Chapter Text
Atsushi felt a bit silly. He was sitting on the floor of the living room, pencils and markers scattered around him as he contemplated whether or not he should actually attempt to draw something. If so, there’s also the matter of figuring out what he should draw.
Jason had asked Atsushi to show him drawings when he got home from work: Work that Atsushi was sure involved lots of violence, if Jason’s thundering expression had said anything. Atsushi didn’t want Jason to be any more stressed, and he didn’t want to waste any of the supplies Jason had kindly bought him. So, here he was.
Without much warning, the memory of the disastrous drawing competition with Dazai comes to mind. His lips twitch as he recalls the brawl that he and Akutagawa had, which Dazai had only egged on.
He misses them. Being with Jason was great– more than great! But more than anything, he aches in his chest to go home. To be back with the agency. As much as he tries to ignore it though, deep down, he fears that they like it better without him there. That they’ll realize Atsushi isn’t worth keeping around.
Atsushi shoves those thoughts down as far as he physically can, because they’re entirely unproductive. No use pondering something that he has no way to confirm or deny.
Instead, he grabs a black marker and painstakingly begins drawing. The scene is a little mutilated due to small, unsteady hands, but the depiction is recognizable. Akutagawa with his disdain filled scowl, Rashōmon hovering menacingly behind him. Atsushi sticks out his tongue as he carefully traces the outline of Akutagawa’s ability with a bright red marker, adding extra spikes for dramatic effect.
He thinks Akutagawa might have stabbed him through the chest if he could see such an awful illustration of himself. Atsushi smiles almost fondly at the thought. Payback, for that shitty tiger drawing the mafioso had done that day.
Atsushi was contemplating adding Kyoka in the background when a knock on the front door badly startled him. Atsushi nearly jumped out of his own skin, and hesitated before scurrying over. His gut wasn’t warning him of anything, and Atsushi wondered if Jason had sent someone over to watch him. It had never happened before, but maybe Jason thought Atsushi needed a babysitter? He did mention it could be awhile until he got home.
Confident he could handle himself and reminding himself where Jason kept the firearms, Atsushi carefully opened the door. He was surprised to see a familiar face– it was the teen from yesterday, the one Jason had not-so-subtly threatened.
Drake—was that his name?—was wearing a red hoodie and jeans, staring down at Atsushi with an expression of confusion on his face. He seemed a little bit nervous, but something about his posture and expression rang.. False. Almost rehearsed.
The teen gave an awkward smile, eyes glancing around the apartment as if looking for someone. He had a large backpack, clearly stuffed to the brim.
“Hey. Uhm, do you know if Jason is home? I had a couple of things I need to speak with him about.” The tone is a perfect mix of curious and hesitant. Atsushi barely refrained from narrowing his eyes.
Crossing his arms, Atsushi shook his head. “No. He had an emergency at work, but he’ll be back soon.” Atsushi obviously wasn’t going to say that Jason wasn’t going to be back for hours. That sounded like a great way to get himself kidnapped.
At hearing this, the teenager brightened up, offering a more apologetic smile. “Oh! In that case, you wouldn’t mind if I waited here for him, would you?” It was asked incredibly earnestly, but Atsushi could smell bullshit from a mile away.
However… Atsushi was curious too. So he shrugged, locking the door behind him and gesturing for the other boy to sit down. “Sure, I guess. What’s your name? Do you know Jason from work?”
Atsushi received a wide smile. “My name’s Tim! And yeah, me and Jason work together occasionally. That’s why I need to talk to him.”
Atsushi doesn’t sense any falsehood in any of those three statements, but he gets the feeling that Tim is here for more than just Jason. Still, he doesn't voice this out loud. Instead, he introduces himself. “I’m Atsushi.”
Tim acknowledges the name with a nod, but is soon making an intrigued noise, staring contemplatively at the drawing Atsushi had left on the floor. Atsushi flushes with embarrassment, but Tim seems genuinely interested.
“Is this a hero? I don’t recognize him.”
It’s an innocent question, but Atsushi holds back a snort at the thought of anyone mistaking Akutagawa for a superhero. The thought is so ridiculous Atsushi almost doesn’t respond. “No way. He–.. I-I mean, it’s just someone I made up.” It was a bad lie, but one that most likely had some validity. Even if some version of Akutagawa did exist in this universe, he would be a kid not much older than Atsushi’s body was at the moment. Nothing traceable, that’s for sure.
Tim hums in a way that suggests he doesn’t quite believe that. “Ah. He looks quite angry, the way you’ve drawn him. Meant to be a villain, then?”
