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The clock had just ticked past midnight when Atsushi heard the familiar rustle at his window.
He'd been lying awake, staring at the ceiling of his dorm room, thinking about how another year had passed...another birthday that would probably go unnoticed by anyone who mattered.
Except someone clearly did matter, because when he turned his head, Dazai's grinning face appeared through the glass, one finger pressed to his lips in an exaggerated shushing gesture. Beside him, Chuuya hovered with an expression that screamed I can't believe I'm doing this.
And between them, floating impossibly in the night air, was a box.
Not a small box. Not even a medium box.
A very big box.
"What the-" Atsushi scrambled off his bed, nearly tripping over his own feet as he rushed to slide the window open. Cold air swept in, carrying the scent of the river and the faint bitterness of Chuuya's cologne.
"Happy birthday, Atsushi-kun!" Dazai sang, voice far too cheerful for quarter past midnight. He gestured dramatically at the massive cardboard container hovering between him and his partner. "We brought you a present!"
"A present?" Atsushi blinked, brain struggling to catch up. The box was easily large enough to hold a person. Maybe two people. "What kind of present needs a box that big?"
Chuuya grunted, lowering the box with careful precision until it rested on the windowsill. "The kind that can't walk here on its own."
"Can't walk?" Atsushi started, but Dazai was already pulling at the flaps of the box, revealing the dark interior.
"Surprise!"
The lid came off.
And inside, bound with black ribbon around his wrists and a matching bow perched absurdly on his head, was Ryuunosuke Akutagawa.
Atsushi's brain stopped working.
He stared.
"What..." Atsushi's voice cracked. He cleared his throat, tried again. "What?"
"Your gift," Dazai repeated, as if this were the most normal thing in the world.
"We thought about getting you a new coat, or maybe a lifetime supply of chazuke, but Chuuya pointed out that you've been eyeing Akutagawa-kun rather than your food these days, so..."
"I did not point that out!" Chuuya's face went red. "You said it first!"
"It was a collaborative observation."
"It was you being creepy!"
Akutagawa stared back, dark eyes wide with confusion. He looked genuinely bewildered, glancing from Dazai to the ribbon to the box walls, as if only just realizing where he was and what that meant.
"Ah," Akutagawa said flatly. "I see."
"You didn't know what the box was for?" Atsushi's voice cracked.
"Dazai-san asked me to get in. So, I got in." Akutagawa's jaw tightened. "He didn't explain the purpose."
Dazai beamed. "Surprise works best without context!"
Chuuya sighed. "We're leaving. Happy birthday, kid. Don't break him."
"Break him? I'm not going to break him-"
But they were already gone, Dazai's laughter echoing through the night as they vanished into the darkness, leaving Atsushi alone with a box and the boy inside it.
Silence stretched between them.
The wind rustled through the window, catching the ribbon on Akutagawa's head and making the bow flutter. He still hadn't looked up.
"Should I kill them?" Akutagawa said, starting to question this absurdity, voice flat.
"..."
"I will. Slowest death ever possible."
"Reasonable."
Another stretch of silence. Atsushi's heart was pounding so hard he could hear it in his ears. He reached out, fingers brushing against the ribbon around Akutagawa's wrists.
"I can take this off, if you want."
Akutagawa's head snapped up. His eyes met Atsushi's, and for a moment, there was something vulnerable in them...something raw and uncertain that he'd never seen before.
"Do you want to take it off?"
The question hung in the air, weighted with meaning that went far beyond simple ribbons.
Atsushi's fingers stilled on the fabric.
"I want..." He swallowed. "I want a lot of things. But I don't want to do anything you're not okay with."
"That's the stupidest thing you've ever said." Akutagawa's voice was sharp, but there was no bite in it. "I got in the box. I'm here, at your window, in the middle of the night, wearing a bow on my head." His eyes blazed. "Do you think I would do all of that if I wasn't okay with it?"
Atsushi's breath caught.
"You got in the box because Dazai asked you to."
"I got in the box because I knew you would be opening it."
