An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
before you read - i own nothing but the words. based entirely off ch52 of bungou stray dogs, written by Kafka Asagiri. rating/warning - t, character study. pairing - akutagawa ryuunosuke / atsushi nakajima
special thanks - @socksghost (without whom this fic would not exist in its current form) thank you - @bungoustray-translations, @popopretty, @gvenevera, @recklessopinions (for summaries & translations i’ve referred to while writing this)
a speculative look into akutagawa's head during his first mission with atsushi, as shin soukoku.
It takes a while for Akutagawa to acquaint himself with the rhythm of partnership. He watches Atsushi dart across walls, propel himself away from stray rocks with razor sharp reflex, turning to shoot him split-second gazes mid-air– cover me – and it’s only then that he understands.
Akutagawa may be their pulse, but Atsushi is their blood.
It’s a little like re-learning the use of his own body – back when he knew nothing about Rashoumon, its limitations, and what it could do. Atsushi moves too fast for him to even think; he usually only has less than a second of lead time to cover Atsushi from Goncharov’s boulders while he’s vulnerable in the air. It takes a riot of missteps – muttered curses and bruises down to their spines, but slowly, they test their capabilities and limitations as a team.
