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For a while now, a pressing matter had been weighing on Akutagawa's mind. He hopes his unusual, spacey behavior hasn't been too noticed by Atsushi, but then again, not even a sniffle can get by that tiger. So perhaps he should just change the wording of that statement to 'let's hope he doesn't confront me about my current state', because honestly, how is he expected to straight up say that he's been dying to put a ring on his finger? That would, you know, sort of ruin the whole proposal shindig.
Really, it shouldn't be this hard or this stressful; all he has to do is pay an arm and a leg for a gorgeous ring Atsushi can show off and remind him that he wants to stay with him until he's just another corpse lying in an overpriced box. Akutagawa may not be the most romantic person on the planet, but Atsushi never goes a day without hearing an I-love-you out of his mouth, just to make sure he remembers always.
In moments where Atsushi's PTSD happens to be getting the better of him, where the boy is in an utter state of sobbing and self-deprecation, you could almost say Ryuunosuke has spoken his wedding vows to him a dozen times now, because in those dark intervals usually when the sun has gone down and the world has gone to sleep, Akutagawa is willing to say or do anything to stop Nakajima from saying he should kill himself to appease his deceased Headmaster, a bastard he should of slaughtered himself if he had his time back. That beautiful soul with the power to purify even the most far-gone individuals deserves the world, and if he desired it enough, well Akutagawa would go far and beyond to ensure he gets just that.
Honestly, there's so much he wishes he could preach to Atsushi, but by the end of it his knees would be numb from kneeling on the floor with a ring in his hand for that long. How someone like himself earned the love of the most amazing person he's ever met blows his mind each and everyday, and while he knows he will always feel as if Atsushi deserves someone much better than him, Akutagawa is selfish in wanting to keep him for himself and not hand him off to some other unworthy suitor.
Because at the end of the day, despite how insignificant he is in his own eyes, the one thing Ryuunosuke can guarantee is that there is no one that will ever love and cherish the weretiger as much as he does now and will until the end of time.
At 8:30 in the morning, Akutagawa pulls into the parking lot of Port Mafia, spotting Chuuya sipping on a to-go cup of coffee as he ventured his way to the front entrance, visibly cold from the recent drop of temperature lately. Winter is in fast approach, the grounds already buried in snow, and as if Christmas and Kazue's birthday weren't busy enough, why not add a wedding anniversary to the chaos?
Chuuya was moving really slow as he walked, not only since the pavement is icy enough to be a skating rink but also because his eyes were glued to the cell phone he typed on with one hand, body stiff and rigid as a shiver crawled up his spine. His red scarf was wrapped as far up as his nose, every button on his beige dress coat through their respective slit. It wasn't difficult to catch up to his superior, even if Ryuunosuke would of went bottom up if Nakahara hadn't caught him by the arm.
"Fucking hell, Akutagawa, slow your roll!" Chuuya hollers into the rim of his coffee cup, sliding his device back into it's respective pocket before he is dipping his head back to down the remainder of the beverage he brought. "I know I have the tendency to be a bit of a workaholic, but even I'm not this eager to get here! How many times do I have to warn you about spacing out your caffeine intakes? And please, mind that it's icy, I don't want you to fall and hurt yourself again; that was a nasty concussion you got last winter, and I don't want to spend another week of my Christmas vacation this year staying at your place and nursing you back to health."
"Chuuya, please, I'm fine," Ryuunosuke groans in embarrassment as a man and a woman that passed them on the lot snickered to themselves at having overheard them, his mentor not able to go a single day without hovering over him like a mother to their teenage son. "I just wanted to catch up with you for a minute so we could talk."
"Oh! Well why didn't you just say that in the first place!" Nakahara beams in high spirits, his partner rolling his eyes as the 'that's because you don't shut up' he grumbled under his breath goes unheard by the jolly man.
"So!" the gravity user claps his hands together as they enter the Port Mafia doors, both instinctively stopping at the mat to kick the snow off their boots first before proceeding onward. "What do you want to talk about? Oh, is this about the proposal-?!"
"DAMN IT, CHUUYA, WHY NOT ANNOUNCE IT TO EVERYBODY!" Ryuunosuke whisper-shouts after harshly shushing him, Chuuya chuckling into the gloved palm Akutagawa slapped over his mouth even after the irritated individual pulls it away. "For god sakes, at this point everyone will know except for Atsushi himself!"
"Aw, I'm sorry," he says, and the mafioso sincerely means it. "I promise I haven't told a soul, not even Dazai and his big mouth. This information has stayed only between the two of us, and whoever else you might have told."