Atsushi isn’t quite sure what to say to that. By all means, Akutagawa probably did fit the criteria to be called a villain, but.. he’d been trying. He had upheld his promise and he hadn’t killed anyone in months, and Atsushi respected him for that.
Sighing, the weretiger bit his lip and replied evenly. “No. Maybe he was one, once, but not now.”
Silence hung between them for a few moments after that, and Atsushi didn’t know what to say. Tim seemed happy to speak enough for the both of them, though.
“You’ve got a real creative mind, Atsushi. Smart, too. I’m sure you’ve realized I didn’t just come here for Jason.”
Atsushi freezes. Slowly, very slowly, he makes eye contact and nods. Tim looks a lot like Jason, now that he thinks about it. Same hair color, both blue eyes and that sharp look like they know more than they’ve let on. Unbidden, he thinks of another person with black hair and intelligent eyes. At least Tim doesn’t have glasses, or Atsushi would have really shuddered. The multiverse only needed one Ranpo, as far as Atsushi was concerned.
Tim’s smile is a little more sharp now. “I know Jason pretty well, and he’s not the type to just take in a kid out of nowhere. So, I admit, I was a little bit curious. I wanted to meet you properly, maybe see if you could tell me a little bit about why you’re staying with him.” Tim’s eyes visibly softened before continuing. “If you’re caught up in something dangerous, or you need help, I’m here to offer some support. You don’t have to talk about it if it’s too hard.”
Atsushi swallows down his instinctual response, observing Tim more thoughtfully. This was the most honest he’d been so far, and Atsushi could tell he was completely sincere. Tim was speaking to Atsushi the way a police officer would speak to a child victim; carefully but kindly, probing for information but not demanding or pushing. He was checking to make sure Atsushi was safe, offering help and support.
Atsushi decided that as unnerving as Tim was, Atsushi liked him. He clearly had a good heart, and that was all Atsushi needed to know about a person to call them good in his books.
“I don’t think Jason meant for me to stay, at first. He found me on my own and I was, uhm… I wasn’t doing so good, so he patched me up. After–” Atsushi stopped himself before he could say anything stupid. Atsushi is fairly sure one of the reasons Jason was keeping Atsushi so close is because of Byakko, but he couldn’t say that, obviously. Atsushi didn’t doubt that Jason cared about him, but the fact that Byakko seemed calm in his presence was one of the only reasons Atsushi was able to get comfortable in this world.
“–after a few nights, I think he just decided to let me stay. He’s been really nice, teaching me how to read and write and giving me anything I could need. So you don’t need to be worried, or anything like that.”
The sentence was finished off awkwardly, but Tim was nodding and he seemed appeased. Then, with a more teasing smile, he pulled out his backpack and chuckled.
“I wanted to make a good impression, so I… may or may not have gotten you a couple of things. I wasn’t sure what you would’ve wanted, so I tried to keep it generalized.”
Atsushi stared blankly, before burying his head in his hands. Why did everyone insist on buying him things he doesn’t need! It was like they’re trying to spoil him!
Tim, the traitor, clearly noticed Atsushi’s shift in mood and laughed softly. Atsushi peeked through his fingers, hiding his red face, but he could see that there was recognition in Tim’s expression. Like he understood.
“I get it, I get it. Getting gifts for no reason is probably overwhelming, especially if you’re not used to it.” Atsushi reluctantly nodded in agreement.
Tim began taking stuff out of the bag, in neat little rows. “I tried to keep things practical, since I didn’t know your preferences. I hope you like them.”
Atsushi couldn’t quite keep the astonishment off his face.
It was mostly clothing, a few pairs of pajamas that looked entirely too expensive and incredibly comfortable. A blue shark hoodie and a few kids t-shirts in plain colors. Aside from the clothing, there were a few games too. Atsushi could see monopoly and uno and a nice looking wooden chessboard—all which he recognized from his own universe—but the others were unfamiliar. Atsushi wasn’t sure if it was due to the different universes, or the fact Atsushi hasn’t actually played or seen many board games in the first place. He’s only ever played during agency game night, of which he’s only participated in one thus far. Most of the time, from what he’s heard, those game nights end in some sort of disaster; whether it’s Dazai throwing himself off a roof or something being set on fire.
There was also a white blanket, which looked soft as a cloud. Lastly, there were books. They seemed to be informational, one about the Justice League and another about the history of Gotham and its rogues and heroes.
