Plush Feelings And Soft Laughter (Bungo Stray Dogs)
Hi! :D Hello! Did y'all also want some Lee!Akutagawa in your lives? Cause I do- constantly! I wrote this as an additional gift for the lovely @intheticklecloset's birthday this past October- I like gifting multiple things hehe~ For the last fic of the year, I figured why the heck not share this silly little thing? I hope you like it! :D
Cloud 9 (Taglist Peeps):
@myreygn @thatbigbisexual29 @dirtpie39 @duckymcdoorknob @cupcake-spice13 @sticky-badger @mystwrites @chibisstuff @imjusthere07 @sevenincubistolemyheart @riisada @trans-ace-lee
Akutagawa stared it down.
The plush tiger stared right back.
Normally such things weren’t in his wheelhouse of interests. He really wasn’t much for materialistic things to begin with- having to constantly move about being in the port mafia. The few possessions he did own- a beat up MP3 player, a pair of fraying headphones taped up several times, a small wallet holding faded polaroids of his sister and him- he kept on his person regularly. The exception being a mug the weretiger gifted him several months ago he uses whenever he stops by for morning coffee.
The point is- a plush tiger wasn’t something he could carry with him on the regular, nor something he needed.
And yet…
The brunette stared longer, feeling almost rooted to the spot the more he looked at it. It was white- just like him, though the eyes were wrong. Icy blue- had they been a sunset shade he’d wouldn’t even be having this internal conflict. It looked soft and warm- about the size of a pillow with a rather cute face.
It wasn’t even that badly priced. His hands twitched for his wallet…
“There you are- oh wow! Look at that!” The arrival of his weretiger shook him free from his reverie, and he quickly shoved his fists in his pockets as he turned to his boyfriend. “That’s so cute! Look at his little face!”
Nevermind- Atsushi was making faces at the soft plush tiger, nuzzling its nose with his own and cooing at it like it was a baby. The sight was both strangely infuriating and unfairly adorable. Akutagawa felt heat rising up his neck. “I take it you’re fond of that thing?”
“Hmm? Oh, so you were looking at these, too?” Atsushi held it up, giving its stuffed body a little shake. “Aren’t they sweet? And check this out- when you buy one, you’re supporting a rehabilitation program for an endangered species! A good cause behind every cuddle.”
“Is that really what they put?”
“Yeah- kinda cheesy.” Atsushi mused, eyes bright as he squished the tiger’s face. “Still- a good enough reason to get one, right?”
Was Atsushi..hinting at this? Akutagawa hummed, curious at his boyfriend’s wording. Normally, the weretiger was rather direct about his wants and needs, even more so when he doesn’t want Akutagawa to do something.
He also recalled however the many romance movies Gin forced him to watch while sick- the female lead falling in love with some sort of stuffed…thing, and the male lead winning it for her in a trivial game. He knew Atsushi liked those kinds of movies too- was he passively asking Akutagawa to win him the tiger?
But…this was a shop.
“Hm? I know.” Atsushi smiled, and the brunette felt a hot blush rise to his cheeks when he realized he said that last part outloud. “It’s a nice one too- I get all of Ranpo’s snacks here.”
“I knew that.” A weak counter. Akutagawa cleared his throat as he stared at the tiger, deciphering how he’d go about this. Winning it wasn’t an option, but it really wasn’t that much. Would Atsushi get mad at him for purchasing it directly for him? No, he’d do it subtly- guide the weretiger out of the area and have him order them lunch. Yes- yes, he’d do that; then he’d rush back here and make the purchase! It was a brilliant plan! “Let’s-”
“Thank you! Come again!” The store clerk chirped as Atsushi came back outside. Akutagawa hadn’t even realized he left. And in his hands…
“Oh. You bought it.” The brunette deadpanned, seeing the cute face of the plush before his eyes. This close, it looked even softer.
“I did! And…I know I should have asked you first but..” Atsushi shyly held it out, offering the plush to the other. “Here.”
“....” What? Huh? “I can’t accept this.”
“Huh? Why?” Atsushi blinked, stunned. “Did you not want it?”
“Hm? I assumed you bought it for yourself.” Did he not? Atsushi tilted his head, confused. “You were fawning all over it.”
“I was- and admittedly, still kinda am. It’s very cute. But you were staring daggers at it like you wanted it, and given you don’t usually buy yourself these sorts of things…?” Something sad passed over Atsushi’s gaze, his arms slacking just a touch. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have assumed.”
Oh no- his plan backfired! Exponentially! “I never said I didn’t want it.” Akutagawa blurted out, quickly taking the tiger in his arms. Oh. Oh it really was soft. This was a nice tiger plush. Sure, it wasn’t as warm and soft as Atsushi, but it was a fair second. “I just figured since you liked it so much, I’d get you one. But then you went ahead and bought it and..”
Why was he saying all this?? His face felt rather warm, and he couldn’t bring himself to look back at Atsushi. He’d successfully gone from love interest to main character in those silly romance movies his sister adored. “I-I’m keeping it. If your intention was to give it to me, then it’s mine. No returns.”
When Atsushi didn’t respond, he wondered if he read the entire situation wrong. Did he intend to keep it afterall? Was his original offering of said tiger in response to Akutagawa’s dry tone? He had to peek.
When he did, he found Atsushi’s back to him, shoulders shaking.
“Weretiger..” His heart cracked some. He reached out-
“PFFT-Gahaha!” The blonde suddenly threw his head back with a bright laugh, making Akutagawa jump. “I’m sorry! I’m-pffft gehehahhahaha! I’m sohohohorry! Ehehehehahahaha!” He held his belly with both hands, cheeks rosy and eyes lined with mirthful tears as he snorted through his giggle fits. “Ryu, god- you’re so-ehehehhhehahahaha!”