They both start to venture their way through the building now, passing the front desk and looping several halls before Chuuya beckons him into his private office, waving him inside so they could chat some more first before Mori summoned them to assign their first task of the day. Thursdays are typically paperwork day anyway, a catchup and some time for training before the weekend chaos, so things are rather slow-going in the mafia at the moment anyway.
Once ushering Akutagawa inside, holding the door for him like a chauffeur, he shuts it behind him and opens his blinds to let some sunlight in, which still didn't do much to illuminate the shadows in the room. The younger sighs drearily before taking a seat on one of Chuuya's faux leather couches, about to help himself to the glass water pitcher until the owner quickly snatches it away from his possession, insisting, "Nuh-uh, I'm refilling this first. That water has been sitting in here since last night, who knows what kind of bacteria could of crawled into this overnight."
"I think the dinosaurs and every other living creature would have to disagree with your take of the expiry of water, but I suppose if it'll help you sleep at night," his guest remarks sarcastically, amused smirk on his lips as Chuuya sticks out his tongue and flips him off.
"Fuck you. I don't have to be here, you know. I could of went and blabbed my big fat mouth to Dazai who would've told Atsushi straight up if he didn't leave him too many obvious clues. Be grateful you picked the subtle half of Soukoku to confide in about your troubles," Chuuya says all in good nature, currently pouring Akutagawa his glass of water after having replaced the previous and checked the filter.
As Nakahara makes his way over and passes him the drink, Akutagawa nods his head in thank-you before taking a sip, his companion collapsing in the single-seater in front of him as he leans back, one leg crossing over the other.
After swallowing his mouthful and laying the glass on one of the cupholders placed atop of the coffee table separating them, he replies, "I am grateful, truly, and I'm sorry for being so prickly. It's been a week now, and yet I haven't had the bravery yet to even go out and purchase the ring, let alone come up with some flowery speech that won't make a fool out of me."
"Well I can assure you now that the fool part is unavoidable," Chuuya snickers, despite the glare he receives in return. "Everyone loses a shed of their dignity in their wedding proposals and vows, it's just a part of life. But you're the poet here, so you'll be the best off out of all of us when it comes to this."
"Who's to say those poems are even any good," Akutagawa grunts, burying his face in his hand as he squeezes his eyes shut, head throbbing with a stress-induced headache (or maybe from all that caffeine Chuuya's been warning him about, because with as much sleep as he's been getting lately with all of this weighing on his mind, coffee is the only reason he's alive right now). "Anyone who even dares to try and snoop at my poetry pages will lose the hands to ever try again."
"Ouch, okay. Remind me to never borrow pen and paper from you again without permission first," Nakahara raises his hands in surrender, unable to bite back the grin creeping up on his lips that only seems to worsen his friend's mood, seeing as he's huffing and getting up to leave following his proclamation of 'you're no help, I'm giving up'.
Chuuya just barely manages to catch him by the wrist as he pleads for him to, "Wait!" grateful that the man does stop and turn around, expression blank.
"Look, I'm sorry, I promise I'll take this more seriously," he pleads, genuine honesty in his voice and expression that Akutagawa can't help but trust.
So without another word, he sits down in his previous spot, saying nothing and staring at the man expectantly to go on.
Now feeling put on the spot, Chuuya awkwardly clears his throat, trying to quickly think up a way to arrange the best possible advise he could give into proper words before he simply sighs in defeat, allowing his mouth to run with whatever's he got.
"Listen, marriage is supposed to be a happy thing. Maybe not always, but the stage you're in now where you're young and in love, ready to take that next big step, those are the greatest days of your life. I know it's normal to have pre-wedding jitters the very same way it's normal to have pre-proposal fear, but trust that your partner loves you just as much and all of the wonderful memories you're going to make from here on until your final days.
There's no time limit on this, so if you're not ready to take that leap yet, no one is judging or pushing you to; there are people out there seventy and eighty years old that are getting ready to be married for the first time, and then there's others who've been with their partner for thirty or more years and still haven't tied the knot because they simply don't wish to. It's not for everyone, and you know even if Atsushi does say no, it could just mean he isn't ready for it yet — not because he loves you any less. But the only fear and doubt that should be stopping you from proposing right now is if this is what you really want, and by the way I see both your eyes light up whenever either of you walk into the room, I can guarantee that he loves you to death and so do you, Akutagawa."
Ryuunosuke was in a state of utter amazement at the unexpected speech he just received, which certainly put things into perspective. While he still feels that tug of anxiety that Nakajima will reject him for reasons other than those Chuuya had mentioned, the man does feel a whole lot better about it, and agrees that the only obstacle that's holding him back is himself.
He opens his mouth to respond, despite not knowing exactly what to say to such a mind-blowing display, until it suddenly snaps shut as his mind travels somewhere completely different, abruptly standing up as realization dawns on him.