The words hit him like a physical force. Atsushi felt his knees go weak, felt his entire world tilt on its axis as he stared at the mafioso, at the flush spreading across his cheeks, at the way he refused to look away despite his embarrassment, at the stubborn set of his jaw.
"Ryuu..."
"Don't." Akutagawa's voice cracked. "Don't say my name like that unless you mean it."
"I've meant it for months." Atsushi's hand moved from the ribbon to cup Akutagawa's cheek, thumb brushing over the sharp line of his cheekbone. "I've meant it for longer than I want to admit."
Akutagawa leaned into the touch, eyes fluttering closed. "Then take me out of this damn box and show me."
The ribbon came undone easily, falling away from Akutagawa's wrists in a whisper of black silk. Atsushi helped him climb out of the box, steadying him when his legs wobbled...probably stiff from being folded up for so long, though neither of them commented on it.
The window slid shut behind them, cutting off the cold night air.
They stood facing each other in the dim light of Atsushi's room. The box sat on the windowsill like a monument to absurdity, but Atsushi couldn't bring himself to care. All he could see was Akutagawa...the way his chest rose and fell, the way his hands hung at his sides now that they were free, the way his eyes kept darting to Atsushi's lips and then away.
"You really do look ridiculous," Atsushi said softly, reaching up to pluck the bow from Akutagawa's head.
"Shut up."
"I mean it in a good way."
"There's no good way to look ridiculous."
"There is when you're the one doing it." Atsushi set the bow aside, letting his fingers trail through Akutagawa's hair. It was softer than he'd expected. "You did this for me."
"I did it because Dazai asked."
"You did it because you wanted to. You said it yourself."
Akutagawa's breath hitched. He didn't deny it.
Atsushi stepped closer, close enough that he could feel the heat radiating off Akutagawa's body. Close enough that the space between them was measured in inches rather than feet.
"Tell me what you want, Ryu."
"I want you to stop talking."
"Bossy."
"Annoying."
Atsushi laughed, the sound warm and genuine. "You're the one who got in a box for me. I think that makes me the winner here."
"I will kill you."
"Later." Atsushi's hands found Akutagawa's waist, pulling him closer. "You can kill me later."
And then he kissed him.
It was soft...softer than either of them had probably expected. A gentle press of lips, tentative and questioning. Akutagawa's hands came up to grip Atsushi's shirt, knuckles white, holding on like he might disappear if he let go.
When they broke apart, both of them were breathing hard.
"That was..." Akutagawa started, then stopped.
"Your first kiss?"
"Don't make it weird."
"I'm not making it weird." Atsushi pressed their foreheads together. "I'm just glad it was with me."
Atsushi's hands found the hem of Akutagawa's shirt. "Can I?"
Akutagawa responded by pulling the shirt off himself, letting it fall to the floor. His skin was pale in the moonlight, marked with scars that told stories Atsushi already knew. He traced one with his finger, following the line from Akutagawa's collarbone to his shoulder.
"You're beautiful."
"Stop being sappy."
"I'll stop being sappy when you stop being beautiful."
Akutagawa made a sound of pure exasperation, but he was pulling Atsushi closer, pressing their bodies together, letting Atsushi's hands roam across his back and sides. They stumbled toward the bed, a tangle of limbs and half-bitten kisses.
Atsushi pushed him down onto the mattress, climbing over him, pinning his wrists above his head. Akutagawa's eyes gleamed with something that wasn't quite defiance.
"Tell me if it's too much," Atsushi murmured.
"You're already too much."
"I'm serious."
"So am I. Stop treating me like glass."
Atsushi dipped his head, mouth trailing down Akutagawa's throat, tasting salt and skin. He bit down, gently at first, then harder, feeling the pulse jump beneath his teeth. Akutagawa's breath hitched, a low groan escaping his lips.
"More," Akutagawa demanded.
Atsushi obliged, sinking his teeth into the juncture of neck and shoulder, leaving a mark that would bruise. Akutagawa arched into it, fingers clenching in Atsushi's hair, pulling him closer.
