher beings, that would listen to him. Would listen to a broken little Butterfly's prayers.

But what god would listen to a butterfly trapped in the spider's web?

His earring jangled in his ear. The only noise he could hear beyond his own noisy breathing.

Please please pleasepleasepleaseple–

He barreled into the apartment. It wasn't his own. Why would it be his own? For what reason should his own apartment be coated in blood? Familiar blood.

Laboring, wheezing breaths greeted his ears. Flooded into them.

“RANDOU!”

The man looked like he had been ripped apart by sheer force, but brute force, by force and force alone–

Atsushi disregarded the smell of blood intermingling with the smell of his mentor, sliding beside his body.

He was alive! He was still alive, if Atsushi got him to a doctor, if Atsushi got him to Mori-san, if–

A hand, large, ungloved, gentle and warm. It landed on his head.

Staining the silver locks burgundy.

“Please.” Atsushi whispered. “You can't– I need–” 

Choking, wheezing breaths.

Not just from Randou-san, but also Atsushi. 

One was holding back tears.

The other, blood.

“Randou-san, Randou-san who did this to you?” Atsushi pleaded. He begged. If no god would have mercy on him, if no higher being would answer his prayers–

“Ver–” Randou-san broke down coughing. Blood splattering from his lips and onto his shirt and his coat. “–aine.”

“Veraine? They did this to you?” Atsushi asked, as Ryuunosuke-kun and Gin-san finally caught up, finally came into the apartment.

“Ver. Laine.” Randou-san choked out. His face was so pale. Likely, the Grim Reaper was in the room, hand on Randou-san’s shoulder already. Ready to take away the one adult that Atsushi truly trusted in these forsaken waters. “Danger. Alwa–” More coughing. More blood. Atsushi wondered if he would ever get the intertwined blood and Randou-san smell out of his nostrils. Out of his hair. “Always. Run. From him.”

Tears whispered down Atsushi's cheeks.

The salt joined the iron and Randou-san smell.

“Okay.” He whispered. “Okay. I'll run.” 

Randou-san’s hand slipped off of his head. His fingers curled, the middle and ring ones curling.

His pointer, pinky, and thumb stayed outward.

Atsushi choked. He couldn't respond. He couldn't dare. Not with his partners here. He dare not say it out loud. He tapped three times on Randou-san's cheek.

The gold eyes finally flattened.

The chest compressed for the final time.

Blood was lining his hair, it was lining every strand of his hair.

“Atsushi.” Ryuunosuke-kun whispered. His hand was on Atsushi's shoulder.

Atsushi's shoulders stiffened. 

He stood. 

“Atsushi?” Gin-san asked.

Atsushi breathed deeply.

Past the blood. The iron.

Past the scent of his deceased mentor. 

Past the salt of his tears.

“Found you.”

His head shot up.

Gold tiger eyes gleaming.

A scent that did not belong. Not here, not to Japan. Not in Randou-san's apartment. Not anywhere in this building.

The scent of a killer. 

Of Randou-san's killer.

Atsushi turned on heel, the bracelet his mentor had given him a year ago gleaming alongside his eyes.

He had promised Randou-san he would run when he saw Verlaine.

He just never specified whether he would run away, or to the killer.

Chapter Text

The funeral was a quiet affair. Small. The eulogy short. Randou-san cremated and the urn given to Atsushi. Atsushi wondered, idly, if Randou-san had finally been warm in that flame that had burned his flesh from his bone.

The place, Randou-san's place, had been cleaned up. Given to Atsushi as well. Gifted to him by the Boss. By Mori-san. No doubt another ploy, another string to try and trap Atsushi in the web of the Port Mafia.

Atsushi had placed the urn onto the shelf. A little out of the ways, but that was just like Randou-san. He hated being the attention of the room. It was silly, because Randou-san being a foreign person who was an Executive? Who was training Atsushi, who had been the pride of the Butterflies in the Naka Ward? 

Randou-san had always been the center of attention when he walked in the room. Whether it was because of his long dark hair, or his gold, gold eyes. Or because of the many layers he wore like it was winter. Or because Randou-san would say the weirdest things out of the blue. The oddest things. 

Things that made no sense, like he knew what type of knife that was, even though Randou-san had an ability and could kill with it. Or like Randou-san knowing the date of a lab being broken into a few years ago on foreign soil, before staring off into space and admitting he didn't know why he knew that. Or like Randou-san knowing how to do longer hair. 

Things that didn't make sense, but we're distinctly Randou-san, and brought him to the forefront of the room.

The forefront of Atsushi's mind.

Atsushi traced the painting on the urn. French birds and fleur-de-lis. Randou-san had requested those funeral arrangements, should he ever die in the Port Mafia's care.

Ryuunosuke-kun and Gin-san had refused to leave his side. Not once, in the three days it had taken to clean the apartment or to make Randou-san presentable for the funeral or to ensure that the urn got to the apartment safely, have they left his side.

Atsushi is grateful.

He wasn't sure if he could function.

No.

No.

Atsushi knew he could function.

Oh most certainly, he could function.

It had been loyalty to see his mentor at peace and get his rest that had stopped him before.

But now?

Atsushi pat the top of the urn. 

Before turning and tearing out of the apartment.

“HEY!”

Atsushi didn't know if it was Gin-san or Ryuunosuke-kun that yelled after him. He didn't particularly care. He was tearing down the stairs, rappelling off of the landings and the sides of the buildings to get down them faster. His black glass butterfly earring jingled, and it almost sounded like laughter.

“ATSUSHI! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!? WHERE ARE YOU GOING!?”

Okay, definitely Ryuunosuke-kun.

Which spelled trouble for Atsushi, if the older boy caught up with him. He would try to cocoon Atsushi in Rashōmon if he caught up with him.

Atsushi could not let that happen.

“ATSUSHI! WHAT THE HELL!?” Ryuunosuke-kun’s voice was sharp and bellowing, and the older boy should take care not to strain his lungs. He doesn't have Atsushi's regenerative ability after all.

Atsushi reached the bottom of the stairs and bolted out the lobby, stopping in front of the doors.

He took a deep inhale.

Where are you, you Bastard?

The scent that didn't belong in the apartment had been lingering. Even when the people had scrubbed the blood out of the floorboards and replaced the carpet, the smell lingered. A powder-like, almost flowery smell.

A growl in his head warned him, and Atsushi shifted to the side.

Rashōmon nearly snatched him up, and Atsushi had to jump to avoid Gin-san grabbing him, then twist in mid-air and avoid the other tendril of Ryuunosuke-kun's ability that was waiting to grab him.

They were all intertwined so fiercely. They knew each other so well and could predict the other.

Atsushi was just faster.

“I need to do this.” Atsushi said calmly, keeping himself from lashing out like someone he knew rather well.

Said person's face contorted. “You are ours. Did you forget that?”

“I am no one's but the Butterflies.” Atsushi retorted. His leg twitched where Ryuunosuke-kun had taken it off before. The nerves jumped and frayed and Atsushi was tired. He wanted to avenge Randou-san and go to bed. He wanted to sleep for years upon years and just finally get some rest.

He wanted to go back to Naka Ward. He wanted to see Yuan and Shirase and Hoshiko and talk to them.

He could not though. 

Atsushi was a permanent diplomat in a world that was not his. He had no place, drifting from this organization to the next to ensure that people stayed alive.

Ryuunosuke-kun's face held a flicker of pain before it was washed away.

Gin-san's eyes held a glint of pain before it flitted away as well.

Atsushi inhaled slowly. Trying to catch the scent again. That scent he hated. His hand came up of its own volition and caressed the metal of the watch. The watch with the blue backing and the black cutout of the butterfly.

Randou-san hadn't known.

Randou-san hadn't understood the meaning of the watch, the meaning that Atsushi kept under lock and key. There were three keys, once upon a time. Three keys to fit into the lock. Three keys could ask and could unlock the door. The mausoleum door in Atsushi's mind, the one with the encarved tiger.

One was gone now. Mangled and deformed. Incapable of being fitted into the lock. And Atsushi didn't want to touch that key ever again. 

The other two keys were in front of him. Beside him. And he hurt them with his words. 

He inhaled again.

Eyes sharpened into gold. Sclera filling with it, pupil narrowing until it was needle thin. 

“Found you.” He hissed, long and low.

Gin-san's brow furrowed. “Atsushi?” The girl asked.

He didn't answer her, the powder-like, flowery smell wisping in his nostrils.

“I'm finding him.” Atsushi growled softly, his coat snapping out behind him as he set a brisk pace. Eyes alight with anger and hatred. “I'm finding Verlaine, and I'm making him pay for Randou-san's death.”

Eyes were pinprick thin as they focused on the horizon.