Chuuya, nervous he had said something out of the way, stutters out, "W-What's the matter? I didn't say something to upset you, did I? Because if so, I-!"
"No, trust me, this has nothing to do with you or this," Akutagawa cuts him off fast, his speaking tone just as quick as he practically bolts for the door. "Fuck, I forgot to feed the damn cat this morning!"
"You-? Huh?" Chuuya is genuinely astonished, scratching the back of his head.
The door is open, Ryuunosuke's body half out already, as he sputters, "If I don't refill the cat bowl, poor Asher is going to starve, and if he dies of starvation, the cat won't be the only one that's dead; Atsushi and Kazue will both have my head."
"It's only a few hours, Akutagawa. I'm sure the cat will be okay," Nakahara chuckles nervously, but it seemed there was no changing his mind. He assures him that he will be back soon, and to cover for him if Mori comes sniffing him out, and the man barely gets the chance to give his ok before his mentee had disappeared entirely, leaving a short chuckle and an amused huff in his wake.
After waiting a moment to ensure the sounds of his footsteps had disappeared altogether with stride, Chuuya smirks, rather pleased with himself, as he obtains his cell phone, typing a text message to Dazai before rising to go check in with Mori's agenda.
'Akutagawa is determined now. Unless things speed along on your end, I'll be winning this bet, guaranteed.'
While Ryuunosuke wasn't running to get home, he still rushed to ensure that he can arrive back to work sooner afterward. Riding the elevator up to his floor, it always evoked a different feeling depending on the circumstance.
Now, for instance, he felt antsy and so the contraption felt like it was moving ten times slower than usual despite there being no difference in speed from when he left this morning. Being eager and in a rush to get somewhere, it never seemed to be going fast enough, yet in times where him and Atsushi were riding it alone, giggling and making out as they awaited for the 'bing' to chime, it appeared to be moving lightning quick which just isn't fair.
After an eternity and a half, Ryuunosuke huffs as he steps out onto his respective floor, feet suddenly coming to a halt as he overhears crying from nearby. A year ago, he wouldn't have paid the sound any mind and continued toward his destination or with whatever he was doing, but since becoming a father, the sound always paralyzes him on instinct, even when he's out in public with Kazue happily silent in his arms. Their son isn't the type to cry all the time for no reason, it's rather uncommon that he does so at all, but occasionally he will wake up from a bad dream in the middle of the night and start sobbing, which Ryuunosuke's ears immediately perk up to no matter how long he had been asleep for.
Now, however, in this particular instance, he knew damn well that this is his baby crying, now storming toward his apartment faster with panic that could only be felt.
After stomping down the hallway in the direction of the sound more so than his home, his face hardens in confusion when he sees Dazai standing outside his front door, holding a wailing Kazue in one arm as he struggled to turn the key in the handle which he presumes was obtained from Atsushi at the office. Naomi and Haruno were meant to be keeping him occupied at the ADA while they were all hard at work, but it seems there must of been a change of plan he was unaware of.
Osamu looks genuinely relieved when he spots Akutagawa approaching, when in reality he should be feeling the opposite at the angry shadow coming his way. The, "Hey, Aku-!" that innocently rolls off his tongue is immediately cut off when the overprotective parent hauls their three year old out of his arms, Kazue's face burying into his dad's shoulder while tiny arms tightened around his neck.
Ryuunosuke's hand rubs gentle circles on his back soothingly, the soft action a direct contrast to his tone as he spats at his former mentor, "What the hell are you doing here?! And what has my child so upset?!"
"Relax, dude, it's not the end of the world," Dazai says without thinking, nervously laughing and raising his hands in surrender when it appears he only furthered the wrath of the mafioso before him. "Atsushi is out running a little errand with Kyouka, and he realized he forgot to bring Kazue's bag of building blocks he often takes with him for the little one to busy himself with so I was sent off to fetch them. He's been rather distracted lately, so it really doesn't come as much of a surprise."
Atsushi's been distracted? Akutagawa ponders to himself, having been too preoccupied with his own internal dilemma that he must not of noticed. I wonder why that could be. Unless he's stressed out about work (which he's been putting a lot of overtime into lately), I can't really think of anything else that could be weighing on his mind, unless the death of the Headmaster is coming up again. But usually the warning signs for that are there and clear, because he's always been a wreck even the days leading up to it.
"Anyway, as to why he's crying, that should come as obvious. He's been getting a lot better with me, he'll let me hold him if Atsushi is close by, but as soon as Atsushi leaves, the kid doesn't stopped screaming. Well, up until now, anyway."