"Are you okay?" Atsushi asked, pulling back to look at him.
"Fine."
"Really? Because I don't want to hurt you-"
A vein pulsed in Akutagawa's temple. "I said I'm fine."
Atsushi's hand slid down, palming over the front of Akutagawa's pants. He was already hard. Atsushi rubbed his palm against the bulge, slow and deliberate.
"Okay?" he checked again.
"Jinko."
"What? I'm being careful."
"Careful is boring." Akutagawa's eyes sparked. "Do it right. Or don't do it at all. I can leave if you want."
The threat sent a jolt of heat through Atsushi's gut. He stared down at the man beneath him, the sharp cheekbones, the dark eyes, the lips parted in challenge.
"You wouldn't."
"Try me."
Atsushi's grip tightened on Akutagawa's wrists. "Fine. But you tell me if you need to stop."
"I won't need to stop."
"We'll see."
Atsushi pulled away just long enough to yank off his own shirt, then his pants, then to fumble for the lube in his bedside drawer. He slicked his fingers liberally, watching Akutagawa's chest rise and fall, watching the way his thighs parted in anticipation.
Atsushi's first finger slid inside slowly, carefully, searching for that familiar give. Akutagawa's eyes fluttered closed, but his expression remained tense--not with pleasure yet, but with expectation.
"Are you..."
"Don't ask." Akutagawa's voice was strained. "Just keep going."
Atsushi added a second finger, stretching him open with methodical precision. He scissored his fingers, watching for any sign of discomfort. Akutagawa remained still, breathing steady, but his hips began to rock against the intrusion.
"Faster," Akutagawa ordered.
Atsushi complied, thrusting his fingers in and out, curling them against that sweet spot that made Akutagawa gasp. He added a third finger, stretching wider, preparing him for what was to come.
"You good?" Atsushi whispered.
Akutagawa's eyes snapped open, burning with frustration. "How many times are you going to ask that?"
"Until I'm sure."
"I'm fine. I want your cock, not your questions."
The bluntness of it sent another wave of heat through Atsushi. He pulled his fingers out, wiped them on the sheets, and positioned himself between Akutagawa's spread legs.
"Ready?"
"Yes."
Atsushi pushed in.
The first inch was tight. So tight Akutagawa's breath caught, his nails digging into Atsushi's shoulders. Atsushi paused, letting him adjust.
"Okay?" he asked, the word slipping out before he could stop it.
Akutagawa's response was to clamp his thighs around Atsushi's waist and yank him deeper.
A guttural groan tore from Atsushi's throat as he sank all the way in, buried to the hilt in that tight, scorching heat. Akutagawa's head fell back, a low moan escaping his lips, his body trembling around the intrusion.
"Fuck," Atsushi breathed.
"Move."
He moved.
At first he kept it slow, deep strokes that dragged against Akutagawa's walls, drawing out every sensation. Akutagawa's hands found his back, nails raking down his skin, leaving fiery trails. The sting was electric, fueling the rhythm.
"Faster," Akutagawa demanded.
Atsushi obeyed, slamming into him with increasing force. The bed creaked beneath them, the headboard knocking against the wall. Sweat slicked their bodies, making them slide against each other, slippery and hot.
"Harder," Akutagawa growled, and this time it was a command.
Atsushi gripped his hips, angled him differently, and drove into him with brutal intensity. Each thrust was deep, punishing, meant to leave marks. Akutagawa cried out—not in pain, but in raw, animal pleasure.
"Like that," he gasped, fingers tangled in Atsushi's hair, yanking his head down. "Like that, don't stop—"
Atsushi didn't stop. He pounded into him, sweat dripping from his brow, muscles straining with the effort. The bed was nothing but a blur of motion and heat and sound—wet slaps, panting breaths, Akutagawa's broken moans.
"You're so tight," Atsushi groaned, voice wrecked. "So fucking perfect—"
"More."