It was bribery, but it was effective bribery. The gifts were thoughtful and practical, like Tim said, and Atsushi couldn’t not feel appreciative. “Thank you, Tim.” Then, a slightly more mischievous grin, “I’m sure Jason will be really happy that you came by. He has been really crazy about me not meeting or talking to anyone yet, but you’ve been really nice. I can see why he’d trust you enough to tell you where we live.”
Tim’s face spasmed for a moment and Atsushi resisted the urge to cackle, just a little bit. Tim looked like he hadn’t considered that he wasn’t supposed to know where Jason lived. Or rather, he hadn’t expected to be so blatantly called out on it. But he was quick to smooth out his expression and Atsushi didn’t point it out, keeping his eyes wide and expression serene and grateful.
Based on the way Tim’s icy blue eyes widened, he clearly picked up on the fact that Atsushi had known exactly what he was implying. But Tim couldn’t exactly say so out loud without sounding ridiculous, and he clearly wanted in on Atsushi’s good graces.
Maybe Atsushi was channeling his inner Dazai just a bit too much. He was slightly horrified with himself for feeling so entertained by messing with the poor kid. If this was really how Dazai felt messing with Atsushi all the time, Atsushi could begrudge that he understood it just a little bit.
The look on Tim’s face really was funny, but Atsushi tried to tamp down those thoughts best he could. He glances at Tim again, and notices something odd.
“You aren’t carrying a gun? Jason said most Gothamites don’t go anywhere unarmed.”
And, if Atsushi’s suspicion was correct that Tim was also involved in organized crime, it made even less sense. Unless Tim hadn’t wanted to scare Atsushi off? It couldn’t be that Tim couldn’t afford one. With the amount of guns people own in this city, they must be pretty accessible. And even if they were expensive, Tim is clearly wealthy. Which.. Now that Atsushi thinks about it, why would a wealthy kid be involved in a gang?
Something wasn’t adding up. The little voice in his head that sounded like Dazai unhelpfully pointed out that this could be some much larger conspiracy.
Tim seemed a little surprised by the question, but not by much. “I have other ways to defend myself if needed, kid. Nothing wrong with having a gun for self defence, but they personally aren’t my thing.”
“Oh?” It was a simple answer, but it made enough sense. Atsushi tilted his head at the mention of other defenses. “Like what?”
Tim didn’t give any indication that he had some sort of ability, but Atsushi was searching for signs anyway. He didn’t notice anything that suggested it, but.. Atsushi admittedly wasn’t the best detective. He was good at reading people, but that mostly boiled down to body language and threat assessment. Atsushi wasn’t the worst, maybe a little above average, but compared to the likes of Dazai or Ranpo he may as well have the deduction skills of a goldfish.
There was a small shift in body language that pointed to Tim being torn about something. Likely wondering how much to reveal. There was more to Tim than meets the eye, but Atsushi couldn’t figure out what it was by a long shot.
Flexing his fingers, Tim hummed noncommittally. “I know some martial arts. Enough to get me out of most dangerous situations, if it comes down to it.” There was definitely more that Tim wasn’t saying, but same as with everything else, Atsushi couldn’t hope to decipher it and honestly didn’t have the mental energy for it either.
Thinking about all of this a bit more clearly… it was a really stupid move to open the door in the first place. His gut was telling him Tim wasn’t a threat, but gut feelings are also what usually land him in awful situations. Keeps him alive, sure, but none of this is going to go conveniently. Especially not when Jason gets involved.
Speaking of Jason…
“How’d you know Jason wasn’t going to be here? You planned for this to be a long conversation, so you’d have needed to know that Jason would be occupied.”
The grin Tim gives him is so eerily reminiscent of Dazai that Atsushi nearly flinches.
“Nevermind. I do not want to know the answer.” Atsushi would rather not know, thank you. A look like that promises nothing good for Atsushi, better not to ask anymore questions.
Tim looks pleased with himself in any case. It’s subtle but clear. It’s an expression Atsushi can’t attribute to anyone else in his world, all Tim.
Why must Atsushi always gain the attention of troublemaking geniuses? Seriously, this was getting a little out of hand.
This day was so bizarre. Everything about Atsushi’s life was bizarre.
Likely sensing Atsushi's growing sense of existential dread, Tim chuckled and pulled over the chess set. He tilted his head, a silent offer, and Atsushi pursed his lips.
He’d never played before. Ranpo and The President do sometimes, but not often enough for Atsushi to have picked up on the rules. Without missing a beat, Tim began laying out the pieces and calmly explaining the rules. It was a lot to remember, but Atsushi managed. Chess is a strategy game, which isn’t exactly Atsushi’s forte, but he figured he would learn as he went.