Which is true; Kazue had gone completely quiet aside from the occasional short, shuddered gasp for air and a sniffle, eyes teary but no longer leaking as he holds onto his dad.
Dazai politely slides out of the way to let Akutagawa through when he motions toward the door, twisting the key still jammed before unlocking it, the door opening. Just as he does so, an idea suddenly dawns on him given the opportunity this has brought, which could easily lead to killing two birds with one stone in this here instance.
With Atsushi at work and confirmed to be busy, now would be the perfect opportunity for him to find a ring and perhaps even propose to his lover this evening. Kazue is obviously still rather upset, and Akutagawa has no doubt in his mind that he would much rather not go back with Dazai and hang out with the ADA's secretaries all day, so he could simply take his son with him for the afternoon. He only has to tell Mori that something came up and he needs to stay and babysit the child to get the all clear, seeing as the safety and well-being of these kids is concerningly important to him.
Perhaps he was meant to leave work and come home after all.
After ensuring Dazai that he'll be fine looking after Kazue for the rest of the day, the man doesn't hesitate to hand him off so long as he keeps to his word of telling Nakajima this information before he freaks out, thinking the boy went missing. Osamu assured him he would, and judging by his tone, Akutagawa knows he means it. After all, Dazai knows from experience how scary that is.
Once refilling Asher's dish, who immediately started meowing at him as soon as he walked in as if to lecture him of his negligence, Ryuunosuke finds himself verbally apologizing to the cat as he gave her a few back and cheek scratches before preparing to leave, only waiting on Kazue to gently pat the cat on the head and wave, "Bye-bye, Ash!"
Scooping Kazue back up in his arms, Akutagawa smiles and kisses him on the cheek, hugging him tighter when the little one giggles and says, "Silly Daddy," at the crammy affection. Nonetheless, his son returns the favor and also presses his lips there in return as Ryuu slid back into his boots, knowing Atsushi would kill him if he found out he ventured inside without taking them off after he just mopped the floors this morning.
Closing and locking the door behind him, Akutagawa suddenly pauses as he notices the TV remote in the little one's hand that he somehow managed to snatch off the coffee table during the two minutes they had been in the house, sighing but beaming regardless at how Kazue laughed about it like it was hilarious. He's had quite the sticky fingers lately, and you never know what he's going to get his hands on and when.
"Well," the man mutters more to himself than his son with forced optimism as he turns around to unlock the door yet again, fighting it this time like Dazai had earlier, "better attempt two than three."
"Daddy?" Kazue pipes up as the pair exit the apartment building and make their way down the street, hand in hand not only because they were on a crowded sidewalk together, but to make sure the toddler doesn't slip on a patch of ice.
"Yes?"
"Where are we going?" is asked innocently, because Akutagawa actually hadn't thought to of informed him of the day's agenda. The little one's kind of just been going with the flow, not kicking up a fuss now that he had his dad by his side.
So to tell him straightforwardly, Ryuunosuke says casually, "We are off to go buy Dad a ring so I can propose and marry him."
Honestly, he was a fool to think such a concept would make sense to him. After all, before a few days ago, the boy didn't have a single clue of what snow was, let alone the concepts of marriage.
"What's that?"
"Well," Akutagawa begins, thinking of the simplest way he could word this so it would come clear to him, "it means asking to spend everyday of your life with somebody that you love."
The man didn't quite know what the gasp he recieved in reply meant, his initial thought being that the realization had dawned on him and that he understood it. He certainly wasn't expecting for him to say with the utmost genuinity,
"Then can Kazue marry Dad too?
In hearing that response, Akutagawa stops in the middle of the walkway and breaks into a fit of coughs, Kazue thinking nothing of it because of course 'Daddy coughs all the time'. The little boy simply smiles reassuringly and reaches up on his tippy-toes so he could pat him on the back, the touch so barely felt not doing much to help but just as much appreciated.
Once regaining his composure, the man assures his son that he is okay and they begin to walk again, re-approaching the topic at hand then. He had to admit, now that the initial shock of that statement has passed, his request is rather cute, especially when he doesn't understand the context of what he asked. Someday when he's much older and knows the difference, it'll be a laugh for sure if thirteen year old Kazue isn't too embarrassed to talk about it.
With a fond smile on his lips, Akutagawa explains, "No, angel. As his son, you two technically are married in the way you think but in a much different context. As your dad, he's going to spend the rest of his life with you regardless of a ring or a speech."
"B-But..." Kazue's lips curve out in a pout, doe eyes filling with tears. "But I want to give Dad a pretty ring and tell him I love him. Is Kazue not allowed to do that?"
Seeing the boy so devastated over something so meager, it physically ached to watch. So Ryuunosuke simply gives in, for the sake of his son's feelings.
