Notes: Influenced by a Tumblr post by sinenceq
Link: post/169703654299/chuuatsu
Chapter One
Chuuya's P.O.V.
Chuuya was on his way to a mission early. Unable to sleep, he downed a glass of wine before leaving his house at 10:11 pm. He wasn't supposed to meet for the mission until eleven thirty, so he figured he would grab some tea, maybe a snack on his way. His coat billowed in the wind as he swayed his hips, humming the tune of one of his favorite songs.
He had received the file yesterday before he met up with his subordinate to discuss the details. There was a rouge weretiger around Yakohoma and there was a bounty on its head: a seven-billion-yen bounty. The file stated the tiger was vicious, had attacked an orphanage, and possibly civilians although there was no evidence and sources had informed them that the tiger was lurking around one of the mafia storehouses.
They were bringing a small group consisting of Akutagawa, Higuchi, Tachihara, and himself. Chuuya was merely backup incase things went south. He would camp out on the ceiling of the warehouse, cloaking himself in shadow as to not give himself away. Akutagawa, and Higuchi would enter the warehouse, providing a distraction for the weretiger as Tachihara would stand outside and wait for the signal to enter.
With his tea in hand, he made it to the alley above the storehouse where the others would gather. As he sauntered in, he found Tachihara leaning against the brick wall. Smiling, Chuuya nodded his head in greeting before hovering over the crates stacked up, not wanting to dirty his clothes.
Not long after, Akutagawa and Higuchi strolled in. Chuuya almost laughed at the stance Higuchi was sporting – both of her guns in her hands as she rounded the corner to cover her superior. Akutagawa had given up trying to stop her, figuring it best if she just carried out what she wanted to do. He didn't have time to argue with her.
Looking up, grey eyes met blue and Chuuya smiled down at his subordinate. "Akutagawa-kun, you look good today, as usual." His voice was singing with multiple octaves, enjoying the blush the raven had on his face as he tried to desperately hide it in his hand as a coughing fit hit him. "Did you take your meds?" His voice turned more serious, but still airy. With a nod from Akutagawa, he turned his head away and nodded to everyone who was joined.
"It looks like we all made it, who's ready for our next raise?" Tachihara's voice sounded in the alley as he straightened up and walked to where Akutagawa was at the entrance. Swiping a hand in front of him, he waited for Akutagawa and Higuchi to walk ahead as he threw a final smile to Chuuya.
As soon as the other redhead had left, Chuuya jumped lightly from the crates onto the top of the building. Walking across, he jumped between the spaces of each building before finally jumping onto the storehouse. Nimbly, he dropped through the window at the top, his hands catching the edge as he swung himself over to the wooden beam at his left. From his perch, he could see everything unfold.
Akutagawa and Higuchi walked in, his coat twisting around, intimidating most in the room who knew who he was.
What was out of place, however, was the silver haired boy in a cage in the center of the room and the workers forming a semi-circle behind it. Anger immediately spiked in Chuuya at the treatment of the boy, but he kept himself hidden.
"Is this the weretiger?" Akutagawa's gravelly voice filled the room and most of the workers winced at the voice.
"Yes," A rather deep voice answered, not too intimidated by the Rashomon-user. A smile worked it's way on Akutagawa's mouth at the confidence the man let out in his voice. Within the next second, a tendril of Rashomon had darted out and knocked the man into the far wall, his unconscious body falling to the ground.
Akutagawa stepped up to the cage, taking in the boy that didn't look much older than him. Taking off the latch, the door swung open and the workers jerked back with yelps and tension spread like fire in the room.
But the boy merely stayed in the cage trembling. His legs were brought up to his chest and his head buried in his arms. Higuchi stepped up to the cage, kneeling down in front of the boy. Words were said that Chuuya couldn't pick up but the boy only shook more. Looking back to Akutagawa, she stood up and backed away. Tachihara had decided to step inside the building, sensing no danger.
Chuuya would have to talk to him later about leaving his post.
But he couldn't deny that he didn't sense danger either. With narrowed eyes, he continued watching on. The workers remained in place, some even trembling. Changing tactics, Chuuya sunk himself to the floor behind one of the trembling workers. With a knife to his neck, he leaned into the worker's ear and asked, "What happened?"
