Akutagawa always had a disdain for baths. Perhaps even more so was his utter refusal to wash his coat. As to why, nobody ever had come up with reasons more valid than rumors, not that it mattered.

So... Here the big, bad, scary Akutagawa was holding his coat protectively to his chest– Refusing to hand it over and allowing it to be washed. Admittedly, it was rather annoying...