#ryukendo

Kenji walked down to SHOT headquarters like he always did, hands tucked into his pockets, posture relaxed as if he expected nothing out of the ordinary.

That should have been his first warning.

“Perfect timing,” Rin said the moment she spotted him.

Kenji stopped dead in his tracks and stared at her.

Rin crossed her arms, unimpressed. “Well? Aren’t you going to ask?”

“…Ask what?” Kenji replied flatly, blinking as if his brain hadn’t caught up yet.

“There have been sightings of demon beasts in a nearby city,” Rin continued. “Outside of Akebono. We’re going to investigate.”

Kenji’s mouth fell open.

“Outside of Akebono?” he repeated. “How is that even possible?”

“That’s exactly what we’re trying to figure out,” Fudou said from behind him, leaning casually against a desk with his arms folded. “Which is why Rin was saying we’ll need to see it for ourselves.”

“We leave tomorrow,” Rin added briskly, already turning back to her paperwork.

Kenji finally found his voice. “And you only just thought to tell me now?”

Fudou chuckled. “You’d still pack at the last minute anyway.”

Kenji opened his mouth to argue, then stopped.

…Unfortunately, Ossan wasn’t wrong.

Tch. I’ll get him back for this, Kenji thought, scowling as he turned away.

He headed back upstairs to the police station and forced himself through the rest of his shift.

He smiled when he was supposed to, answered calls, filled out reports but his thoughts kept drifting.

Demon beasts outside Akebono.

Another city.

Unknown territory.

Just when things were starting to feel normal here.

By the time his shift ended, Kenji was exhausted in a way sleep wouldn’t fix. He went home, kicked off his shoes, and collapsed onto his bed.

I should pack, he told himself.

But they weren’t leaving until tomorrow night… and he was tired.

Just a short rest.

His eyes had barely closed when a loud knock echoed through the apartment.

Kenji groaned.

He considered ignoring it briefly but the knocking only grew louder and more persistent.

“Alright, alright, I’m coming!” he muttered.

He slid out of bed and shuffled to the door, yanking it open—

“Ossan?” Kenji blinked.

Fudou stood there, sunglasses on despite the hour, expression as serious as ever.

“How many times have I told you not to call me that?” Fudou said.

“That’s not the point!” Kenji shot back. “Why are you here?”

Fudou stepped inside without waiting for permission. “Change of plans. We’re leaving now. You do have everything packed, right?”

Kenji swallowed.

“…Stay here,” he said quickly. “Let me grab my stuff.”

He bolted to his bedroom, shoving clothes, supplies, and whatever else his hands landed on into a bag. Ten frantic minutes later, he stumbled back out, breathless.

“Ossan, I’m ready!”

Fudou studied him over the rim of his sunglasses. “Are you sure you were ever ready in the first place?”

Kenji nodded anyway. “Yeah.”

“…Alright. Let’s go.”

The city they arrived in was noticeably larger than Akebono. Brighter lights. Louder streets. Everything felt unfamiliar in a way that made Kenji’s skin prickle.

“So,” Kenji asked quietly, glancing around, “where are Rin and the others?”

Fudou gave him a sideways look. “You really weren’t told anything, were you? They won’t arrive until tomorrow.”

“…You’ve got to be kidding me.”

They checked into their lodging without much ceremony.

The front desk clerk handed them a key and rattled off directions so fast Kenji immediately lost track.

He leaned closer to Fudou as they walked away. “Hey, Ossan. You understood all that, right?”

“Yes.”

Kenji sighed in relief. He really could count on him.

Fudou led the way to their room and twisted the knob, stepping inside first and setting his bag down.

Kenji followed and froze.

There, sitting right in the center of the room, was a single bed.

His face instantly went hot.

“Hey Ossan! You can’t expect us to share that!”

Fudou removed his sunglasses slowly. “And why not?”

“Well—” Kenji stammered. “We’re both men, and— and we aren’t married!”

“And?” Fudou prompted calmly.

Kenji’s mind spiraled.

Rin definitely did this on purpose.

“…How about you sleep on the floor?” Kenji blurted.

Fudou turned, stepping closer until Kenji’s back hit the wall.

“Absolutely not,” Fudou said. “The bed is big enough.” His tone softened just slightly.

“Now go get changed, my precious kouhai.”

Kenji didn’t trust his voice, so he fled to the bathroom.

When he finally gathered the courage to step back out, he found Fudou sitting on the bed, relaxed, sleeves rolled up.

Kenji immediately noticed his arms.

“…Ossan! Don’t look at me!”

“You say that like you’re not the one staring.”

Kenji covered his face. “I want to disappear.”

He arranged extra blankets and pillows down the middle of the bed with

exaggerated care. “You better not cross this line.”

He turned away, heart pounding.

The bed shifted.

Kenji turned and suddenly Fudou was right there, close enough that Kenji could see his expression soften.

“H-Hey, Ossan, what are you—”

Fudou leaned in and kissed him.

Kenji’s thoughts vanished.

It was gentle. Unrushed. Warm in a way that made his chest ache.

“…Do that again,” Kenji whispered.

“Say please.”

“…Please.”

The second kiss lingered longer, and when Fudou finally pulled back, his voice was low.

“Kenji,” he said, “do you want this?”

Kenji nodded without hesitation.

Fudou’s hand squeezed his gently, grounding him and whatever followed was quiet, shared, and unspoken, the world outside fading away entirely.

Kenji woke the next morning groaning softly, sore in the most unexpected way.

“…Crap. Where are my clothes?”

He turned and spotted Fudou beside him.

Relief washed over him.

Kenji shifted closer, instinctively curling against him, and drifted back to sleep.

Five hours later, a loud knock rattled the door.

“Kenji! Fudou! Are you two in there?”

Kenji’s eyes flew open.

For half a second, his mind was blissfully blank.

Warm sheets.

Familiar warmth at his side. A steady presence he’d somehow grown used to far faster than he should have.

Then reality slammed back into place.

“…Oh no.”

He froze.

Beside him, Fudou stirred, one eye cracking open just as Rin knocked again, harder this time.

“I know you’re in there,” Rin called. “Open up.”

Kenji buried his face in the pillow, mortified. “We’re dead. We’re absolutely dead.”

A quiet huff of amusement came from next to him.

“Relax,” Fudou murmured, calm as ever.

He shifted just enough to tug the blanket higher, shielding them both. “Panicking won’t help.”

Kenji peeked up at him, flustered beyond belief. “You’re way too calm about this!”

Fudou glanced at him, expression soft in a way Kenji wasn’t used to seeing so openly. “Because there’s nothing to regret.”

Kenji’s heart skipped.

Another knock. Louder.

“Five seconds,” Rin warned.

Fudou finally sat up, reaching for his clothes with unhurried precision. Before standing, he rested a hand briefly on Kenji’s shoulder, steady, grounding.

“I’ll handle it,” he said.

Kenji nodded, face still burning, but… smiling.

As Fudou moved toward the door, Kenji pulled the blankets around himself and exhaled, heart still racing but warm.

Safe. Certain in a way he hadn’t been before.

Whatever waited outside that room , demon beasts, missions, Rin’s inevitable yelling could wait just a little longer.