Without turning, the man clenched his eyes as he answered, "The boy came in, asking where he was. A few of the workers took defensive measures and pulled out their guns as they aimed for the boy. B-But then it-it turned into a tiger. We were trying to fend it off before it passed out. We don't know why but someone brought out a cage and we quickly pushed it into the cage. Not too long ago, the tiger changed into a boy." And with that, Chuuya withdrew his knife and jumped back up into the beams before the worker could tell who it was.
So, the tiger came out during danger, is it a defensive power? What would make the tiger pass out? Exhaustion, maybe. Starvation would probably be the better answer, the boy looked malnourished. He had woke up somewhere nearby, not knowing where he was. What would possess someone to walk into a place they don't know to ask what part of the city they're in?
Thinking never answered his problems. He could see the strain in Akutagawa's face as he tried to coax the tiger out of the cage. Chuuya noticed the telltale sign of his patience dying out when the coat lurched back.
Chuuya darted.
Standing before his subordinate, he glared down into grey eyes. Although the raven had inches on him, Chuuya didn't need height to intimidate others. Akutagawa backed down with a few steps back, Higuchi following.
Turning back, Chuuya knelt down in front of the boy. The skin was pasty, the silver hair clearly not dyed. Slowly, Chuuya brought his hand to lay on the boy's arm. The gesture scared the boy and the cage jerked as he moved back. His arms had moved in the process and now Chuuya could see his face. But it wasn't the boy's face that drew his attention, it was the eyes.
They were purple and gold, the colors mingling as tears fell down his face, catching on the bony cheeks and jawline. Despite the malnourishment, the boy was beautiful. He was wearing a tan sweatshirt and black pants that looked like they had seen better days. Fear was prominent on his face as his eyes glowed in anxiety.
Tilting his head, Chuuya held up his hands in mock surrender, showing he had no weapons in his hands. The eyes, however, were smarter and darted down to Chuuya's hip were two daggers were reflecting off the storehouse lights. The redhead smiled at the observant tiger. Those bright eyes narrowed as more fear seeped through them.
"What is your name, boy?" Chuuya asked, his voice soft and gentle. To assume a less threatening position, he sat on the ground, bringing his knees up to him. The tiger eased substantially. His eyes released the fear for caution, his hands loosening their grips on his forearms.
"Atsushi," The tiger's voice was soft, almost inaudible. Chuuya nodded, his smile returning ten-fold. The tiger's eyes widened at the sight and he seemed to lose all worry looking into Chuuya's eyes.
"Atsushi." Chuuya gave the name a whirl, liking the way it rolled off his tongue. "We have to leave now, but I would like to take you with me. I could show you around Yokohama," Atsushi's eyes widened at the invitation before narrowing again in suspicion.
"Why take me?" The voice was darker, very cautious. Chuuya liked that. The kid had good instincts.
"Because you don't have anywhere else to go, do you?" Chuuya had pieced it together when he noticed the terror in the boy's frame, the knowledge of where he was nowhere to be found.
The tiger's eyes widened before he clenched his teeth and hung his head in his arms. Lifting up, Chuuya ran his fingers through the tiger's hair. "Atsushi."
The tiger jumped at the gesture and the name, jerking his head up to meet bright blue ones, their faces much too close. His eyes were vulnerable and Chuuya could read him like a book. With a smile, Chuuya tilted his head. "Let's get you out of this cage, shall we?"
Atsushi offered no restraint as Chuuya used his gravity to lift Atsushi and place the tiger into his arms. Immediately, silver hair covered his face as he turned into Chuuya's chest, tears still falling. Closing his eyes momentarily, Chuuya lifted them and began walking. With a wave over his shoulder, he passed the others and left the storehouse. Once they were back in the alley, Chuuya stayed at the entrance while everyone else went inside.
All eyes were on Chuuya. But Chuuya's eyes were on the body in his arms. Without looking up, he informed the group, "I'm going to go eat," And with that, he turned and walked out back towards the city.
Chuuya carried the tiger in his arms the entire walk to his house. Throwing the door open, he walked back to his spare bedroom. Setting the tiger on the chair, he walked into the closet and threw out a pair of boxers, sweatpants, and a white T-shirt. After he sat the clothes on the bed, he turned back to the tiger. "You'll be fine in here. There's the bathroom," A finger pointed to the door beside Atsushi, "And there is a shower as well as a bathtub. Take your time, I'll have supper ready once you're out." And with that, Chuuya smiled and left the room, pulling the door closed behind him.