“This hunt is one I look forward to.”

~~~~~~~~~~

Ryuunosuke was not someone who normally thought much about how he killed people.

Of course, he put preparation into his kills. He wouldn't be considered for a promotion in the Port Mafia if he was not efficient and deadly. He would not be a sub-executive, and for that matter, neither would Atsushi.

Atsushi, for all that he had an aversion to killing after his first solo mission, could kill. Had trained himself to kill. Had forced himself to kill again.

Ryuunosuke, as the de facto leader of MonoKuro, would not let him kill needlessly.

He told himself it was because he didn't want Atsushi throwing up afterwards. Ryuunosuke didn't want to leave trace evidence for the police to find. The Port Mafia had cleanup crews, and they followed MonoKuro around like loyal dogs, but Ryuunosuke was still wary of the possibility.

Ryuunosuke told himself that he didn't want Atsushi killing because Atsushi always got such a blank face on his mien whenever he killed someone.

He brought these excuses up to Gin when she pointed this out a few years ago.

His sister sighed and pushed her bangs out of her face and reminded Ryuunosuke to wash his face because he wasn't cutting his.

The subject had been dropped.

Atsushi didn't kill when he didn't want to, didn't need to. No matter how he insisted he was numb to it by now.

Now though?

Atsushi was in the records room, studying the maps under the streets of Yokohama. His eyes flicked back and forth, teeth bared in a snarl. He was actively hunting a person. Actively going to kill someone.

Ryuunosuke couldn't begrudge him for that though.

If someone had gone after Hirotsu-san, if someone had killed Hirotsu-san, then Ryuunosuke and Gin would be out in the streets, like avenging demons.

“Got it.” Atsushi muttered, pulling away from the maps at last. Ryuunosuke and Gin sat up, stood up from the chairs they had been sitting in beside the door. They pressed against Atsushi's sides, refusing to leave them.

Atsushi had forgone the black coat that Randou-san had given him, all those years ago. The canvas-like coat that matched Ryuunosuke's and Gin’s coats.

He now wore Randou-san's coat. The gray trench coat flapped around Atsushi, dragging on the ground. 

Ryuunosuke reached out and gripped his soulmate's shoulder, allowing his power to flow through the connection and readjust the coat so it wouldn't drag. 

Atsushi looked at him out of the corner of his eye.

“Just ask me in a few years to change it back.” Ryuunosuke stuffed his hands in his own pockets. Atsushi nodded sharply and turned forward, eyes on the prize. Ryuunosuke felt his cheeks heat, and he caught Gin’s smile out of the corner of his own eye and flipped her off behind Atsushi's back.

Gin just let the edges of her smile fade away as they marched forward, determination lining each of their steps. 

Randou-san may not have been their mentor, but Atsushi was theirs. They would walk into fire and flame on his command without complaining if it meant that he was safe.

“What's your plan?” Gin asked, her hands pushing into her own pockets. The knives she had in there were dangerous in their own right, but only when Gin deemed them to be. “What are we doing, Atsushi?”

Atsushi paused, and Ryuunosuke and Gin nearly broke away from his side from the abrupt stop. 

They turned to look at his face.

The tiger eyes were still there. Burning bright and fierce and reminding Ryuunosuke of a poem that Hirotsu-san had made him memorize once.

Little tiger, burning bright

With subtle Blakeish light,

Tell what visions have their home

In those eyes of flame and chrome!

Those burning, tiger eyes definitely reminded Ryuunosuke of a flame. He remembered holding his hands around a flame of a candle, cupping them there, trying to keep warm in the cold of the slums.

Atsushi started forward, brushing between Ryuunosuke and Gin. Parting them. Ryuunosuke's hand twitched after him, wanting to hold onto Atsushi's wrist.

Children vex thee - thoughtless, gay -

Holding when thou wouldst away:

What dark lore is that which thou,

Spitting, mixest with thy meow?

Ryuunosuke watched Atsushi move, almost entranced at the feline-esque walk. Usually he had to strain his hearing and focus to hear Atsushi. Now however, he simply could not hear him.

Ryuunosuke shook himself out of his trance, rushing after his partner, Gin by his side. They rejoined Atsushi, flanking him.

Don’t wander too far ahead, idiot.

Ears twitched to them being by his side again. Atsushi acknowledging their presence without taking his eyes away from his prize.

“Here's the plan.” Atsushi says as they continue along their way. Ryuunosuke notes that they're headed to the train station as he keeps an eye out for anyone who appears to be listening in.

“Verlaine isn't going to be in the best condition.” Atsushi divulged as they got on the train and sat in a quiet corner. “He fought Randou-san, after all.”

Ryuunosuke nodded. If someone had fought Hirotsu-san and Hirotsu-san had died in that fight, or had known he was going to die, then Hirotsu-san would try to kill or give some debilitating blow. No doubt Randou-san, with his versatile ability, had done the same.

“So, I have a chance to end him. Once and for all.” Atsushi nodded, and Ryuunosuke nearly nodded before he caught himself. The eighteen year old scowled at his partner, and caught Gin scowling slightly at Atsushi as well.

“By yourself?” Ryuunosuke asked slowly. Giving Atsushi a chance to say “no, absolutely not. We're all in this together after all, we're the MonoKuro and despite what Mori-sensei says or hints at, I would never harm any of you.”

Atsushi, the Black Butterfly, had the absolute gall to look Ryuunosuke dead in the eyes and say “Yes. By myself.”

“I hope you are aware. . .” Ryuunosuke said slowly, trying to enunciate why Atsushi was being especially stupid today. He could understand why the younger boy was blinded by the rage and fire in his eyes. But charging in to kill the person that was able to kill Randou-san, even when they were injured, was suicide. 

“Just how stupid going in alone is. You should take me or Gin. Or both.”

“I can't.” Atsushi shook his head. The black glass butterfly earring twisted and caught the passing light of the train lights. “He could kill you both. He could kill you both like he did Randou-san. I can't let that happen.”

“You wouldn't be letting it happen.” Gin said calmly. Quietly. A knife in her hand also catching the passing fractures of the light and splitting them more. “We would know the risks. Would know what we're getting into. You're ours, Atsushi. We can't let you walk into danger like this.”

Ryuunosuke nodded along with his sister's words. Surely, surely their partner would see reason now? Surely the Black Butterfly would see just how dangerous and foolish his mission was, and stop his refusal to take Ryuunosuke and Gin with him?

Atsushi shook his head again.

The jingle of metal and black glass was a mocking sound.

“I need you elsewhere.” Atsushi said, low and soft. “There are other things at play here. Horrible, terrible things. I need you to ensure that those things do not come to fruition.”

Ryuunosuke worked his jaw back and forth, wondering if he could just sock his soulmate in the stomach and carry him away from wherever they were going. Surely then he'd listen to them?

“How dangerous are we talking?” He found himself asking instead.

“Verlaine is after the Boss.” Atsushi revealed with a grimace. “I'm not sure what the reason is. Maybe because Randou-san was his subordinate for so long? Maybe Randou-san told him something before he left? I don't know. But the Boss needs protection. You two work best in the shadows.”

Ryuunosuke sighed. Of course. Things can never be linear with you, can they?

Of course Atsushi would want the Boss to stay alive. He was the line to the Butterflies of the Naka Ward. The only line that Atsushi had, beside the letters. Ryuunosuke groaned softly, slumping.

Atsushi saw the actions for what they were.

Defeat.

“What's your plan?” Ryuunosuke asked.

~~~~~~~~~~

Atsushi leaned against the wall of an alleyway. The tiger inside him paced and growled, snarled and snapped. He closed his eyes to focus.

Atsushi hated that it was also on edge. That it too was also angry and fierce and wanting death, when usually it was a calm presence in Atsushi's head. It usually reminded him that nothing could hurt him, because he had the tiger and he had Ryuunosuke-kun and he had Gin-san and he had Randou-san.

One of those people was gone. Randou-san was gone, and the tiger was out for blood.

Soft tapping footsteps. Measured. Calm. Not frantic like Atsushi was expecting them to be.

The scent was not the powdered, flower-like scent that Atsushi had tracked and barricaded and led. The one he was waiting for.

This scent was green tea and ginger.

Not Atsushi's target. 

Atsushi withheld a sigh of disappointment of having to wait longer and opened his eyes to watch the person move from the area. Just because he was on a quest for vengeance doesn't mean he wanted innocent lives caught in the crossfire.

A man in a green yukata and a darker haori with a gold trim rounded the corner. His geta tapped rhythmically on the concrete as he walked.

Atsushi watched him walk down the alley way, and would normally stop him and question him, perhaps more on the brutal side, but Atsushi wasn't in the mood to hurt innocent lives. There was a cat cafe nearby, and Atsushi could spy cat hair on the man's sleeves.

The man paused when he reached Atsushi. Turning to face him properly.

“Got a problem?” Atsushi asked, keeping his head down. “Wasn't aware that it was against the laws to lean against the wall.”

“You have anger in your eyes.” The man said. His voice was calm. Sure. Blunt. “Betrayal. Hatred.”

All the words were factual. Statements. Things that should not hurt Atsushi. Things that still pierced his too fragile shield and got right to his soft underbelly.

“What of it?” Atsushi snapped. Defensive. Fierce. Sharp. “Perhaps those emotions belong there.”

The man's gunmetal blue eyes studied Atsushi. The calm, placidness of the eyes soothed something swirling in Atsushi, while also riling him further.

“If you keep following those feelings to their completion, then you may not recognize yourself afterwards.”

Atsushi let out a bitter laugh. The sixteen year old shook his head, the laughter, usually so sweet, felt like bitter lemons and lilies falling from his lips. 

“It's rather interesting that you assume that I recognize myself in this moment.” Atsushi whispered.

Atsushi hadn't known, hadn't recognized, hadn't remembered, who he was since he discovered Randou-san dying in their shared apartment. Atsushi hadn't known, hadn't recognized, who he was since he had been wrapped in Port Mafia black clothing.

He found himself a little, when he had a soulmate and a friend and a mentor.