"You know what, sure. You can marry Dad."
Kazue cheers and cries out in sheer joy, at his very peak of happiness. As Akutagawa watches on with a smile, ruffling the little's one hair as they enter their first store, the man knows that this is exactly how he is going to feel later tonight if Atsushi says yes...
Picking out which one to buy should be Akutagawa's only struggle in ring shopping given how much money he has in his account and the variety of easily accessible stores in the area, but apparently that's not the case when your three year old son gets you banned from THREE different jewelry stores in town because he kept shoplifting necklaces and other expensive pieces while thinking nothing of it.
Even when Ryuunosuke tried to politely explain the misunderstanding to their staff, the employees didn't seem to buy his 'excuse' at all. Many thought it was just a safe ploy so he could try to steal but then blame it on the poor, innocent child that 'knew no better' if he were to get caught, which bugged him but not as much as the guy he knocked unconscious who started acting all high and mighty, declaring that perhaps it wasn't Akutagawa's scheme but Kazue's, as he was, to put it to quote, 'following in his worthless, criminal of a father's footsteps'. The mafioso has the tendency to get very defensive and insecure, sure, but only would he kick up such a fuss in public if they were to run their mouth about his son, soon to be fiancé, and anyone else he cares about, such as his sister and Chuuya. When it comes to them, he is extremely protective.
To be fair, if he were anyone else, the clerks would probably believe him whole-heartedly that this was an honest misunderstanding, but given his reputation and the dangerous public stunts he's committed like bombing that police station all those years ago (which is just horrible to think back on), who would truly believe him other than those who know him personally?
With an exasperated sigh, Akutagawa stops at the front entrance of yet another jewelry store, currently the last and only one in the city he isn't banned from entering. Before going inside, he peers down at Kazue who is standing by his side, holding his father's hand, being sure to advise him much more clearly this time to ensure they wouldn't experience a repeat for the third time today.
"Now, Kazue, you better be a good boy this time, okay?" Akutagawa advises, strictly but with enough warmth not to frighten him. "What you did in those other stores was very bad."
A frown on his lips, Kazue asks with visible devastation, "Kazue's not a good boy?"
"N-No, of course you are," the man attempts to rescue himself from the oncoming disaster, sighing through his nose as he crouches down before his son who had tears now beginning to trickle down his cheeks.
Sliding the sleeve of his jacket down so it was covering his hand, Ryuunosuke brushes away the wetness off his flushed face, a soft smile on his lips meant to reassure him. He genuinely couldn't care that they were out in public, but the man doubts anyone was paying him much attention if at all anyway.
"All I'm asking is that you don't touch anything inside unless I give you permission to. Those people at the other stores we went to were very upset that you had touched their things, and you wouldn't want to make anybody sad, would you?" Ryuunosuke asks him with as much kindness as he could possibly muster, relieved when Kazue shakes his head no and appears to be understanding the point he's trying to make.
"I'm sorry, Daddy. I promise not to make you mad anymore," the little one assures him with a forced smile on his lips, Akutagawa kissing him on the forehead before standing up on two feet once again, giving the tiny hand he held in his own a squeeze before saying with the utmost honesty,
"I know you won't, my love. So now let's enjoy the rest of our day together."
So far so good; Kazue appeared to be keeping to his word, allowing only his eyes to drift and not his hands. Akutagawa felt very proud, on top of many other emotions as he scoped through the many different choices he had.
"Hmmm..." he ponders aloud, voicing all of his innermost commentary to the little boy he held in his arms, whose eyes travelled everywhere his father's did. "None of these are really standing out to me. Anything you see, angel?"
Kazue is half out of his arms, his upper body leaning against the glass counter as he stared in at all the wedding rings being modelled inside the enclosure. Seeing as they are the only customers visiting at the moment, the old lady working the cash has been hovering a little too much for Akutagawa's comfort, simply standing there and watching as if trying to urge them on to choose something faster.
Having noticed his indecision, the woman pipes in and says, "Well, is there anything specific you or your partner had in mind? Any particular tastes or colors you think they'd like?"
"Uh..." Akutagawa suddenly feels put on the spot, not able to really recall a color Atsushi favored over the rest. "My love is very simple; they appreciate the smallest but most beautiful things in life. So unless I can stick the stars or a sunset into a ring, I worry the perfect jewelry simply doesn't exist. I know they would adore and cherish anything I would buy them, even if it were made from a rubber band, and yet-!"
"Daddy!" Kazue exclaims, gasping in joy as his fingers excitedly tap on the glass when Akutagawa asks 'what is it?' "Look! That one, get that one for Dad!"