The kitchen was on the other side of the house, through the living room. Opening up cabinets, he pulled down pasta noodles, sauces, spices, and shrimp from the freezer. He smiled as he heard the shower turn on and he set to work with the food.
Three glasses of wine and a prepared meal later, Atsushi padded through the house trying to find the source of shrimp. Coming across the kitchen, he held his hands in front of him nervously. Chuuya smiled from the counter he was leaning heavily against.
"Did you enjoy your bath?" Chuuya pushed the tiger's plate to the end of the counter, walking (a bit unsteadily) from the counter to the fridge for a bottle of water.
Atsushi walked up behind Chuuya and gently took the offered bottle. "It felt wonderful, thank you." And for the first time that night, Atsushi smiled. And damn, if Chuuya hadn't seen this kid's eyes light up before.
Chuuya answered with a smile of his own before walking back to the counter and jumping up onto it, his legs swinging as he began to eat. The kitchen was quiet for a bit as they ate, the tiger greedily swallowing the mountain of food before him. Concerned, Chuuya pulled the plate back from Atsushi. "You're going to get sick if you keep eating that fast. Drink some water," Chuuya's voice was a bit demanding but more concerned than anything. The tiger did as told, only a bit upset that his food was taken.
"What will happen to me?" Atsushi's voice was quiet, and if Chuuya didn't know any better, he would've guessed that he hadn't meant to say that out loud. Sighing, Chuuya took another bite of his food before answering.
"Give me until tomorrow, I'll have your living arrangements worked out. But," Chuuya's voice began to grow darker. "I would like to train you in how to control your gift in exchange."
He could sense the unease coming off of the tiger, the confusion. "I wouldn't mind that," Chuuya could sense more the tiger wanted to say, so he kept silent. "But, I think there's something else you're wanting from me."
Chuuya could've applauded the tiger for his deductive abilities. Yes, this boy could perhaps even challenge Akutagawa with some training. Maybe he could convince Mori to keep the tiger instead of handing him over. Chuuya smiled to himself at that idea, to have two very strong proteges? It would be glorious. Looking up at the tiger, however, he already felt the need to protect the kid.
"There might be something else down the line, but we have to hone your ability first." And with that, Chuuya plopped off the counter, sliding the rest of the tiger's food to him as he left. "The room you were in is yours for now. The internet information is over next to the TV in your room." With a wave of his hand, he continued walking.
"Wait!" Chuuya spun at Atsushi's word, a question in his eyes. The tiger looked down to his feet before meeting the blue eyes again. Chuuya could've died at the innocence this kid had. "What is your name?" And that time Chuuya did laugh. A doubling over, mouth splitting laugh that worried the tiger. Straightening up, he shook his head as he wiped the tears from his eyes.
"My name? Chuuya. Nakahara Chuuya." And with that, he turned back around.
"Thank you, for everything Chuuya-san." The tiger's voice was more confident this time and it put a smile on his face. This kid would be his subordinate. He would make sure of that.
"Just Chuuya, please." Without another word, he ascended the stairs to his room, leaving Atsushi to his vices.
-The Next Day-
Chuuya walked into headquarters to give the report about the mission last night. What was different about this mission report than the others? The weretiger was walking beside him. Chuuya smiled up to the nervous tiger and the younger responded with an anxious one of his own.
"Remember, just follow my lead and you'll be fine." Chuuya's voice was gentle against the intimidating atmosphere and he could feel the tiger step closer to him. Looking sideways at Atsushi, he admired his fashion handiwork. He had put Atsushi in a white dress shirt tucked into black pants, his tie hanging loosely from the collar of the dress shirt with a dark purple coat lined in silver draped over the boy's shoulders. After receiving a nod in acknowledgement, Chuuya walked ahead, allowing the timid teenager to walk behind him.
Walking up to Mori's door, he gave their names to the guards and the door opened.
"Elise-chan!" Chuuya cringed inwardly at his boss's whiny tone. There was only one person who could make him use that octave. And she was standing in front of Mori, her hands on her hips. Her blonde hair swayed around her as she stuck her tongue out at the boss.