Atsushi had lost the third leg holding him up. He was an unbalanced stool, unable to keep himself steady in rocking, roiling emotions he had currently washing through him like an ocean’s tidal wave.

A hand was placed on his shoulder. It was gentle. Kind. Supportive.

Atsushi's lungs stopped working.

“Stop touching me.” Atsushi grit out. “Please stop touching me and leave.”

The hand slipped off of Atsushi's shoulder.

“Please leave.” Atsushi requested. This man had upset him. He had upset him and he had reminded him, ever so briefly, of his time before the Butterflies. Of the orphanage headmaster. 

But at the same time, this man reminded him of Randou-san. A mentor. A friend. Someone Atsushi could rely on and could depend on if things went pear-shaped.

But he was a civilian above all.

And Verlaine Paul was coming.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Paul groaned as he dragged himself along, cursing Arthur under his breath.

He should have known.

He should have known.

Paul should have known that Arthur would only go down in a fight against him if he had a backup plan. A plan that ensured Paul's defeat. Or death.

Poison.

In his final moments of fighting him, before Paul had ripped him apart and fled, Arthur had poisoned him. 

Paul should have seen it coming, should have prepared for such an event. Arthur was so intelligent to use a poison, to kill from beyond the grave. Arthur was the only one who could have done such a thing to him.

Paul collapsed onto his side against the alleyway, his breath becoming labored. 

“Damn. . . You.” He hissed. The image of his old partner burned into the back of his retinas, and he wanted to swipe out and strangle the man again. “Why couldn't you have just let me kill you.”

Paul regained his strength, a small piece of it, and turned the corner of the alleyway.

A child stood at the mouth of it, leaning against the wall.

Paul stopped where he stood. He slowly pushed himself off of the side of the alleyway, taking in the child.

The child opened his eyes, pure gold sclera and violet ringing the pupils stared down Paul. Pinning him down, and Paul felt like a mouse under a cat’s paw for the briefest second before he regained his senses.

“So you did decide to come this route.” The boy’s voice wound through the alleyway as he pushed off the wall as well, taking up the mouth of it as much as he could. 

His coat is a miniature version of Arthur's.

Paul swallowed softly. He felt the stinging sensation of whatever poison Arthur had used trying to close up his airways. “Indeed I did. Do you have business with me?”

“The Port Mafia as a whole does.” The boy nodded. “But I out of everyone have a bone to pick with you. You killed my mentor after all.”

Paul’s heart sank slightly, but he brushed the feeling away like an annoying fly.

“Hmm? You'll have to be more specific, little one. Who did I kill that was your mentor?”

The boy pulled at his coat. “Do you not recognize this? Or perhaps the description of his eyes would knock some sense into you? Or some memories? Perhaps you have amnesia like Randou-san did.”

Paul’s feelings bubbled like a pot of milk left on the stove, churning and curdling in on themselves.

Arthur, you had a mentee? I truly did not know you in our final days, did I?

“Ah, you mean Arthur Rimbaud.” Paul said, keeping his voice smooth and steady. 

The child tilted his head. “Was that his name?”

“It was.” Paul studied the boy in front of him. “Hmm, how inconsequential you must have been to him.”

Finally, a flicker of emotions in those eyes. His jaw rocking back and forth. The kid looked like he wanted to spring upon Paul.

“And why do you say that?” The child asked in a low voice.

“Because,” Paul shrugged. “He never wanted children before. I remember that clearly. You must have been a tool to rise in the ranks of that silly little organization.”

The emotions flared bright, angry and fierce like flames, before they cooled. Calculating.

“Hmm, I think you're the inconsequential one here. In the years I've known Randou-san, he never once mentioned you.”

Paul was not proud of his reaction. He was not in his right mind however, either from lack of sleep due to nightmares, the lack of the codes keeping him sane, or the poison coursing through his veins. Paul Verlaine wasn't fully in control.

He leapt at the child in front of him, knife flashing and ready to strike him down.

Chapter Text

Gin slammed into the man, her knife out and singing and trying to slide into flesh as Onii-san escorted the Boss away.

Her knife didn’t sink into flesh.

Her body didn’t slam into flesh and blood.

It pinged off of something metal, and her body felt like she had rammed into a metal pole.

“I would much rather you didn’t try to do that.” The man who wasn’t a man said, rather cheerfully, and tried to pluck her knife out of her grasp.

Gin scrambled back, keeping her knife on her. “Who are you!?”

“I am Adam! Adam Frankenstein, Europe’s first supercomputer detective. It’s nice to meet you.” The man who wasn’t a man was way too cheerful for Gin’s taste, and she could feel her brother starting to come back. She really wanted to kill this guy in front of her, but she wasn’t quite sure she could. Not if he wasn’t actually a human.

“Why are you here?” Gin tried her luck, keep her knife up and ready. “Adam” had been so ready to answer her question earlier, so why not answer this question as well?

“To arrest Paul Verlaine for attempted assassination against the queen of England.”

Gin blinked. That sentence was said far too. . . . . not cheerful, but it wasn’t a somber tone as well.

“Well I’m afraid you’re not going to find Verlaine here.” Onii-san hissed, and Gin could tell that he was ready to use his ability on the supercomputer. “He is currently, most likely, in combat with another one of our forces. So I would not advise on attacking anyone else on this train.”

Adam huffed. “Verlaine is said to wear a hat and to have long hair. You must admit, the person you are protecting matches that description.”

Gin nearly winced at that. Okay yeah, Boss’s attempt at looking low-key did look a lot like Verlaine in hindsight if that was just the description.

“Ah, well if Verlaine is not at this location, then I will simply go find him and arrest him.” Adam said, walking towards the door with purpose.

Gin was tilted her head, not understanding.

Not until he pulled the door open and Onii-san grabbed onto her and used his ability to hold onto the seat structures as the wind whipped and tried to pull them out with Adam as he simply walked out of the moving train. From the side door, not the connecting door.

Gin and Onii-san just held onto each other as they steadily made their way to the door that would lead them to the Boss.

“Do you think Atsushi is okay?” Gin asked softly. Just barely loud enough for Onii-san to hear above the howling of the wind that was trying to pull and tug at their hair.

“It’s Atsushi.” Onii-san grunted, as they opened and walked along the bridge that led them to the next car. He made sure that the door was closed firmly behind them and checked on the Boss’s location before finishing his thought.

“If he isn’t okay, we’re kicking his ass to next Tuesday.”

Gin laughed as they walked back to the Boss’ side.

That was very true.

Both Gin and Onii-san were incredibly protective over Atsushi. Even if they both showed it in different ways.

~~~~~~~~~~

Paul leapt at the child in front of him, knife flashing and ready to strike him down.

The child leapt away, avoiding the attack and ensuring to keep distance from Paul, eyes sharp as the knife and twice as dangerous.

If Paul was thinking clearly, he wouldn’t attack anymore. A good assassin knows when to run away after all. They know when a job wasn’t worth the money and wouldn’t be worth the potential risks. If Paul was thinking clearly, he would run away and he wouldn’t engage further and he would try to heal from the poison that Arthur had infected him with.

If Paul was thinking clearly.

Paul was not thinking clearly. Paul had not been thinking clearly for the last three years that he’d been apart from Arthur.

He followed the child, trying to attack those eyes, those piercing eyes that were trying to pin him down and trying to dissect him. Trying to figure out a way to pin him down and stop him from getting up. Trying to figure out a way to pin him down and make sure he stays down.

Too bad for the kid, no one would ever be able to pin Paul down.

Paul was the world’s best assassin for a reason, no one would ever be able to stop him from completing his goal.

Which would be killing this child and then leaving this forsaken island and just trying to find a way to live from then on. For now, Paul would focus on the two items he had on his agenda, killing the child and then leaving Japan.

Except the child refused to be killed, continuing to jump back and avoid Paul each time he tried to stab him. Paul huffed under his breath. He would use his ability, but because of the poison coursing through his body and the instability of his mind meant that using his ability was kind of walking a fine line of insanity.

“Hold still!” Paul snapped, nearly throwing the knife at the kid. But that would be giving up his knife, and he didn’t want to give the kid a weapon, on top of whatever sort of weapon the boy had on his body.

“I don’t want to.” The kid snapped back. “Besides, Randou-san always taught me to never let the enemy dictate what happened to me.”

The mention of Arthur set off a flair in Paul’s anger. “Don’t act like you knew him!”

Paul abandoned trying to stab and instead went for punching and kicking the brat, who flowed around his attacks. The same way that Arthur used to.

It just fueled the fire in Paul’s soul. The anger that burned there, the want to kill the little brat in front of him. This was the last remnant of Arthur Rimbaud in this world, barring Paul himself. And then Arthur Rimbaud would truly just be a ghost of Paul’s memories.

“I DID KNOW HIM!” The boy shouted, the façade of calmness cracking in two and he swiped at Paul, who dodged it instead of letting it hit. It was good that he did, because when he looked at the bricks of the alley afterwards, there were claw marks gouged into the wall.

He immediately came after Paul, the tables turning. Paul was now avoiding and the brat was now attacking.

“I KNEW HIM! HE WAS MY MENTOR. THE ONLY ADULT THAT CARED ABOUT ME! AND YOU’RE THE ONE THAT TOOK HIM AWAY FROM ME!”

Part of the building came down after the brat slammed his fist into the wall where Paul had been standing just moments ago. The bricks crumbled under the claws of a rampaging beast that Paul had unknowingly unlocked the cage of.

Paul wondered, for a brief, fleeting second, if he had poked a bear that he shouldn’t have.

He lost that train of thought to his instable mind and to dodging the dangerous claws that were bearing down on him.

The roles of predator and prey, fighter and defender, were reversed.

Paul was evading now, trying to evade the claws that seemed to cut through anything that they came into contact with.

There was none of Arthur’s finesse now, none of Arthur’s teaching showing right now.

There was none of what Paul had learned and ingrained into his body, none of his incredible ability control and his incredible fighting prowess.

Instead, they were simply two people, stuck in a battle of hunter and hunted. Defender and fighter.

There was only so many places Paul could leap to, because of all the destruction that the brat had done. Paul would be proud of the brat’s thinking if he wasn’t the opponent.

Oh who was he kidding? Paul was rather proud of this brat. This brat who used to be Arthur’s kid, and Paul was the one to take Arthur from him.

Perhaps Paul deserved this. Perhaps he deserved to die by the claws of the boy who was Arthur’s child. Perhaps Paul deserved this death. Perhaps Paul should just allow himself to die here and now. This was what he deserved after all, there was no reason for him to continue living anymore.

Paul skidded on the rubble that they have created in this alleyway, watching the sharp eyes and the fierce glare and the enraged look on his face. This brat whose world that Paul had apparently destroyed by taking Arthur away. Paul had destroyed the world that this brat had lived in, and for some reason, this hurt him.

Or perhaps it was the poison addling his mind at last, making him feel stupid feelings that he never bothered to feel before. It probably was the poison, finally stopping his limbs, probably stopping his heart.

But it was working, whatever it was.

Paul was frozen.

And the brat was bearing down on him, speed as his asset and the claws out and ready to rip Paul’s throat out.

Perhaps he should just accept this death now.

