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Light creeps into the dark humid cell, carrying with it a threat that sends his hair on end. 

Dread curls deep in his gut, an empty space that yearns to be filled by a sense of safety and peace. He knows the light won’t grant him any mercy, so the boy shoves such reservations to the back of his mind. His body pushes against the cold bars of his cell to escape the burning light that trails across the dark cemented floors. His heart jumps to his throat. The metal bites into his skin, scrubbing the scarred skin a gruesome red. He ignores the pain, far too enraptured by the fear that pulses deep in his bones. 

The boy bites back a whimper at the sight of the dark silhouette of people pushing through the door. 

At the head of the group is the headmaster. He doesn’t recognize the people trailing behind the man.

The people behind the man step out of the shadows. There’s five, the boy counts cautiously. Five men, all dressed in flashy clothing and eccentric makeup. The bright colors that shine across their faces don’t belong in a dull place like the orphanage. 

They don’t belong here. And the looks on their faces–too sharp smiles, shining eyes full of the same venom that have infected the headmaster–the boy finds unsettling.

They look scary. They look mean. They look cruel. 

They’re going to hurt him.

He gulps, the action scratching his thoroughly parched throat.

The boy shakes and trembles, preparing himself for what the headmaster will do–what the group will do. 

When the Headmaster reaches the boy’s cell, it is with a prominent frown. 

“Congratulations.” 

The boy’s eyes widen, horror suddenly dawning on him as the headmaster opens up his cell, allowing the eccentric dressed men through without much of a fight. 

“You’ve been adopted by ability users: The Midnight Menagerie.”

A shriek tears itself from the boy’s lips the moment he’s grabbed by cold rough hands. Their hands scratch his skin. They hold him down. They cage him and laugh, welcoming the boy to their family.

The boy cries harder.

This isn’t welcoming at all.

This is terrifying.

This is–

One of the men opens up a duffel bag. 

He inhales sharply, knowing what will happen next.

The boy squirms wildly, chest heaving and voice cracking as he pleads with the director.

His pleas fall on deaf ears. 

The men drag him across the floor, the echo of the chain around Atsushi’s ankle ringing through the air. 

No.

He’s shoved head first into the bag.

No!

The chain around his ankle clings loudly, strained from reaching its limit.

No–!

Skin and bone snap. 

And the boy shrieks, succumbing to the darkness he has become all too familiar with.

“You will survive this, Atsushi. Stay strong.”

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    Patience worn dreadfully thin, Akiko glares daggers at the door in front of her as she gives the wood another tentative knock, this one louder than the others she’s made against the sturdy surface. 

    Sure, she can always just throw the door open and drag her roomie out, but invading one’s privacy leaves a dirty taste in Akiko’s mouth. She knows that if Ranpo was here, that he wouldn’t waste a second sliding the door open and declaring his presence, but Akiko has a bit more tact than the short male, no matter what the sweet obsessed brat might say. 

    Once again, her fist raps harshly against the wood when she doesn’t get a response. 

    A low growl can be heard from the other side, but that doesn’t deter Akiko in the slightest. 

    “Atsushi!” She calls out sharply, already feeling her frustration rise to the surface. “We’re already thirty minutes late to the office! Get your ass up, now!”

    Another growl, softer than the last, fills the air. And yet–even with Atsushi’s response hanging in the air–he refuses to step out of his room. 

    “I'm barging in if you don’t come out in five seconds!” Akiko declares, her fist raised high in the air. The boy’s lucky Akiko isn’t busting down the damn door with her foot after all the noise he made last night; Akiko had to take a handful of sleeping pills to finally block out the heavy sound of footsteps running to and fro around his room. Gah, just thinking about last night gives Akiko a headache…

     And still– Atsushi refuses to leave his room.

    “Five!” She counts down, done with this little game of theirs. 

    “Four!” Akiko steps back, readying her fist to punch through the door.

    “ Three –” 

    A loud rumble bursts through the air and–a second later, the door slides open. 

    The hulking figure of a large tiger takes up Akiko’s vision, the white haired beast staring up at her with tired golden eyes as if she was the one who kept him up last night. The tiger simply stands there and stares up at Akiko, eyes blinking slowly, as if daring her to scold him when they’re standing face to face. 

    Well while others might have cowered in the presence of a large man eating tiger, Akiko merely swats him on the nose, earning a whine from the petulant beast. 

    “Took you long enough!” Akiko reprimands whilst stepping back to allow the tiger to enter further into the threshold of their shared dorm. “Do you have any idea how loud you were last night?! I barely got a wink of sleep because of you, pussy cat!” A rumbling chuff is the only response Akiko gets–along with a stubborn nudge of his head–as the tiger asks for its daily morning pets. 