Upon hearing the door open, she turned around and a smile lit her face as she noticed Chuuya. "Chuuya~!" She ran to the door to propel herself into the redhead's arms and he smiled at her. "When are we going shopping again?" Her eyes were bright at the idea before they caught sight of the kid in front of her. With narrowed eyes, she poked Atsushi's arm.
Immediately, the tiger jerked back confused and instantly wary. Purple-gold eyes met blue in desperation. At Chuuya's soft smile, Atsushi grew less tense and took in the girl in Chuuya's arms. "Hello," Atsushi greeted her, his hands folded together in front of him as his eyes didn't quite meet Elise's.
Her eyes widened when she caught view of the entirety of Atsushi's eyes. A gasp escaped her mouth and Chuuya gave a soft laugh. "You'll like him," Chuuya said into her blonde curls before he sat her down. Giving Atsushi an encouraging smile, he left the timid tiger to walk across the room and stand before Mori's desk.
Red eyes gleamed behind the desk as he watched Atsushi and Elise. Although the boss's attention was turned away from Chuuya, he knew Mori's ears were trained on his words. "When we arrived, the workers had already caught the tiger in a cage. They said he had came in unarmed to inquire about his whereabouts, when the tiger activated after guns were raised to him. They fended him off for a while until the tiger passed out. His name is Atsushi." Chuuya's voice was devoid of emotion, knowing any form of attachment in the Port Mafia was leverage against you. A smile had split Mori's face and Chuuya turned to see what had caused it.
Elise was pulling on Atsushi's sleeve as he was trying to sit down in front of her. The tiger smiled at her, his limbs showing no signs of tension. He looked happy. Turning back to Mori, he chose his next words very carefully.
"I would like to train him. His gift could be very valuable in the near future," Chuuya sighed inwardly when his tone didn't waver. He turned his face to Atsushi and Elise, noticing that, although the tiger's knees were brought up to his chest in protection, he was smiling softly at Elise as she began talking about her and Chuuya's shopping trips. Blue eyes did widen, however, when Elise invited the tiger to go with them.
"Chuuya-kun," Mori's voice was soft, a tinge of curiosity seeping out of his voice. Blue eyes turned to face his boss, the red eyes still trained on Elise and Atsushi. "Find a house for him, training begins this evening. I want to see what becomes of him."
"Chuuya hid his surprise, the conversation much easier than he had assumed it would be. He knew his boss had something up his sleeve, knew information he didn't know.
Not pressing the issue, he turned back to the other side of the room where Elise was moving Atsushi's hair, trying to see if he had any roots that suggested the falseness of his hair color. The tiger had wide eyes, confusion and worry seeping in as he tried to move from under the prying fingers. Immediately, Elise turned to Mori as if silent communication had passed between the two and she took two steps back with a smile to the tiger.
The action told Chuuya two things: Mori cared for Atsushi, sure he was genuinely curious about the weretiger but he didn't want the kid to feel overwhelmed. Secondly, he knew Chuuya would draw this connection, hence the behavior occurring in front of Chuuya's eyes. Mori wanted Chuuya to know he cared for the weretiger's being. In doing so, Mori knew Chuuya would gather that Mori wanted Atsushi in the Port Mafia, but no guarantees were in place for the next week.
Meaning, their training was cut out for them.
"You may go now, Chuuya-kun." Mori's eyes never left the scene in front of him, but his ears never left Chuuya and Chuuya knew it. Bowing, he leisurely made his way to the door as to not show his excitement. Both pairs of eyes rose to meet his, the faces smiling up at the mafia executive.
"We must go house hunting, Atsushi-kun," Chuuya relayed. Purple-gold eyes widened before he understood they needed to leave. Standing, he turned to the mafia boss, a slight tremble in his legs at the intimidating figure but nonetheless, he bowed deeply before straightening and smiling down to Elise. Atsushi turned his attention to Chuuya and they made their way out.
He could see the tremble continue through the tiger's body long after they left the boss's office. Chuuya didn't question him about it until they were in his car, the tinted windows providing the protection he knew Atsushi would want. As soon as their doors were shut, Atsushi buried his head in his hands, allowing his body to shake.
Chuuya gave him a few moments before sinking his fingers into the silver locks. "You did wonderful, Atsushi-kun," Atsushi leaned up into the fingers for a moment, soaking up the praise before pulling away, his hands falling to his lap.