~~~~~~~~~~

Atsushi’s claws were so close to the assassin’s throat.

So close.

He would finally avenge Randou-san.

He could finally avenge Randou-san.

He remembered meeting Randou-san. He remembered Randou-san giving him the clothes. Giving him the wristwatch. Randou-san sparring with him, teaching him. Randou-san keeping him safe.

Randou-san soothing him after that first mission. Braiding his hair back. Making him food that was good for his stomach, easy on his stomach.

Randou-san telling him that he would be alright.

Randou-san teaching him everything that he knew.

Finding Randou-san in the apartment, in a puddle of blood, and ripped to pieces. Barely holding on, only holding on for Atsushi so he could warn him about his attacker.

The funeral. The holding back of tears and Ryuunosuke-kun gripping his hand to give him a lifeline.

Atsushi could avenge everything that Verlaine took from him here.

Atsushi could kill Verlaine right now.

Atsushi could avenge Randou-san right here and now and no one would ever tell him that he was in the wrong.

He grit his teeth and fought back tears as he slammed the blade of his hands into Verlaine’s neck, knocking the man out.

Atsushi watched him slump to the ground, and let two tears streak down his face. Only two tears. He couldn’t allow anything more, because he had to drag this man back to Port Mafia headquarters.

Atsushi would break down later. In the care of Ryuunosuke-kun and Gin-chan, he’d break down.

But not here.

Not now.

Not while he was alone.

Atsushi chuckled bitterly at that.

Alone.

That was a problem, wasn’t it? Atsushi didn’t know how to be alone. He remembered being alone in the orphanage, but he never wanted to go back to that.

Atsushi wiped his eyes, the tears trying to trickle out. He couldn’t let them.

Instead, he reached down and gripped Verlaine’s ankle and turned to the mouth of the alleyway. And started dragging him away.

Back to the Port Mafia.

Back to the spiderweb.