Atsushi's hand wrapped around Akutagawa's throat. Not choking, just holding, pressing lightly. Akutagawa's eyes went wide, then fluttered closed, and he surrendered.
That's when Atsushi really let go.
He fucked him with no hesitation, no holding back, each thrust harder than the last. The room filled with the sound of their coupling, the creak of the bed, the slap of skin, the crude wet noise of his cock driving into slick, stretched heat.
"Are you..." Atsushi started again, the habit ingrained.
Akutagawa's hand shot up, grabbed the knot of Atsushi's tie, still hanging loose around his neck, and pulled it tight, yanking Atsushi's face inches from his own.
"I don't care if it's your birthday," Akutagawa hissed, voice low and venomous. "I'm not made of porcelain. If you ask me one more time if I'm okay, I'm going to flip us over and ride you until you can't walk. Do you understand?"
Atsushi's breath hitched. The pressure of the tie against his throat, the intensity in Akutagawa's eyes, the raw command...it sent a thrill straight to his member.
"Yes," he rasped.
"Good." Akutagawa released the tie. "Now fuck me like you mean it."
Atsushi did.
He drove into him with renewed fury, pounding into that tight hole, aiming for that spot that made Akutagawa's eyes roll back. He found it. Hit it again and again, until Akutagawa was a mess of incoherent sounds, his body arching, his legs shaking.
"Close," Akutagawa gasped. "I'm close—"
Atsushi wrapped his hand around Akutagawa's dick, stroking in time with his thrusts. The dual stimulation was too much. Akutagawa came with a shattered cry, his body convulsing, his release spilling hot across Atsushi's fingers.
The clench of his ass around Atsushi's cock was the final push. Atsushi buried deep, groaning as he emptied himself, pumping thick ropes of cum into that tight, spasming heat.
He collapsed on top of Akutagawa, breathing ragged, heart pounding.
Afterward, they lay tangled together in sheets that were definitely going to need washing. Atsushi had been manhandled, gently but firmly, onto his side, and now Akutagawa's arm was wrapped around his waist, pulling him back against a warm chest. Atsushi's head rested on the crook of Akutagawa's arm, and he could feel every slow breath against the nape of his neck.
It was felt nice. Really nice.
The box still sat on the windowsill. The bow was on the floor. The moonlight painted silver streaks across the rumpled sheets, and for a long moment, neither of them spoke.
Atsushi shifted, wiggling deeper into Akutagawa's hold. The arm around him tightened reflexively.
"Hey," Atsushi murmured, voice sleepy and content.
"What."
"Aren't you gonna wish me happy birthday?"
A beat of silence. Then Akutagawa's voice, flat and utterly deadpan, right against his ear:
"Bitch, I am the present."
Atsushi snorted, then burst into laughter, genuine, helpless, shaking laughter that made Akutagawa's arm squeeze harder in irritation.
"That's-" Atsushi wheezed. "That's not—you can't just—"
"I can, and I did." Akutagawa's nose pressed into the back of Atsushi's hair. "I got in a box. I let you fuck me. What more do you want, a card?"
"I mean...a card would be nice."
"Man-tiger, I will bite you."
"Promises, promises."
Akutagawa did bite him. A sharp nip at the curve of his shoulder, just hard enough to sting. Atsushi yelped, then laughed again, warm and breathless.
"Happy birthday," Akutagawa muttered, the words gruff and quiet. "Now go to sleep before I change my mind and throw you out the window."
"Same window you were brought in?"
"Same window. Don't test me."
Atsushi smiled, letting his eyes fall closed. He felt safe here—wrapped in Akutagawa's arms, warm and sore and utterly content. The box might have been ridiculous, the circumstances absurd, but lying here, with Ryuunosuke's breath steady against his neck, he couldn't imagine a better gift.
"Best birthday ever," he whispered.
"Don't get used to it."
"Too late. I'm already planning next year."
Akutagawa's elbow dug into his ribs. Atsushi just laughed and held the arm around his waist a little tighter and let the quiet night carry them both into sleep.