"Was it enough?" His voice shook. Chuuya's eyes softened.
"It was plenty. You''ll have a place to live for a week for now. Boss will want to see how your training is pursuing after a week has passed before deciding. But you did very well, Atsushi." Chuuya's voice was soft in the silent car and Atsushi sighed, his body lessening its tension.
"I'm glad," His voice was quiet and Chuuya took that as the moment to drive them home. Music played softly but no one was listening to it.
When they pulled up to Chuuya's house, Atsushi was the first out and he could see the boy was as taunt as a coil ready to spring. Shaking his head, he got out of the car and walked around to the tiger. Grabbing the shaking hand, he pulled them into the house, leading Atsushi to the kitchen where he placed him on the chair behind the counter. Turning back, he set a bottle of red wine out on the counter, knowing how hard it was the first time he had to stand in front of Mori under the all-knowing gaze.
Taking down two wine glasses, he sat one in front of Atsushi before jumping nimbly onto the counter next to Atsushi. Opening the bottle, he poured half a glass for the tiger before doing the same to his cup. He smiled as he watched Atsushi eye the liquid with warried curiosity. Slender fingers slid the glass closer to the kid before Atsushi finally picked it up. His eyes found Chuuya's and the redhead merely smiled as he gave a mock toast in the air before taking a sip out of it.
With another one of Atsushi's damned soft smiles, Chuuya watched as the tiger tried the wine, wincing at the strong alcoholic taste before setting it down on the counter. Setting his glass down next to Atsushi's, he jumped back down. He didn't know if he would ever open the sweetest brand he collected for the reason that it was so sweet, but he figured now is better than never. Swaying his hips, he walked down to his wine cellar, satisfied with the '89 and walked back up to join the tiger.
Upon walking closer, he noticed Atsushi had downed his glass of wine, his teeth biting into his bottom lip. Chuuya laughed softly as he shook his head. This kid was going to be more like him than he thought.
"No need for you to torture yourself over a wine you don't like," Chuuya stated as he sauntered over with the new bottle. Uncorking it, he sat it on the counter before rinsing Atsushi's glass. Pouring half a glass of this, he slid it over to the younger. At the same warried curiosity, Chuuya put his hand on his hip, the other still holding the bottle of wine. "It's a sweeter wine. Don't question my ability to match a person to their wine incarnate." Chuuya's tone took on a mock whine.
But what happened next had Chuuya's hand slip from his hip as he almost dropped the wine bottle in his hand.
Atsushi laughed.
It wasn't loud, but it was enough to shock Chuuya speechless. Opening his eyes, the tiger blushed at Chuuya's position, looking down at the counter as he quickly picked up the wine glass and tried the liquid. His eyes popped open, the irises focused on the glass in his hand as he quickly drank the rest.
That unfroze Chuuya.
Setting the bottle back on the counter, he quickly took the glass from Atsushi. "Careful! You sip it, not gulp it!" Carefully placing the glass next to Atsushi's wine, he turned his attention back to the shocked weretiger. Softening his tone, he smiled. "First lesson in wine tasting: take small sips over a period of time lasting longer than five minutes." Chuuya could feel his face grow red at the heated blush that began to cover Atsushi's cheeks. Damn this kid was going to be a serious lightweight. Shaking his head, he smiled again as he corked the bottle back and set it in the fridge, the glass placed in the sink. Picking up his glass, he motioned Atsushi to join him as he went into the living room.
"What movies do you like, Atsushi-kun?" Chuuya threw a glance over his shoulder from the television, smiling as he saw the tiger curling up into the leather armchair next to the couch. Settling on his newest TV show, he picked up the blanket from the basket next to the couch to throw it over Atsushi. Grateful eyes rose to his and he smiled before turning back to the couch. Tucking his legs up to his chest, he continued sipping his wine as the show and afternoon progressed.
They deserved a break today before beginning training.
After about a half hour, he heard soft snores from the chair and Chuuya smiled behind his wine glass. Settling against the cushions, he set a timer on his phone for ninety minutes before setting his glass down to join in a nap as well.
-Five Days Later-
They were in one of the training rooms Port Mafia had bought out. Atsushi was in mesh shorts and a loose white T-shirt, Chuuya in similar attire but with half of his hair pulled back from his face in a mess of a bun or ponytail (he didn't know nor did he care).