The little Black Butterfly dragging the big bad dragon into the web that the spider weaved for them both.

~~~~~~~~~~

Ryuunosuke slammed the door open to Atsushi’s apartment, storming in and finding the younger boy staring at the urn that held Randou’s ashes.

“On your feet.” Ryuunosuke insisted, pulling the sixteen year old to his feet when he didn’t obey and started looking over him.

Gin was looking in the kitchen, trying to figure out if there was something edible in this apartment.

They hadn’t seen Atsushi in several days, not since they learned that Verlaine was in the basement of the Port Mafia and was being flushed of any toxins in his body that his liver and kidneys couldn’t filter out.

Ryuunosuke had had enough. He had filled out his paperwork, Gin had finished her paperwork, and now here they were. Looking after the third part of their group, and Ryuunosuke’s soulmate.

“Have you eaten at all? In the past three days?” Ryuunosuke muttered, looking over Atsushi. He didn’t gain any new scars that weren’t his own, he didn’t have any phantom pains during that time either. But that was completely different.

Physical pain was different from emotional pain.

“I’m okay.” Atsushi muttered.

“You’re not.” Ryuunosuke shot back, glaring at the younger boy. “We know you’re not, don’t you dare to lie to us, Nakajima Atsushi.”

Atsushi shifted on his feet, eyes drifted to the urn that Randou was in.

Ryuunosuke snapped his fingers in front of his face.

“Atsushi, you won. You avenged him.”

“Did I?” Atsushi asked, shoulders slumping and falling back onto the couch, head tipping back and staring at the ceiling. “Did I avenge Randou-san? He’s still dead and gone. I’m still here. Verlaine is still alive. Did I avenge him?”

“You did. You took care of the problem. You took care of Verlaine.” Ryuunosuke tried to soothe. He didn’t know how to do this. He didn’t know how to soothe his other, he didn’t know how to tell him that the choice he made was the right one.

Atsushi just let out a pitiful laugh.

Ryuunosuke didn’t know how to help him. Atsushi was someone that he could understand, someone that he was destined to understand. They were soulmates after all, Ryuunosuke should be completely capable of understanding Atsushi more than anyone else.

And yet he can’t. He doesn’t.

He hasn’t lost someone like Atsushi has.

How does someone who still has everything to lose treat someone who has lost their whole world?

Ryuunosuke doesn’t know how to do that.

Especially because Gin is now on the track to learn from Verlaine in the first place.

Because Ryuunosuke was supposed to be watching Verlaine train Gin. Because Verlaine was supposed to become an Executive. Because Verlaine was being dragged further into the deep, dark waters of the Port Mafia, and no one could really drag him deeper.

Verlaine had already gone deep into the world’s darkness, and whatever reservations people had with him, no one would go against the Boss. No, everyone had seen that he was more than willing to what it took to grab an asset. Everyone would be too afraid to speak up against the Boss now.

Ryuunosuke sighed, reaching forward, and grabbing the gray coat’s sleeve. “Take this off. You need to wash it. You need to eat. You need to drink some water or some tea or something. You need to shower too, no doubt.”

Atsushi tilted his head away, his eyes landing on the window. “Do you think butterflies care about anything?"

Ryuunosuke frowned. “What?”

“Dogs care about their owners and food. Lizards care about sunlight and food. But what about butterflies? Do they care about anything?” Atsushi asked, curling his legs up.

“That doesn’t matter.” Ryuunosuke muttered. “That doesn’t matter. You’re a human, you’re not a butterfly Atsushi. You need to eat, you need to shower, you need to drink something.”

Atsushi’s smile is sad and heartbreaking. “But I am a butterfly. I’m the Black Butterfly, aren’t I?”

“You’re a human being. Your ability is a tiger.” Ryuunosuke shot back.

Atsushi laughed. Soft, sweet, sadly. “Am I? I’m a murderer.”

“So am I.” Ryuunosuke shot back. “So is Gin. You can’t keep dwelling on this.”

As soon as that phrase was out of his mouth, Ryuunosuke felt his blood freeze.

Atsushi’s face shuttered close. All emotions closed off, unable to be seen.

“Atsushi, I didn’t mean that–” Ryuunosuke whispered. He was just so frustrated. He knew Atsushi had a softer heart than what was usually pulled into the dark waters of the underworld.

“I think you’ve made your point rather clear.” Atsushi snapped, sitting up at last. His face was shut off, but his eyes were snapping and raging. “You can leave if you want, Akutagawa-kun.”

Ryuunosuke inhaled.

He exhaled.

That. . . . . hurt.

Gin appeared at his side, and Ryuunosuke left Atsushi’s field of view, instead going to take care of the tea that Gin had started in the kitchen. He went through the motions of it, his brow furrowed as he poured the water on the leaves.

He didn’t mean to say that to Atsushi. He really didn’t. He just didn’t know how to talk to the boy right now. He was so used to the usual Atsushi, so used to the Atsushi that skulked after a mission, mourned for the lives that he took for some reason.

But this wasn’t a life that Atsushi didn’t know. Randou-san had died. Atsushi’s adult had died.

Ryuunosuke didn’t know what to do. Hirotsu-san hadn’t died, so Ryuunosuke couldn’t connect to this new emotion, this new difference of mourning that the younger boy was going through.

And he said stupid shit.

Ryuunosuke scrubbed at his face. He didn’t know how to comfort his soulmate like this. He didn’t know what he was going through, he didn’t know what his soulmate was feeling. Ryuunosuke still had Gin by his side, he still had Hirotsu-san.

Atsushi had been uprooted from his home, his people. Atsushi had lost his adult.

The tea was steeped, it would be too strong if Ryuunosuke let the leaves stay in the water too much longer. But he didn’t know if the duo in the living room were ready for him to come back with it. But Ryuunosuke wanted to be back with his soulmate and his sister, and he didn’t know if he was welcome there right now.

He gently pulled the tea leaves out of the water, and got the sugar. He scooped three heaping spoonful’s for Atsushi’s mug, knowing that the boy likes sugary things. He added a heaping spoonful of sugar to Gin’s knowing that she likes it somewhat sugary, and added a spoonful and a half to his.

He inhaled deeply, the fear of being rejected in the living room so dangerously close to being a reality.

But he slowly picked up all three mugs, Gin and his in one hand, and Atsushi’s in his other hand. Entering back into the living room, he studied Atsushi and Gin.

Atsushi was still curled up, but his eyes were no longer sharp and biting, merely glassy and soft now. Gin’s own eyes are gentle and her hand is squeezing Atsushi’s, keeping him calm.

Ryuunosuke placed the mug for Atsushi down in front of him, and handed Gin her mug.

Atsushi eyed the mug warily, but he slowly uncurled and tentatively took the tea mug. He held it, probably just letting the heat seep into his palms.

“I’m sorry.” Ryuunosuke whispered.

Maybe he would have reacted differently if he had lost someone. But Hirotsu-san had offered him and Gin an out of that hellhole of a slum, and he had taken it with both hands.

But he hadn’t lost anyone, so he couldn’t do anything other than simply flounder and try to sympathize.

Atsushi sipped the tea. “It’s sweet.”

“You like it sweet.” Ryuunosuke defended himself, to himself, to Atsushi, to Gin’s gentle eyes over the rim of her mug.

“I never told you.” Atsushi whispered.

“You didn’t have to.” Ryuunosuke muttered.

Atsushi uncurled more, tapping his foot down on the couch in front of him. In front of him and his sister.

Ryuunosuke felt relief sweep through him as he took a seat in front of his two most important people.

Atsushi forgave him.

He wasn’t whole, he would probably feel Randou’s death for years.

But he had forgiven Ryuunosuke for the careless words he just said, and for that, Ryuunosuke was grateful.

Chapter Text

The world kept turning. It kept turning and turning and turning.

People were born, and people died.

People were killed, and people were promoted.

Among those people, were Atsushi and Ryuunosuke-kun and Gin-san.

Atsushi had been put in charge of communications with a man called Lippmann. He was an actor and a movie star. He apparently had an Ability, but Atsushi had yet to see it in action. As the permanent liaison for the Butterflies of the Naka Ward, it was important for Atsushi to be in charge of communications, and to learn how to keep his mouth shut while keeping his claws sharp.

Lippmann was eager to teach Atsushi all he could, taking him under his wing while also chatting about things that Atsushi had no clue about. Other movie stars, people called the Flags for some reason. Atsushi would just nod his head and focused on learning.

Gin-san was put in charge of artillery. She apparently worked with another one of these “Flags,” a guy called Albatross, who was in charge of the vehicle lines of the Port Mafia. Albatross was apparently, very scared of Gin-san, and Atsushi snickered into his ochazuke when he heard that.

And Ryuunosuke-kun?

Ryuunosuke-kun had been put in charge of the Port Mafia's battle plans.

Atsushi didn't know who's idea that was. He wasn't sure if it was the best idea either. Ryuunosuke-kun was incredibly sharp, he was an intelligent young man after all, but sometimes he got a little too heated and a little too sharp and he sometimes jumped the gun and attacked whoever had slighted him. Or whatever slight Ryuunosuke-kun had thought had happened.

Honestly the idiot would do what he thought was best and that was probably what frightened Atsushi the most.

His idiot of a best friend would make stupid decisions and decide to attack someone when they were just walking in a place that they weren't supposed to be. Putting Ryuunosuke-kun in charge of battle plans was a recipe for disaster, but Atsushi had to trust the Boss in what he had decided. Atsushi wasn't in charge after all, he was.

And since they had gotten promoted due to the Verlaine incident, team MonoKuro had less time to spend time with each other.

Atsushi understood it, he did. They were all busy learning their places of authority and deciding what they would let slide and what they wouldn't. But he still missed his best friends. He missed Gin-san and Ryuunosuke-kun. He wanted to just hang out with them, just like they used to when they were younger and still new to the Port Mafia.

He understood why they couldn't spend time together like they used to.

He missed his best friends though.

Atsushi scrubbed his hands through his hair, a soft frown on his face as he stared down at the warehouse that he was staking out. Some people had some new communications equipment that the Port Mafia wanted their hands on, so here he was, waiting for the shipment to be dropped off so he could kill everyone and sweep the equipment away.

Atsushi was all for new equipment, really. Especially communications equipment. It was constantly evolving, so by the time they had gotten their hands on something new, there was always something else on the market that was taking over. It was insane and it was honestly a little maddening, especially since Lippmann was constantly flirting with other people to get said equipment, only for it to go out of style. The man was simply insufferable when he felt like he had been slighted in a romantic way, and that included when he got resources for the Port Mafia.

Why was everyone around Atsushi so trigger happy?

He groaned, pressing his face into his hands and tried not to scream at the top of his lungs. Where was this shipment? Where was Lippmann to relieve him of duty for the stakeout? Can he go home yet!?

A pang of emotions rippled through Atsushi, and he sighed as he dropped his hands to stare back down at the warehouse he was staking out.

Home.

Such a nebulous word.

Once upon a time, Atsushi would have described home as the orphanage. Even with the cold shackles that bit into his ankles and the even colder stares of the adults, it had been the place that Atsushi lived in and the place he had gotten food from. Atsushi didn't miss the Orphanage though, so it wasn't home.

Once upon a time, Atsushi would have described home as the Naka Ward and the Butterflies that lived within it. It may have been cold and getting sick was always a threat around the corner, but the people there kept Atsushi warm. Atsushi missed them, but he also wouldn't describe them as home.

Once upon a time, Atsushi would have described Randou-san as home. The man had brought him in and kept him safe and helped him carve his niche in this swirling, sweeping pool of dark waters. He had held Atsushi's head above the water and helped him learn to swim before–

Before Verlaine had brought rain.

And Randou-san drowned and was unable to be Atsushi's home again.

Atsushi stared at the warehouse, still waiting.

So what was Atsushi's home now? Who was Atsushi's home now? Where was Atsushi's home now?

Ryuunosuke-kun and Gin-san were obviously a choice. But they were also kids too. Could he try to make them his home? Could he dare to burden them like that? Burden them with his hope for them to be his home?

There was movement below him.

Atsushi sharpened his eyes, shifted on his feet and sharpening his nails into claws. There was no way he was going to let anyone go with their lives. No one lives, that was the Boss’s orders, and those were the orders that Atsushi would follow.

He crouched, watching everyone move about and get the equipment out. There it was. What Atsushi had came for, and everyone was matching the descriptions that Atsushi had been given.

Looks like it would be an easy night.

Atsushi would deliver the communication equipment to the Port Mafia, then spend the rest of his night hanging over the toilet bowl as he threw up his dinner over killing people again.

That was something he would never get used to.

The scent of blood.

The feeling of it coating his claws and soaking into his clothes.

It was something he could never get used to, the fact that he, a Butterfly, was the one responsible for this carnage.

He stood in the middle of the wreckage, the communication equipment untouched.

A black glass butterfly earring glinting in the moonlight, and blood dripping off his claws. Reflecting the moon like liquid silver.

~~~~~~~~~~

Ryuunosuke kicked down Atsushi's door, feeling this was quickly becoming normal to him, and he didn't really like that. Whatever. His soulmate had a day off, Gin had a day off, and he had a day off.

That meant that they were spending it together, and Atsushi wasn't allowed to wallow in self-pity or depression or some shit like he may have been. Gin followed behind him as he stormed into the apartment that used to be Randou’s a year ago, rolling her eyes and shaking her head, but following him like a shadow.

They both had been concerned about Atsushi, their conflicting schedules making them unable to say hello for more than a second in passing. But today–

Today they were all free. And it was bright and early, and Gin, who was disgustingly a night person, had forced herself to sleep so that she could spend the entire day with them both. Ryuunosuke was touched, because he knew how much sleep meant to his little sister.

Atsushi stirred on the couch, waking up and stretching. It was a testament to their bond and probably their soul-bond that he didn't immediately attack them the second the door was kicked in. Ryuunosuke eyed the sleeves of what used to Randou’s coat, turned into Atsushi's.

He'd have to lengthen it soon with Rashōmon. Atsushi had hit a growth spurt, they all had, and the sleeves were far too short now. 

“What's up? What's goin’ on?” Atsushi yawned, rubbing at his eyes.

“We're going out.” Ryuunosuke stated decisively.

“Out? Wha's the mission? I haven't even had tea yet.” Atsushi said, slightly grumpy.

“No mission.” Ryuunosuke shot back. “We all have a day off. So we're spending it together.”

Atsushi blinked at Ryuunosuke.

Ryuunosuke blinked at Atsushi.

“When was this decided?” Atsushi asked slowly, accepting the cup of tea Gin pushed into his hands and sipping it.

“Yesterday. When I talked to the Boss and found out that we all had a day off today.” Ryuunosuke told him. He turned around to try and find something to feed Atsushi quickly so they could get a move one into the day. It was already eight thirty in the morning, there were things to do! These two night people!