The first few games felt a little bit pathetic. Atsushi was new and it showed, and Tim was clearly well-versed in the game. After the first game ended quickly in Tim’s favor, Tim began explaining each move he made with straightforward and simple reasoning. Though it was awkward at first, it did really help him get a better grasp on how the game worked.
Atsushi was improving quickly, getting better at predicting what moves Tim would make and where the pieces needed to fall. It was almost fun, and though it was clear that Atsushi would never be able to actually win against Tim, the teen didn’t make him feel stupid or slow. On the contrary: Tim was nothing was encouraging, praising Atsushi’s quick mind and going over where Atsushi went wrong in strategy calmly and kindly.
It felt a little like a test. Whenever Atsushi explained his thought process behind his last turn, Tim would hum and nod like he was hearing something unsaid. Those sharp blue eyes followed Atsushi’s every facial expression, like Atsushi was a bug under a microscope or a puzzle Tim was trying to figure out.
It didn’t bother Atsushi as much as it should’ve. He was used to it, in fact, Ranpo had done the exact same thing when Atsushi had first joined the agency. It didn’t necessarily mean anything bad, even it was slightly discomforting to be on the other end of it again.
Tim had been there for nearly three hours at this point. He finally put away the chess board, and looked over at Atsushi with a contemplative expression.
“It’s a little bit past lunch time. Do you want me to make you anything to eat? Or make something yourself?”
Lunch sounded great. Atsushi nodded, walking over to where Tim was standing.
“There should be some leftover soup in the fridge, and some rice. We could warm it up.”
Tim got to work pretty quickly after that, popping stuff in and out of the microwave and setting out a bowl for Atsushi to eat. Atsushi was confused when Tim didn’t take out one for himself, and when he vocalized this, Tim’s smile looked slightly strained.
“I think Jason would stab me if I ate your food.”
Well.
Atsushi supposed he can’t blame Tim for thinking that. He might not be wrong, for all Atsushi knew. Jason didn’t seem like the type to ever hurt a kid for any reason, but maybe Tim didn’t know that. Or because they had a bad history, which Atsushi could guess from the interaction at the pizza shop.
Speaking of..
“Why did your friend seem to hate Jason so much? The blonde girl, from yesterday.”
It was a reasonable question, one Atsushi should have asked earlier. He shoveled down rice as he waited for an answer, cheeks puffed out from how fast he was eating.
The way Tim stiffened would not have been picked up by anyone else, but Atsushi noticed and tensed in turn. That was obviously a sore spot. Atsushi tried to keep himself calm so he wouldn’t choke, reminding himself that Tim has no reason to lash out or hurt him and doesn’t seem the type to do so. It only helps marginally.
Seeing Atsushi’s anxiety spiking, Tim’s expression and posture shift. “I’m not upset at you, Atsushi– it’s just a sensitive topic. Jay and I weren’t always on the best terms, and originally there was a pretty large.. misunderstanding . A few months ago there was a big fight, and while I’ve forgiven him, Steph hasn’t. We’re mostly past that now, and Jason feels bad about it.”
Tim is fiddling with the strings on his hoodie, and his hands are positioned in a way that suggests he wants to rub at his neck or collar but is trying hard not to.
Atsushi thinks of hands closing around his neck, cutting off air and leaving deep bruises.
Jason wouldn’t do that, Atsushi tells himself, but part of him doubts. Tim was being uncharacteristically quiet, and there was a look in his eyes Atsushi knew intimately.
It’s the look of someone remembering something they’d tried to forget. Something painful to think about.
Tim is looking at the ground, and Atsushi absentmindedly wonders if he sees ghosts too. Ghosts of the people who hurt him, lurking in every corner.
Atsushi remembers acidic green eyes, practically glowing with fury on Atsushi’s behalf. What would that fury look like, to be on the recipient side? The thought is enough to make Atsushi twitch anxiously.
Tim is leaving a lot out. Atsushi can’t blame him, because it's both an obviously sore topic and Tim also believes he’s speaking to a young child. About Atsushi’s supposed guardian, no less. Tim doesn’t want to scare him, and he’s watching Atsushi closely.
“You’re okay now?”
“...”
Atsushi sips at his soup, trying to shove down his thoughts and emotions for another time.
Carefully, Tim responds in a slow voice. “Yeah. I wasn’t at first, but I am now. I forgive him, and he regrets it. We’re all good.”
