Now that he’s got a chance to sit down and look back on them— on his relationship with Atsushi— Akutagawa has truly found himself slowly growing fond of Atsushi.

Akutagawa can still remember how much he’s harmed Atsushi. Remembers their first encounter clear as the stars in the night sky. He even remembers how pissed off he was at how weak Atsushi made himself to be— but with enough encounters (chance, and not) he grew to respect the Atsushi the same way Atsushi grew to be strong.

His eyes find Atsushi’s back as the weretiger busies himself with preparing tea for the two of them. How they managed to come so far— from being put on opposite sides to… this domestic situation— is left unanswered to him.

He wants to think that it was Atsushi, himself, who made him turn out this way.

From being a heartless killer, desperate for Dazai’s acceptance— and attention— to nothing but a man with horrible lungs. He takes it back— he’s over exaggerating his current condition.

Akutagawa knows very well that it was Atsushi’s optimistic defense mechanism that brought him here. The way he’s always focusing on the good in people he comes across never fails to anger him— even now. However he knows he can’t blame him. Only his past, the darkness that Atsushi manages to counter with the light of good he always seems to find.

Akutagawa narrows his eyes slightly, watching as Atsushi makes his way back to the table, cups of hot tea in hands, and a proud grin on his face.

“You act as if you’ve made tea better than me,” Akutagawa comments on his face, sitting patiently as his teacup is placed in front of him. Despite their growth together, he can’t help but to make a competition out of the small things.