Why was Ryuunosuke the only morning person in this group?

“Why is he such a morning person?” He hears Atsushi ask Gin.

“Because he's a mutant to the Akutagawa genes.” 

“I can hear both of you!” Ryuunosuke pretended to fume as he brought back an onigiri and tossed it at Atsushi, who caught it and immediately started munching on it. It warmed the nineteen-year-old’s heart that the seventeen-year-old trusted him so much to not check the food he gave him.

“What's the plan?” Atsushi asked, slowly waking up thanks to the tea and food. There was no more waking up Gin though. She would be firmly in the half-asleep category until around one in the afternoon, like the heathen she was.

“I was thinking. . .” Here Ryuunosuke hesitated. He didn't know much about Atsushi, despite the three of them having spent so much time together. He had known Atsushi for two years, going on three. But he didn't know how he would do with. . . 

Atsushi raised a silver eyebrow, silently prompting Ryuunosuke to continue with this thought.

“I was thinking Hakkeijima Sea Paradise.” Ryuunosuke finished. “Specifically the aquarium.”

Atsushi blinked. He tilted his head, and the long silver hair that he had been growing out followed. It was still tangled in a French braid, likely the chosen hairstyle for the mission the night before. If Ryuunosuke looked closer, he'd see flecks of brown, dried blood in the strands.

Ryuunosuke didn't look closer.

He never did.

“That sounds like fun.” Atsushi yawned, getting up and stretching. He padded off to the bedroom that Randou had given him, once upon a time, and Ryuunosuke wondered when, just when, his best friend was going to move into the master bedroom.

Probably when the Boss forced him to host someone. Or maybe Atsushi would give the master bedroom to his guest. Definitely something that idiot would do.

“Onii-san, do you think maybe you had an energy drink?” Gin asked, eyes twinkling slightly.

“No, I just took all the morning person genes from you. Not that you had any to begin with.” Ryuunosuke shot back, a grin starting to creep onto his face.

“No, I just took all the night person genes.” Gin snipped back, and Ryuunosuke heard Atsushi sigh behind him.

“Please don't start this. The caffeine hasn't hit yet. Not enough anyways.”

“We'll pick you up some more.” Ryuunosuke sniffed. These fools who stayed up late and couldn't deal with the sunshine. What idiots. Ryuunosuke would have to take care of them both.

Atsushi made a face as they left his apartment, all of them dressed in the varying shades of MonoKuro. Atsushi stuck to grays, darker gray t-shirt and grayer still jeans, not wearing Randou’s old gray coat surprisingly. That was good, it didn't fit properly anymore, but Atsushi was instead wearing a gray zip-up hoodie that Ryuunosuke had never seen before. Gin was wearing a white shirt with a black pea coat thrown over it, and gray jeans. Ryuunosuke had black jeans on and a gray shirt on, with a white hoodie on. Rashōmon tugged at the clothes, begging to be unleashed, but he pushed it down.

Today was a day off. No powers allowed, not even Rashōmon.

“You know I hate energy drinks.” Atsushi complained as they hit the concrete sidewalk and started walking.

“Too bad. It's that or an espresso.” Ryuunosuke shot back, tossing his head.

Atsushi sighed. “Well if you insist on buying me something, I will have to accept it, won't I?”

“Yes, you will.” Gin said smugly, bumping her hip against Atsushi's, and Ryuunosuke felt a soft burning in his heart. 

This. This was why he would protect them so fiercely. This was why he would love them carefully.

They were his. This strange MonoKuro group that he was a part of. These two idiots that he would protect and live with all of his being. 

Atsushi blew his hair out of his face, now done up in a simple ponytail. The one black streak that never seemed to go away was there, and Ryuunosuke couldn't help but compare it to Piano Man’s three black streaks. Those were fake, but he should introduce the two of them. Atsushi already knew Lippmann, but still.

They started their trek to the Hakkeijima Sea Paradise, and Ryuunosuke was quick to pay for their tickets before Atsushi could try to. Gin snickered, already seeing this happening, and bought food and drinks for them as they walked around the aquarium. Atsushi in turn pouted, before his eyes narrowed at the gift shop.

Ryuunosuke was not looking forward to the end of today. Who knew what Atsushi would foist on the two of them?

They walked into the aquarium, Atsushi sipping on a hot tea, Gin sipping an energy drink, and Ryuunosuke could only roll his eyes at the two night people. He just tipped his head up and enjoyed his time with the sea animals, watching them float around in the water, propelling themselves with their tails or moving with their tentacles. 

Ryuunosuke basked in the sunlight filtering through the water tunnel. He rarely got to go out in the daytime and get to soak up some good sunlight anymore with his workload. Atsushi stuck to the shadows of the aquarium, his eyes far too sensitive. Ryuunosuke should get him sunglasses, with his ability he was sensitive to sunlight. Gin in turn liked to dance in the in-between, enjoying both the sunlight and the shadows.

They wandered around the aquarium, not really following the path that the aquarium workers tried to lay out for them, and before long they had wandered into the touch pool section. Ryuunosuke stared in disgust as Atsushi and Gin immediately thrust their hands into the water, gently touching the sea creatures, not caring that the ends of the coats were getting wet. They were going to ask him to make it dry, he knew it.

They instead giggled as they touched the sea creatures, gently stroking over the clams or the curious fish that were stupid enough to swim up and brush against their fingers.

Atsushi's pupils dilated when he saw them, and Ryuunosuke reached out and grabbed the collar of his zip-up hoodie.

“Don't you even think about it.” He warned lowly, watching the fish starting to swim away now that his shadow was cast over the water.

“Aww c'mon. They won't miss a few small fry.” Atsushi pouted, before giggling at Ryuunosuke, and Ryuunosuke could only shake his head at the younger. Gin grinned up at him too, and he could only feel fondness welling up inside his chest.

These two idiots were his, and he would do everything in his power to protect them and cherish their smiles.

They left the touch pool before Atsushi could try and swallow some fish, and as predicted, they both asked Ryuunosuke to use Rashōmon to dry their clothes. He was such a softie, he was such a softie for these two. He could acknowledge that as he gripped their sleeves and let his Ability wash over their coats and dry the ends instantly. Having worn themselves out enough, they decided to try and find the cafeteria so they could try and grab a bite to eat before exploring some more.

Instead, they got lost and somehow ended up in the deep sea section.

It must have been a newly added addition, because there wasn't anything floating around the tubes. Not that Ryuunosuke could see anyways. When Atsushi sharpened his eyes to use the tiger eyes, he stated he could see some sort of movement, but nothing definite.

They beat a hasty retreat from the deep sea section, and Ryuunosuke didn't look back at those dark depths, but Atsushi took a quick second to look over his shoulder. He stared for a moment, before Gin dragged him forward.

“See something in there?” Ryuunosuke teased.

“Maybe a ghost.” Atsushi shot back, tossing his ponytail over his shoulder and directly into Ryuunosuke’s face. Ryuunosuke spat the silver strands out, shooting the younger boy a glare that had no true heat.

They finally found the cafeteria, and Ryuunosuke could barely hold back a look of disgust as Gin ordered a salad that had slices of oranges in it. Atsushi snickered into his miso chicken. Ryuunosuke turned his nose up and ate his unakyu.

After their quick break, they went back into the aquarium, Atsushi once again in the shadows, Ryuunosuke in the sunlight, and Gin in the penumbra’s range.

They found the shark exhibit, and Gin was utterly enamored with the beautiful creatures, leaning close to the glass and staring at them as they swam past her. Her eyes sparkled and danced as watched their graceful movements.

Atsushi watched with kind eyes, humming a soft song under his breath. 

Ryuunosuke sighed happily. Today was going well, so well. A day off was what they needed. What they all deserved.

They continued walking, managing to pry Gin away from the sharks so they could go see the orcas and the dolphins. She pouted, but followed along, throwing her arms around the two of them and leaning in close to see the dolphins in their enclosure. So close that they nearly fell in, thanks to the fact that they were above the dolphin tank.

Ryuunosuke managed to pry himself out of her grasp with a poke to the ribs from Rashōmon, making his sister squeak and swat at him.

They laughed. They walked around more exhibits, under the water and over the water and through the water.

They wore themselves out and they smiled happily, and Ryuunosuke felt his heart starting to burst with contentment at the fact that he had them both.

And then they hit the gift shop.

Atsushi immediately beelined towards it, and Ryuunosuke sighed, resigning himself to having some sort of plushie at the end of the day thanks to Atsushi's insistence. Really, the idiot should buy something, but he shouldn't spend his money just on Ryuunosuke and Gin. Gin was of no help either, eyes twinkling and a smirk working its way onto her face as they walked around the gift shop, Atsushi evading them the entire time.

Sneaky butterfly.

Ryuunosuke bought a small paperweight, thinking of giving it to Hirotsu-san when they saw each other next. Gin also bought a pen, although he could see her trying to turn it into a weapon. She was always trying to turn things into weapons nowadays.

And Atsushi had a bag. A smaller bag, but a bag nonetheless, and he was smirking.

They stepped out of the gift shop and went on their way, Atsushi swinging the bag in his hand and humming lightly, the smirk not leaving his face.

“Okay, what did you buy?” Ryuunosuke finally gave in.

Atsushi twirled, a bright grin on his face. He was partially blending in with the shadows of the building, the ones being cast by the sunset. They had somehow spent the entire day in the aquarium.