Atsushi nods, because Tim is being honest. Atsushi appreciates honesty, appreciates how Tim is being conscious of Atsushi’s perceived age but not speaking to him like most would when around a kid.
There is quiet for a while, that is until Tim’s phone buzzes and startles both occupants of the room. Tim quickly pulls the device out of his pocket and begins aggressively texting someone on the other end. He looks somewhere between fondly exasperated and a little annoyed, brows furrowing the longer he stares at his phone.
This goes on for a couple of minutes, and Tim seems to be getting.. Atsushi doesn’t want to call it agitated, because it’s nothing that severe, but there's a tick in his brows and he’s making the same face Kunikida does when he’s asking the world for patience. It usually means Dazai has just done something stupid or the port mafia is about to break down the agency window.
Atsushi goes to put away all the stuff Tim has gotten him in his room, leaving Tim to deal with whatever it is that he’s so annoyed about. Atsushi wonders if Jason is involved, but in this case Atsushi doesn’t think so.
He folds the blanket neatly at the edge of his bed, places the clothes in his closet, tucks the games into one of the toy boxes and places the books on his bookshelf. It takes about five minutes, and when he finally returns to the living room Tim is standing up and looking conflicted.
“My older brother needs help wrangling the dem.. youngest sibling, so I have to go.” He says vaguely.
Atsushi didn’t peg Tim as someone who had siblings. He very much comes across as an Only Child™, if that makes any sense. Tim had also hesitated when referring to the apparent youngest sibling, like he was going to call him something else. An unkind nickname, Atsushi assumed, which didn’t really seem in character for what Atsushi had seen of Tim.
“You don’t seem like the type to have siblings,” Atsushi remarked, making Tim laugh a little sheepishly.
“I’m adopted. There’s five of us, and only the youngest is biologically related to our—.. to the man who adopted us. I only got officially adopted this year.”
That seemed complicated, but Atsushi knows shit about what a family is supposed to look like, so maybe it’s not too weird.
He had dreamed about being adopted, when he was really young. He would curl up in the library, staring at pages of a book he could just barely read and wonder when he would be saved. He stopped wishing for things like that pretty quickly, but it had been nice to dream.
“You’re an orphan?”
The question startles Atsushi badly. Ah, had he muttered some of his thoughts out loud? How embarrassing..
“Oh, uh.. yeah. I grew up in an orphanage.” Atsushi’s voice definitely stuttered a little speaking about it, and he wanted to curse his emotional child brain yet again. Even normally his childhood was a sore topic, but now thinking of the orphanage made his chest feel tight and his breath quicken.
He tried very hard to hide it. He’s pretty sure he failed.
Steering away from that topic, Atsushi instead turns the questions back on Tim. “Don’t you have brothers you need to help out with? I’ll let Jason know you stopped by, don’t worry about it.”
Tim opened his mouth to reply, but before he could do so, he was interrupted.
“No need, ‘sushi. Me and Tim Tam over here are going to be having a long talk outside.” One of the windows screeched open and Jason’s burly figure tumbled inside. He landed gracefully, and his eyes were locked on Tim with murderous intensity.
Atsushi felt slightly bad for Tim, who just seemed resigned. “Hi, Jason.”
Jason cocked his head to the side, the green in his eyes slightly fading but still present. His grin is mocking, almost cruel, and Atsushi doesn’t know what to think about this side of Jason he hasn’t seen before.
“Trouble in paradise, boy wonder? I heard Brucie picked up a particularly vicious new stray.”
Tim’s expression twists, like he’s trying not to scowl. Jason’s following laugh isn’t kind.
“Out we go Timothy. I’ll give you five minutes to explain, because I’m feeling generous. You better have a damn good excuse for pulling this shit, because when I’m done with ya’, you’ll wish the League brat was your biggest issue.”
Tim and Jason made eye contact for a long moment before Tim followed Jason toward the window. Why they were going to talk on the fire escape and not outside the front door like a normal person, Atsushi was clueless.
Atsushi doesn’t think Jason would kill or beat a teenager outside the house knowing Atsushi was inside. Atsushi tells himself this a couple of times, and decides it’s probably true.
Jason is pissed, but he isn’t unreasonable. If Atsushi really thinks Jason is going too far (because Atsushi will obviously be eavesdropping) he’ll intervene.
If not, it’s not Atsushi’s business how Jason decides to interrogate the teen. If his hunch is right, Tim is at least somewhat aware and/or responsible for the emergency that pulled Jason out this morning. Atsushi is also, just maybe, a little curious about what the history between the two of them is.
Silently, he wishes Tim good luck.