Attempting to look over his shoulder and squint in concentration to pinpoint where exactly he was trying to signal to, Ryuunosuke's eyes widen when he sees that gorgeous band staring back at him, the absolute perfect fit. It felt much like the split second of a moment when a bride to be finds that wedding dress that none other can compare to, and without a need for further thought, Ryuunosuke knew exactly what he was getting.
14k yellow gold with an indigo goldstone inlay. A comfort fit, the lady had said, and while the ring itself is gold all around the sides and inner round, the dark goldstone encaptured the middle as a long strip circling the band, a deep mix of blue and black with white sparkles dotting the landscape so it looked like a starry night sky had invaded the blond jewelry.
Just looking at it immediately put Atsushi's face to mind, a surreal moment in time post-mission when they'd both stop to recover from the adrenaline rush of a fight, the weretiger drained of power but mustering the urge to grin as he stared up at the universe spread out before him, Nakajima's skin tingling whenever he looked directly up at the moon when it's full. That moment had been the first time Akutagawa truly realized how beautiful that boy is, how ethereal he looked with the bright white glow illuminating him in the darkness, and to use that memory which still gives him chills today as a symbol of his love to his partner, nothing could be any more fitting.
As the clerk slipped the ring out and allowed Akutagawa to get a closer, more personal look, she did warn him that it is definitely one of their most expensive pieces they sell here. That minor downside gave not even the slightest flinch of hesitation, for with how hypnotized he was by the ring in that daze, he would be willing to pay top dollar.
Tucked away in a velvet box, the jewelry piece easily slips into the pocket of his coat as the woman grins and waves them off much more perkily than before, probably because of the bank she just made off of him. There was still a long day ahead of them yet, but this evening couldn't come sooner.
Akutagawa couldn't wait to make Atsushi his husband.
After working the last quarter of his shift, having given Kazue to Higuchi to watch over for just a few hours while he was busy, Akutagawa returns home at around six as per usual, much more excited to see his boyfriend than usual.
When he opens the door, he notices Atsushi squeak in surprise and anxiously slip something into the pocket of the hoodie he had on, only still belonging to Akutagawa on the rarest of days. The weretiger loves to steal his clothes, but not as much Ryuunosuke loves seeing him in it.
With a soft chuckle, the mafioso closes the door behind him and receives his usual 'welcome home' hug from Kazue despite spending all afternoon together, his eyes immediately drifting to Atsushi once their son runs along to once again busy himself with his plastic kitchen they keep in the living room. Rather than cartoons this time, the news was on, which he assumes Atsushi was watching bits and pieces of while he had been tidying up the obstacle course Kazue made with toys all over the place.
Nakajima greets him with a warm smile and outstretched arms, Akutagawa's expression mirroring it as he pacefully makes his way over and picks him up in a hug, Atsushi's arms wrapped around his neck as his feet hovered slightly above the floor.
Once pecking each other on the lips, Ryuunosuke puts him back down with a chuckle, tucking the long strand of his boyfriend's hair behind his ear as he sincerely says, "Sorry for frightening you, Jinko."
"O-Oh, no, it's fine," Atsushi chuckles sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. "You just startled me, is all. How was work? Long day?"
"More than you'd ever believe," Akutagawa smirks knowingly, damn well aware of the reason why it dragged as much as it did. "Say, rather than either of us cook, how about we all eat out tonight for a change? Or we could order in, whatever you want to do."
"Hmmmm, I think that would be nice," the weretiger hums, seemingly on board with the idea. "Would you mind if we ate home, though? As you can see, I'm not the greatest sight to behold right now."
Atsushi does a slow rotation for emphasis, hands gesturing towards the oversized hoodie and sweatpants he currently had on, as well as really fuzzy socks. His hair was only half pinned back with a clip now, seeing as Ryuu had ran his fingers through the pieces that had fell out. As strange as it may be, seeing Nakajima dressed all comfy and effortless is his favorite.
"Shut up, you're perfect," the mafioso murmurs with his face buried in his neck, Atsushi giggling as he peppered the length of it with kisses. He pulls away after a moment to walk past his partner and retrieve their landline off it's base on the end table to check for any voicemails that may have been left throughout the day, seeing as they've been awaiting one in particular regarding Kazue's admittance to daycare in the new year.
Holding his cell phone out to Atsushi, he murmurs busily, "Here, look for a number online we can order from," not needing to unlock it for him or anything since the latter's thumbprint is already scanned.
Nakajima stares at Ryuunosuke for a moment as he takes a seat on the couch, the man not noticing as he calls Gin back regarding some manner or another. He takes a deep breath and slips his free hand into the hoodie's pocket once again, nervously fidgeting with the small item inside. His heart is racing like mad, yet the moment was nowhere near in sight yet.