“I thought you would never ask!” He cooed, reaching one of his hands into the bag and grabbing something. “Both of you, close your eyes!”

Ryuunosuke sighed, but complied. Rashōmon would keep all of them safe. That's if something got past Atsushi, who was deadly now.

Something dropped into his hands with a soft, metallic whisper.

“Okay, open!”

Ryuunosuke opened his eyes, and stared into his cupped hands. He saw Gin out of the corner of his eyes peering into her own cupped hands.

A . . . . . . Dolphin necklace?

Ryuunosuke picked it up by the pendant, holding it up. The soft silver twinkled in the dying sunset’s light.

Atsushi moved in front of them, and when Ryuunosuke looked up, he was putting on his own dolphin necklace.

Looking to the side, Ryuunosuke saw that Gin also had a dolphin necklace.

Ryuunosuke shook his head with a smile, undoing the clasp on his own necklace and put it on. Gin fiddled with hers and put it on.

“Now we match!” Atsushi grinned, eyes closing as he tilted his head.

Ryuunosuke smiled, holding the pendant gently with two fingers, and he saw Gin gently touch hers.

Today had been a great day.

~~~~~~~~~~

Atsushi's world collapsed with a manor on fire, a burned coat, and two dolphin necklaces coated in blood.

Chapter Text

Atsushi stared down at the mission report in his hands, trying not to simply fall to pieces as the facts were placed out in front of him in clear, concise manner.

Akutagawa Ryuunosuke and Gin were dead.

Mimic had managed to squeak itself into the country, and Mori-san had assigned her to deal with them. Why not, she was the one who is– was, Gin-san was in charge of artillery, there was a reason that she was sent after them. But she wasn’t the one who had an Ability, she couldn’t fight against someone with an Ability.

So of course, of course Ryuunosuke-kun had gone with her, trying to get her to listen to reason maybe, to listen to him and maybe not follow the Boss’s orders and find another way to fight. Fight a man that had an Ability that could apparently see into the future when he was in danger and– and–

Tears slipped down his cheeks, but he didn’t really cry. The tears would fall, but he wouldn’t truly cry. Not here. Not now.

Atsushi stood, placing the report away and walking down the halls in the headquarters. He didn’t wear the coat from Randou-san, it was far too small nowadays. He needed to get a new coat, maybe he needed to buy one that actually fit him. One that would fit him and his outlook on life now. Something that would match himself now.

He wasn’t the child from Naka Ward anymore. He wasn’t the kid who followed around the man who taught him how to kill.

All the keys to his heart, the people who held those keys, were gone. The keys would be forever mangled, and the only way to access it again would be for those people to hold the keys again. But since all three keyholders are gone, no one would have access to his heart again. There would be no one else to hold the keys of his heart, he wouldn’t allow anyone else in.

Walking into the hallway that his feet were looking for, and Atsushi knocked on the door, before slipping into the office. He could smell the liquor and smoke from out here, and he knew that the person that was behind the door was in mourning, just like him. He crossed the floor, standing in front of the desk and just staring at the wood of the desk.

Hirotsu-san stared out of the window, not turning around. His hand was holding a bottle of whisky, where the smell of liquor was coming from, and his ashtray was filled with spent cigarettes. He didn’t turn to look at Atsushi, and Atsushi couldn’t begrudge him that. Atsushi may have been soulmates with Ryuunosuke-kun, and friends with Gin-san, but he wasn’t the one that taught them. He didn’t teach them how to hold a knife, or how to use their Ability. He didn’t teach them how to take care of themselves after they had a job or how to cook a meal.

Hirotsu-san had taught them that.

Atsushi had been the person on the sidelines watching, and Randou-san had been teaching him. Atsushi had lost Randou-san, and now, now Hirotsu-san had lost Ryuunosuke-kun and Gin-san. They were both lonely people, swimming in the dark that tried to pull them down and drown them.

“It seems that we are the only ones left after a few years.” Hirotsu-san muttered, taking a swig of the drink.

“Appears so.” Atsushi replied, staring down at the desk. Kami he just wanted to ignore everything that just happened in the entire few years. He wanted Randou-san back, he wanted Ryuunosuke-kun and Gin-san back, he wanted to go back to the Naka Ward and just exist there for a few years with the Butterflies. He reached up and felt at the glass black butterfly earring, the not-sharp edges of the glass pressing into his fingers.

A swish of liquid sounding, and Atsushi looked up. Hirotsu-san didn’t look at him, but he was putting the bottle of whisky down on his desk and reaching for his lighter and another cigarette packet.

“Those are going to kill you, sooner or later.” Atsushi muttered, talking about the cigarettes at first.

“Why don’t you try it first before you knock it?” Hirotsu-san asked lighting the cigarette, puffing the smoke.

Atsushi considered the liquor. Atsushi considered the pack of cigarettes.

He reached his hands out and took the lighter that Hirotsu-san had put down and pulled a cigarette out of the pack. He just studied the stick in his fingers for a few minutes, contemplating it. Usually he avoided cigarettes like the demons avoided a shrine, but that was thanks to Ryuunosuke-kun and his bad lungs. The other boy had drilled it into his head the statistics about smokers and how Atsushi’s and Gin-san’s lungs would look if they ever took up smoking.

But Atsushi was capable of regeneration.

And Ryuunosuke-kun wasn’t here anymore.

Atsushi placed the stick in his mouth, holding it with his lips and teeth like he saw Hirotsu-san do, and flicked the flame of the lighter on. He held it to the end of the cigarette that was in his mouth, letting it smoulder for a little bit and catch the flame, before putting it out.

He took a long drag.

Or, he tried to. The unexpected taste of the smoke filling his lungs, the unexpected feeling of it filling his airways and feeling like it was clogging his breath and drowning him on land made him cough the smoke back out. He caught the cigarette with his left hand as he clamped the right one over his mouth, trying to quell the coughs. They stopped after a little while, and Atsushi felt a little better.

“Do you want to try again?” Hirotsu-san still hadn’t looked at him. Still smoking his own cigarette and looking out the window of his office.

Atsushi contemplated the cigarette in his left hand.

The ashtray was right there. He could just put it out. He could walk away from this, the smoke that filled his lungs and the addiction to nicotine and the coughs that could afflict him and the potential for cancer that could be rising higher for each second he held the cigarette for longer than he needed to. He could just walk away from potential vice that was hanging over his head.

Atsushi brought the cigarette to his lips, and tried to take a steadier drag this time. Now that he knew what to expect, the smoke filling his lungs wasn’t so bad, now that he thought about it. He was drowning on land, but that was better than drowning in his head, thinking about everyone that he has loved and lost.

The fire may have taken away the last two people in Atsushi’s life, but it could at least give him this temporary happiness.

~~~~~~~~~~

Atsushi walked along the Naka Ward, taking in sights that he hasn’t seen in literal years. He had left the Naka Ward to be a diplomat for the Butterflies, and keeping them safe was his priority, but that also meant that he was given explicit instructions not to interact with them beyond the letters that they managed to make Yuan write. She was the only one that knew how to write after all.

In the last letter, she had mentioned that the Port Mafia was keeping them safe and secure, and that maybe the Butterflies could grow up and seek normal lives at last? Atsushi encouraged that thinking, since he would be stuck in the dark webs of the Port Mafia for forever, the Butterfly that had been caught and never to be released. But if the other Butterflies could escape and fly away to safety, then he would wave them on. He would be sad that he couldn’t escape the spider’s web, but he would be absolutely ecstatic for those who could find their wings and create their places in the world that existed beyond the Naka Ward.

Beyond the eternal security that the Port Mafia had for them. Yuan often complained about it, how they didn’t need the Port Mafia controlling every aspect, but since Atsushi was a diplomat, the Butterflies were putting up with it. How Atsushi had been an important playing piece, even when he was a kid. All that responsibility being pushed upon him when he was just a kid used to hurt, the expectations crushing him with their weight, but he was capable to holding himself up now. The weight was nothing compared to what he’s lived through.

He checked his watch, the black butterfly on the face of the watch catching his eyes for a split second, and he frowned to himself for a moment, before shaking his head. If the schedule that he remembered from the past was still the same, then Shirase should be our and about at this time, maybe a few of the Wings. They would be searching for something that they could use, or maybe Shirase would be trying to recruit people into the Butterflies. It would make sense for that to be an option, since the young man always fancied himself to be the leader and wanted everyone to follow his orders.

Atsushi smoked his cigarette lazily as he walked along, enjoying the freedom that he was feeling in the moment. He technically shouldn’t be here. Mori-san would throw a hissy fit when he realized that Atsushi had visited the Butterflies without clearing it by him first, but he’s been trying to get this visit for at least two years, and something had always been in the way. Something always popped up that threw Mori-san into the middle of something, and he had to deny Atsushi his permission to see his old group.

Taking his cigarette out of his mouth with two fingers and blowing a stream of smoke, Atsushi wondered what the Butterflies would think of him. He was dressed in the least eye-catching clothes that he had in his closet, a pair of worn jeans and a black hoodie that may have been Ryuunosuke-kun’s at one point. The thought sobered him slightly, but he put the cigarette in his mouth and just sucked in more smoke. Ryuunosuke-kun would hate the fact that his hoodie now smelled like a smoker.

Ryuunosuke-kun wasn’t here to reprimand him. Ryuunosuke-kun was dead.