That hot blush from earlier returned, along with a feeling of indignation. “Speak now, weretiger- what is the meaning of this mockery?”
“What? What, nohohoho! No- I’m sorry, ehem, I’m sorry.” The blonde gasped out, holding his chest with one hand as he grabbed Akutagawa’s shoulder with the other. “God..god, that felt good. I needed that laugh, whooo! Okay- okay.” He took one more quick breath before meeting his eyes, lips twitching almost immediately. “I’m not laughing at you. I’m not mocking you either. I just..Ryu, I love you so much.”
His heart skipped. Damn this useless organ! “Then why laugh?”
“Cause you’re just so..you!” The weretiger cried, waving his arms about as if that was the answer. “All of this- it’s just so you!”
“...I don’t follow.”
“I’m not good at words.” Atsushi laughed, softer this time as he hugged the other. “I just love you, you know? The fact you were gonna buy it for me, how disappointed you seemed at first, then the way you practically snatched the plush from me like a little kid-” He giggled again, making Akutagawa blush more. “It’s just so endearing. I’m really glad I got you that plush now. It was my intention the second I saw you staring at it earlier.”
Shit, he was caught. “I wasn’t staring.”
“Yeah, of course- you were glaring at it, right?” Atsushi teased, the hand on his shoulder tickling his back. “Planning on fighting it? See who’s stronger?”
“S-Shut your mohohouth! How dahahre you mohohock mehehehehe- weretiger, stahahap!” The brunette tried twisting away, barking out his words in an effort to sound angry. It didn’t work- not with him giggling like so. “Knohohock that ohohoff, wehehere in puuhuhublic!”
“Yeah- on an empty street roughly five blocks from our house. Don’t worry, I won't shove you to the ground and take you just yet.” The weretiger went bright red at his accidental innuendo. The comment did nothing to stop Akutagawa’s mirth- if anything it made it worse. “Whoa, that was alot, huh? Look what you made me do- saying all these things outloud!”
“Ohoohoho, so Iiihiihh’m to blahahahme for yoohohohohur fihihihilthy mihihin-ehehehehheh!” They were walking now, Atsushi keeping one arm around Akutagawa to tickle him as he guided him back to the apartment. He would fight back, but that would mean dropping his newly obtained plushie- something he’d never let happen.
Really- the streets were rather nasty. “Weheheheretihihihiger!”
“Yes, yes- we’re almost home. Eager, aren’t we?” The blonde was walking intentionally slow, dragging his feet as he carried on scribbling into his ribcage. They stumbled and swayed like two drunks, more fitting for the evening time instead of midday. “You’re always so impatient. Yet another thing about you I love.”
This damn tiger was going to be the death of him! It was bad enough his heart was racing from the spontaneous tickle attack, and now he was saying such sweet words and risking a full cardiac episode. “Geahhahahaha! Shuuuhuhsh! Be sihihihlent! Gehahahaha, oohohaky ohohokay wahahhait! Steheheheps! The stehehheeeps!”
“Oh right- stairs.” Atsushi steadied them before they could tumble. For a brief, relieved moment, Akutagawa figured this was the end of their silly walk.
But no- for things only got sillier!
“WERETIGER!” He yelped in shock when Atsushi swiped him clean off his feet, carrying him bridal style up the steps. His hands were still tickling, gentle and feathery against his coat and making him kick weakly. “Puhuuhuht me dohohown!”
“Never! I’ll never put you down!” The other laughed as he struggled for his keys, somehow finding balance. This whole ordeal really felt like a romance movie. Eventually, he opened the door- carrying his giggly boyfriend into the house and kicking it shut behind them. And yet- he still didn’t put him down. “You’re mine, now and foreve-WHOA!”
A lone kick had them stumbling over the couch, falling backwards into the sofa. They were a mess of limbs and laughter, breathless and giggly- tear-stained cheeks and rosy smiles. “Yohohou’re a teheherrible carriahahage.” Akutagawa teased, poking his cheek lovingly.
“Says the reason we toppled over! Ever heard of “Keep all limbs inside the ride at all times? This is why!” He argued back, kneading the other’s sides gently. His tickles slowed down a hold then, his teasing grin melting into a gentle loving smile as he watched his boyfriend calm. “Hey.”
“Hehe…hehehe..he-hey yourself.” The brunette huffed, reaching around until he found his treasured plush. Cuddling it close, he looked up at Atsushi’s sunset eyes, feeling strangely vulnerable. “What?”
“I love you.” He said it so often, yet the impact it had on Akutagawa’s heart remained strong as ever. “I just had to say it again.”
“Saying it’s nice, but I want you to show me too.” Whoops- the tickling made him bold. Or perhaps it was his new tiger. A part of him wanted to hold it up and accuse it of saying that, childish as it was. Instead, he held Atsushi’s gaze, daring him to follow through.
The other man blinked in surprise, then smiled. “Say it first.”
Oh this man! Akutagawa closed his eyes, feeling his pulse behind them. Then he looked him dead on, the words effortless and deep from the well of his soul. “I love you, Atsushi.”
The lips that came after were softer than any plush, warming his belly and spreading all over his nervous system. He clung to him, pulling the other close as they got lost in the moment.
~~~
On any normal day, you’ll find a fluffy, white tiger sitting on one side of a warm futon. Its eyes would be new- replaced with sunset pink ones after its owner found a friend who could make the change happen. Next to that in a similar spot sat a midnight black porcupine- face comically grumpy and squeezed to near death several times by its owner on long nights away from his love. They sat close- forever touching and never apart.
Thanks for reading!