Once he notices Akutagawa hanging up the phone, he immediately kickstarts what he is meant to be doing so to not look suspicious, unlocking the device and immediately beginning the search. Atsushi didn't think something like this should require this much stress, and yet he can barely catch his breath...
While Atsushi and Akutagawa were busy separating the meals and putting together a plate for Kazue, they didn't notice the little one's whereabouts, nor the hand that slipped into the pocket of Ryuunosuke's jacket he carelessly tossed onto the couch earlier.
As Atsushi scraped the toddler's serving out of the packaging it arrived in, he asks his boyfriend, "Can you go grab what we need from the fridge please?" to which the man nods his head and gets right to it.
Nakajima is still rather busy with his current task, but sees their child's approach out of the corner of his eye, focus preoccupied as he asks the little one, "What do you want to drink, Kazue?"
Finally looking up when he doesn't receive an answer, Atsushi almost collapses to the floor when he sees a little box in his hand, jaw dropping when the three year old's tiny fingers open the velvet display to showcase the breathtaking ring inside. His eyes were practically bulging out of his head from the shock, and just as Akutagawa reenters the room, he doesn't get the chance to react before the words, "Daddy, will you be my husband?" leaves the child's mouth.
"W-Will I... Will I what?" Nakajima stammers out flabbergastedly, gaze immediately shooting to Akutagawa next who currently just slapped his hand against his forehead in frustration. "Ryuu, what's going on?"
"I... That wasn't supposed to happen, I promise. Well, yes, technically it was, but from me, not our son," he groans in defeat, and he can't believe he was so stupid as to leave the ring somewhere it can be so easily snatched. "Can we... talk for a minute?"
With a chuckle in realizing what had just happened, both in humor from the sight of Kazue still presenting the ring to him and also in nervous chills of what Akutagawa signified, Atsushi swallows thickly before crouching down before their son, smile on his face as he ruffles his hair.
Taking the ring box from his possession, Nakajima lays it on the floor next to him before cupping both his son's cheeks with his hands, kissing him three times on the forehead until pulling him in for a tight, tight hug.
"Thank you so much, my baby. I love it," Atsushi genuinely extends, voice weak and falling into a whimper at the tears that started to roll down his cheeks as quickly as they had boiled. Pulling away, he holds his shoulders and looks him in the eye, giggling when the little one's fingers begin to stroke the wet streaks away. He tells him, "You can put the ring on me after we eat, okay? But first, I need you to go wash your hands before we sit down. Can you do that for Dad?"
With a simple nod and an ok, Kazue turns around and ventures toward the bathroom, Nakajima sniffling as he stands back up. Akutagawa had already been in approach, Atsushi reaching down to retrieve the ring box off the floor as he studies the ring beneath the ceiling light, the hand not holding it slapping over his mouth to suppress the sob that rattled his throat.
"I get why you are so choked up. With a proposal as deep and as heartfelt as that, who wouldn't be?" Ryuunosuke jokes as he wraps his arms around Nakajima from behind, resting his chin on his shoulder as he too studied the jewelry.
"W-When did you..?" Atsushi, still so choked up, struggles to voice. "When did you buy this? Did you seriously mean to-?"
"Ask you to marry me? Of course," Akutagawa honestly admits, and his lover is crying even more now, wailing into both his hands when the former slips the box out of his hand and takes out the ring, pulling away from their embrace only so he could get down on one knee before him and do this the proper way.
"Jinko," he begins, taking one of his hands into his own to press a lingering kiss to the scar that cut across all his fingers before looking up to meet the eyes that gazed down at him, wet but more beautiful than ever, "I know little about the deeper meanings behind the customs of marriage and proposal, but to get down on my knees before you and have you look down on me, it is only fitting because compared to the radiance that you bring this world and everyone in it, I am but a mere speck of dust at you're feet. It's why I honor you so much, because if it hadn't been for your presence in my life, I would still be stuck in that dark, dark place."
Wiping the moisture from his eyes with the sleeves of the sweater, Akutagawa's eyes widen in surprise when Atsushi gets down on his knees with him, the older's breath catching in his throat when a ring box is then also pulled out of the weretiger's pocket, opening it up to reveal a black stainless steel wedding band inside with a strip of red and silver circumferencing the shape. His heart felt like it had stopped, frozen as his eyes stared at the object in disbelief, but is quickly brought back to life by the warm hand he feels caressing his face, which wouldn't be a first time.
"Since birth, we were both considered to be dirt that belonged down here, that people thought they could walk all over and kick around because they felt superiority over us. I'm no bigger or better a person than you, so as long as you shall grovel, then I too. If there's one thing we've given each other since the day we first met, it's a companion who co-exists on the same quadrant; someone who understands what it means to suffer in ways no one else would, and can see through you like glass."