Atsushi shook his head, trying to get rid of the negative thoughts that were trying to take hold and swirl his brain down the drain. As the last member of MonoKuro, he had an image to uphold, and that meant being aware at all times. So he needed to stop being stuck in the past, even when that past was just a mere week ago. Even when it had been a mere two days ago when he felt a phantom pain in his leg, and nearly broke down bawling when he realized that he would never feel something like that from Ryuunosuke-kun ever again.

He blew the smoke back out, focusing his mind on the steady stream. No, today was not the day for bad thoughts, because he needed to put his best face forward when meeting with the Butterflies of the Naka Ward.

The thought of their looks brought a slight smile to his face. Had Shirase grown his hair long? Was Yuan still wearing shorts despite it being on the colder side? Did Hoshiki-chan prefer sweet things and pulling her hair up to the top of her hair still, or did she find a new hairstyle? What did the Wings look like now, had there been any more people added to them?

He was almost there. Atsushi’s feet quickened on their own, his anticipation getting the better of him as he really wanted to see the people that helped shape him, no matter how brief they were there in his life.

Turning the corner, he opened his mouth to call out a greeting.

He froze. The warehouses where the Butterflies were supposed to be living were gone. Ashes. Some walls were still standing, but it looked like the work of fire. Of the fire eating away at the walls and taking and refusing to stop until the roof crashed down upon the floor.

Turning, he flagged down the nearest person that he could find, a wharf worker. He just needed answers. They must have moved and Yuan forgot to tell him. Mori-san forgot to tell him. That’s all this was. It was fine, the bond was still salvageable, even though the warehouse wasn’t.

“What happened here?” Atsushi asked, motioning to the burnt warehouse behind him. His cigarette was loose in his hand as he waited for an answer, the answer he needed to hear so he could go see the Butterflies and–

“Eh?” The guy squinted at the wreckage of arson. “Oh, some kids died in a fire. It wassa lil gang that they ‘ad built up. Their buildin’ caught on fire about two years? Shit, might be three.”

Atsushi felt like the ground beneath his feet had given away. The man didn’t seem to notice, pulling out his own cigarette, lighting it up with ease and taking a drag without a cough in sight.

“Poor kids.” He commiserated. “They were jus’ what. I think fifteen years old at most? Shit, that shit hits ya in the heart. They even had a lil name for their gang too.” He scratched at his chin. “Can’t ‘member it for the life of me though.”

Atsushi stared down at the ground, his own cigarette on the floor. It wouldn’t be starting a fire though, it was concrete floor.

“Ah tha’s right! Butterflies! Shame that the name was so fittin’.” The guy kept going on. “Such a fragile thing, life is.”

Oh, how the man didn’t know the half of it.

The glass black butterfly earring on his ear felt like a harbinger of the future. Of Atsushi’s future. Death and destruction.

~~~~~~~~~~

Atsushi didn’t know how to deal with the fact that nearly all the people he once knew were dead. Gone. Never to come back and see him and maybe smile at his presence or roll his eyes at his jokes or maybe even sigh happily when he made a meal for them. He was constantly making too much food, because he was expecting Ryuunosuke-kun and Gin-san to be there and eat it. It was a bad habit.

He leaned against the window in headquarters, blowing smoke out into the city. It was mid-May, and he had realized that he had been played like a fool.

Who else would pretend to be a person writing letters to Atsushi than Mori-san himself? And why else would Mori-san always have something conveniently pop up every time Atsushi wanted to visit the Butterflies in Naka Ward? Why else would Mori-san become the boss of the Port Mafia and seek him out and ensnare the one Butterfly he wanted in the web, and then discard the ones that didn’t matter.

It was such a Mori-san thing to do, to take only the thing that would bring him most profit and get tie up the loose strings behind Atsushi’s back, while using those loose strings to tug Atsushi along like a marionette. Mori-san always saw the world as pros and cons, and he would always see gaining Atsushi as the pro and the rest of the Butterflies as a con. Getting rid of them was simply good business, and that was that. At least that was how Atsushi knew Mori-san’s mind worked.

He didn’t know how much more he could take.

The extra food. The smoke filling his lungs. The too small coat in his closet that had no purpose. The three mangled keys to his heart that would never be used again. The black butterfly on his ear that signified that he was nothing more than a harbinger of death to everyone around him.

Shifting, he noticed that Mori-san was walking towards him. Briefly, ever so briefly, Atsushi entertained the idea of killing him. Of telling him while he was bleeding out that he knew about the fake letters and this was retribution for them. It was only a brief fantasy, since Atsushi didn’t want to deal with the Boss position or the power vacuum that would be created with the man’s death. Maybe one day, maybe one day Atsushi would be able to do it.

But then something caught his eye. His eyes dropped from Mori-san’s neck that he wanted to cut, to the head that was around Mori-san’s chest height. The bright white bandages were eye-catching, and so was the dead stare. The slumped shoulders that spoke of a weight already placed on them, too much weight for shoulders too skinny.

“Mori-san.” Atsushi greeted, the name of the man that caused the death of so many of Atsushi’s people tasting like ash in his mouth. “Who is this?”

“Ah, this is my newest ward. C’mon boy, why don’t you introduce yourself?” Mori-san nudged the skinny shoulder that was closest to him, and the “boy” stepped closer, eye that could be seen downcast, before it was lifted to meet Atsushi’s eyes.

First thing that Atsushi noticed was that there was no spark of life in those eyes. No hope for the future. The second thing was that the lone eye was capable of showing him just how intelligent the kid was. He searched Atsushi over from head to toe, gaze lingering on where Atsushi had a few weapons hidden on his person. And he had some pretty inventive hiding places, so that was a sharp mind.

“I’m Dazai. Dazai Osamu. Nice to meet you.” The kid greeted dully, giving a shallow bow. Atsushi put his cigarette out and stood, returning the bow.

“Nakajima Atsushi, good to meet you too.”

“The Black Butterfly.” The kid muttered, his eye catching on the earring beside Atsushi’s head that jingled when he straightened up.

And Atsushi knew. He just knew that if he left this kid in Mori-san’s custody, that things would end up to shit. No matter how he would try to help from the outside, he would never get through to this kid. But if he showed initiative right away, then hopefully, hopefully the kid would see that there was still some form of light in this shitty dark world, the shitty dark waters that he was currently treading in.

Drowning men can’t save others. A voice hissed in his head. It sounded like the voice of his old Headmaster. He hadn’t heard it in forever.

I have to try. He shot back.

He had to reach a hand out, and hope that maybe, maybe Dazai Osamu would reach back and let himself swim alongside a drowning man for a while.

~~~~~~~~~~

“Why are you trying to help me?” Dazai-kun asked behind Atsushi after he had shown the kid around the apartment that they were going to be sharing for a while. Until Dazai-kun struck out on his own in the Port Mafia at least. “There’s no reason to. Nothing in it for you. I’m sure you had to do a lot to get me away from Mori-san.”

“We both know you’d try to kill yourself or Mori-san within the next week.” Atsushi replied easily, staring at the dolphin necklace in his hand. He put it away in the box in front of him, and with it, effectively sealed his childhood away. “This just means I can keep an eye on you.”

Dazai-kun let out a whining sigh, but didn’t fight. He didn’t have any personal effects, so they would have to go shopping later, but that was fine. It would get Atsushi out of the house. But it was getting later in the day and it was still May and it was still cool in the evenings. Maybe he had a coat that could fit Dazai-kun?

Opening his closet, he stared. Before pulling out something gray and soft and hopefully wouldn’t agitate Dazai-kun.

“I almost forgot about the tradition.” He mused, studying the coat in his hands. No blood stains at least.

“What tradition?” Dazai-kun asked, sounding somewhat curious. Good, there were some emotions in there. Atsushi would just have to coax them out.

"In the Port Mafia, you give something to your pupil, usually clothing. This color would look better on you than black." Atsushi teased slightly, settling the gray trench coat on Dazai-kun's shoulders. "Black would just wash out your complexion. Make you look like a ghost. Gray lightens you up a bit."

Dazai-kun fiddled with the belt of the trench coat. "This had special significance to you?"

The kid phrased it like a question, but he likely already knew the answer.

"It belonged to my mentor. I outgrew it." Atsushi said, closing the coat around the kid and buttoning at least two buttons. It was a good fit.

"Your mentor was this small!?"

Atsushi had to laugh at the indignant response. "No, no. My. . . My partner. He had an ability that could control cloth. So when my mentor was killed, and all I had left was this coat, Ryuunosuke-kun made it fit me."

Atsushi was quiet as he contemplated the coat, and stepped back.

"This coat was something from my mentor, and from my friend. Two people who watched my back. So it's my promise to you, Dazai Osamu-kun, that I'll always watch yours."

Dazai-kun fiddled with the sleeves, and Atsushi graciously didn't acknowledge the reddened cheeks. The sleeves hit just to the knuckles, which meant that Dazai-kun had room to grow. "Where's this Ryuunosuke-san now?"

Atsushi smiled sadly, patting the kid on the shoulder.

"He died in a fire with his sister." He said quietly. Fire, it always seemed to take away from Atsushi, he couldn’t escape the flames that stole everything and everyone from him.

Dazai-kun wrapped the coat tight around his body. "I'll look after it."

“I know you will.” Atsushi squeezed the shoulder, before letting go. “Now, let’s go get some dinner.”