Atsushi's training had progressed well. After finding a house with a garage, Atsushi was driven enough to turn the garage into a makeshift workout room. The once malnourished tiger was eating healthier, his body mass growing enough to allow them to finally experiment with his gift. Sitting on the bleachers, Chuuya handed Atsushi a bottle of water.
"I'm sorry, Chuuya," Atsushi was showered with worry, unable to section off bits of his power. Chuuya had almost ran out of ideas to help Atsushi lend strength from his tiger. Shaking his head, Chuuya ruffled Atsushi's hair.
"It's not your fault that the techniques don't work for you. Each person is different. We just have to figure out what yours is." Standing up, he held his hand out to Atsushi. Taking the offered hand, Atsushi refused to meet Chuuya's eyes.
He knew what his subordinate was thinking. Grabbing the tiger's head in his hands, he narrowed his eyes as he took all of Atsushi's attention. "It's not your fault, Atsushi-kun. You're no burden on me either. You're challenging me as a proper teacher and mentor, you know? You're helping me grow, Atsushi." And with that, Chuuya spun around and walked to the mats, hearing footsteps rush after him to catch up the distance.
Turning back to the tiger, he pointed to the mat before him and Atsushi sat dutifully. "Close your eyes." Once the order was obeyed, Chuuya used his gravity to lift him up off the ground, easing the weight off his feet. "Take deep, calming breaths, exhaling on three as you relax." Atsushi followed through with the order, his hands loosening their tight grips on each other. Chuuya waited until his shoulders slumped in relaxation and his thighs met the floor, all tension gone from him. Softly, Chuuya continued, "There are some who can communicate, per say, with their gifts. Your gift is to transform into a tiger. Try to find him. Listen for its steps, for its huff of breath, for its soft growl. Listen for your tiger. Nod when you find it." Atsushi's body remained relaxed for a few more moments before he tensed up immediately.
"It's okay, Atsushi. You're safe. It won't kill you." When Chuuya noticed the tension begin to leave the other, he continued. "Talk to it. Ask it for help if it's domineering, demand the strength if it's waiting for you, calm it if it's anxious. The tiger is yours, and you are the tiger's. Understand your gift and you can understand yourself." Chuuya instructed softly. He could see movement behind closed eyelids and he gasped softly. Tiger stripes began to slowly spread down Atsushi's arms, legs, and cheeks. It was breathtaking.
A blue aura illuminated the tiger and white fur began to cover every limb on Atsushi, the black stripes more prominent. Chuuya almost fell to the ground at the sight. Lowering himself silently as to not disturb the picture unfolding before him, he crossed his legs as he dropped his hands to his lap. His mouth was open in awe, blue eyes shining with excitement. Leaning closer, he watched as Atsushi's nails began to stretch out to accommodate the tiger's long daggers. Chuuya shivered as he examined them.
He wanted to reach out and touch Atsushi's tiger, to feel the fur under his fingers and the smooth surface of the nails.
Purple-gold eyes jerked open and Chuuya jumped but found himself entranced in the bright irises. Atsushi, however, was shocked to see his mentor this close. Leaning back, he grinned. "I suppose it worked?" Atsushi's voice was quiet but filled with hope and Chuuya grinned like a little kid.
"I'm so glad it worked! Do you remember how you communicated with it? " Chuuya couldn't disguise the hope in his voice.
Atsushi smiled. "She was upset I was doubting myself," He looked down at his hands/paws in his lap and his eyes widened. His eyes darted over to Chuuya in questioning and the redhead nodded emphatically.
"It was beautiful, Atsushi-kun!" Wonder filled his eyes as he continued to look over Atsushi. He didn't notice the blush darkening the weretiger's cheeks as Chuuya not-so-subtly looked over every inch of his body. Biting his lip, he jumped up from the mat, the jump much stronger than any he had pulled off beforehand and he had trouble sticking his landing. Standing back up, he immediately darted over to the weights, deciphering the new strength he now possessed.
Chuuya watched in awe, his eyes not once leaving Atsushi as he watched the drive the other had unfold before his eyes. Tomorrow would be combat, and he was going to have fun with that. A devious smile lit his face as he thought about the fight the weretiger would give him.