Atsushi is getting emotional again, yet Akutagawa is still proud he managed to make it this far without falling victim to the urge again. The criminal feels a pressure tugging at his heartstrings when he hears Nakajima's cry of, "I've waited for you my whole damn life! I would watch myself break and beg to any god out there just to have that one person to love and protect me from the nightmares of this world, no matter who or what they are! I-I never want to lose you, Ryuunosuke, so please... P-Promise me you'll stay forever!"
"I will..." Akutagawa murmurs barely above a whisper, his own hand instinctively slapping over his mouth to cough as tears of his own began to roll down without control, Atsushi chuckling at the mess they've made of themselves before throwing his arms around him. Despite how hoarse and weak his voice had become, he weeps into his lover's shoulder, "No matter how much you may need me, I will always need you more, Atsushi, and to leave you alone again, it would kill me beyond imaginable. I'll never leave, so long as you swear to never let me go."
"I won't," Atsushi sobs into the crook of his lover's neck, the both of them pulling away so they could slide the rings on each other's finger despite how violently their hands shook from the rush of emotion they were just flooded with. Somehow, they felt like entirely new people with those bands to mark their bodies with, but at the same time as they met each other's eye and laughed, throwing their arms around each other once again as they shared a salty but passionate kiss, everything still felt the same.
Struggling to pull themselves up off the floor, their arms are wrapped around each other for support, quickly attempting to dry their tears when Kazue cluelessly enters the room once again, simply asking, "Can we eat dinner now?"
The laughter encompassing them once again, Atsushi nods his head as Akutagawa voices a verbal, "Yes, angel, we wouldn't want to starve our fiancée to death, now would we?"
Nakajima bends over to pick their son up once again, smothering him in hugs as they make their way to the table. For all that the evening's accomplished, having to reheat the food in the microwave was such a small price to pay, as were the nerves leading up. It would take some time and extravagant planning before a date could even come to mind for a wedding, but so long as they're together, they have all the time in the world.
"Sorry, mackerel, turns out we both lost the bet."
Dazai, who was sitting on their living room sofa watching a sitcom on TV, gasps overdramatically as Chuuya reenters the space with his cellphone after having showered, that being his greeting words after having just gotten off the phone with Akutagawa.
"What do you mean none of us won?! Atsushi and Kyouka went out and bought the ring together today. I even told Akutagawa that, though I left out the important details, of course," Osamu snickers, Nakahara collapsing onto the couch beside him with a sigh. "Are you saying neither of them proposed?"
With a towel around his neck to catch any water that might drip from his still wet hair, Chuuya reclines the chair back and stares at the television with divided attention, explaining to his husband, "Oh, someone proposed, all right! Kazue was the first."
"Kazue?!" Dazai cries, then bursting into an uncontrollable fit of laughter. "OH MY GOD, that's priceless! At least tell me they proposed to each other afterward?! That wasn't a push in the right direction, but a throw."
"Yep, they did at the same time, which means I got a wedding to plan," Chuuya winks, adding as a grumbled afterthought, "at least I can say I got to organize one, since mine never happened..."
"Hey, blame the alcohol, sweetheart, not the groom!" Osamu teases, the elbow he jabbed into his side resulting in a harsh swat in the arm from his lover, seemingly irritated now as he folded his arms across his chest in annoyance. "Come ooooon, don't get like that! At least with the bet now off the table, none of us loses!"
"Easy for you to say! I have sex with you once a week anyway, bet or not!"
"True, true, but the holidays are coming up, you know. Who's to say I won't take you out on that ice-skating date this weekend anyway?"
Chuuya's eyes widen in surprise at the offer, even more so when Dazai's expression is so soft and genuine, implying that he really meant it. He can't help the smile that breaks out on his lips, repositioning himself on the couch so he is now straddling Osamu's thighs, hands resting on his shoulders just as the man's arms sling around his waist.
"Weeeeeell," he stretches suspiciously, grin on his lips, "the girls are at Kouyou's tonight on her day off, so I don't see why we can't turn a Tuesday into a Friday. How would you like to still win your prize?"
"I mean, technically if they both proposed at the same time, wouldn't that mean we both win?" Dazai smirks excitedly, the evening certainly taking an unexpected turn for the two of them. "Who knew being a considerate boyfriend turns chibi on! Perhaps I should do this more often?"
"You should be anyway! Now, are you going to fuck me or not?!" Nakahara snaps, willing to change his mind just as quickly as he agreed.
"Alright, alright, I suppose I can let you twist my arm~!" Dazai further teases, infected with a fit of laughter as Chuuya growls and wrestles him on the couch.