    Akiko glares down at the beast before her, contemplating on whether or not she should even give into the tiger's demands after how badly behaved he was this morning and last night. Perhaps a bit of discipline will straighten Atsushi’s attitude a bit more–

    However, one long blink of golden eyes is all it takes for Akiko to push those thoughts to the back of her mind, her hand obeying the tiger as she reaches down to scratch the fur behind Atsushu’s ears. 

    Like a spell being cast, all of Akiko’s anger towards the tiger washes away with a simple touch, her fingers dancing across soft white fur as the needy tiger begs for more with a pleased chuff. Akiko obeys, happy to satiate her roomie at the expense of her sleep and time because–well– this is Atsushi.

    Atsushi Nakajima–man eating tiger–also known as the ADA’s ‘pet tiger’.

    Akiko scoffs at the title everyone around Yokohama has given the tiger, finding the statement far from true.

    Pets don’t normally follow orders like a subordinate would with scary accuracy. Pets don’t  have the emotional capacity to catch on to the sour mood when the agency members are down in the dumps only to have their spirits lifted by a tiger dragging all of them into a cuddle pile. Pets don’t respond back snarkily in chuffs or low meows when speaking. 

    Atsushi was never a pet. He’s a member of the armed detective agency no matter how young or stubborn he may be. Even if he refuses to turn back into his human form, he will still have a place with them, no matter what. 

    But just because Akiko is sweet on the tiger, doesn't mean the large cat will be saved from a thorough scolding. 

    “Well? What do you have to say for yourself, hm?” she snaps, her fingers moving to pinch the tiger’s soft ears. 

    Atsushi quickly ducks his head and growls, something that Akiko will have none of this early in the morning. 

    “ No,” she warns, her finger moving fast to flick the center of Atsushi’s head. The cat growls, this time in a more apologetic manner than the last. Akiko smiles, happy to see that Atsushi isn’t pushing his luck this morning. “There we go! Now was that so hard?” 

    The sound that leaves Atsushi’s snarl reminds Akiko of a child mocking an adult which is quite on brand with how sassy Atsushi has grown these past few months they’ve spent together. 

    “Ohohohh~ Keep it up Atsushi!” Akiko teases back, her skirt swishing as she spins around to gather her belongings that are sitting on the low table, waiting to be picked up. “If this little tantrum of yours continues then you can say bye bye to the salmon in the freezer!”

    Atsushi’s entire body freezes up like a deer in headlights. Then, with big golden eyes, the tiger trots over to her side with his tail swinging in the air, standing at full attention like an obedient servant. Akiko bites back the laugh that threatens to leave her lips; threatening Atsushi’s love for salmon always does the trick of straightening the tiger out. 

    Without another word, Atsushi steps forward and slides the lock off the hinges with his large nose before–very grossly–turning the knob with his teeth, opening the door for Akiko like a true gentleman. Akiko pointedly ignores the slobber that hangs off the brass doorknob and instead pats Atsushi’s head, thanking him for his politeness. “Thank you, Atsushi.” The tiger huffs, happy to be of service, before the two pad their way across the halls, heading towards the exit of the agency’s dorms. 

    Enormous paws fall into step beside Akiko as they walk the street, Atsushi’s tail wrapped protectively around her ankle like a child would hold its mother’s hand. Akiko’s heart clenches at the soft rumble of a purr echoing through the busy air of Yokohama, unsure if she should be this happy at the thought of being considered a mother in Atsushi’s eyes. By age, Akiko is more of a sister to Atsushi but with how she’s been his main provider for the past six months, it would make sense if the boy found a parent in her. 

    ( She doesn’t deserve to be seen in such a way. She’s the angel of death, a deadly omen sent from the devil to push mankind to their limits–)

    Akiko pushes the thought to the back of her mind, more than a little content with being held in such high regard. 

    The two–woman and tiger–ignore the odd and startled stares from strangers as they head to the cafe sitting beneath the armed detective agency–the place having just opened a few weeks before the agency. The two businesses quickly formed a kinship with one another as new workers breaking into their new jobs. 

    Pushing open the door, Akiko inhales the sweet scent of hot coffee and freshly made pastries that meet her at the entrance. The moment they step into the cafe, Atsushi is padding away on quiet feet, prancing up to the workers with a loud chuff to gain their attention. 

    And, like clockwork, they give into Atsushi’s antics and begin showering him with pets. 

    “Morning Doctor Yosano!” one of the male barista’s greets from behind the counter as female worker after female worker leave the back to spoil Atsushi rotten. Even from afar, Akiko can see the man exchanging longing glances with the tiger, his longing to join in on the fun less than a little subtle in Akiko’s eyes, but Atsushi’s distrust for men is widely known around the cafe, so the barista stays put, seemingly satisfied with watching. “I see Atsushi made you late once again, huh?” 

    Akiko’s heavy sigh all but confirms the barista’s suspicions. Leaning against the counter, Akiko orders herself a coffee as Atsushi receives endless affections from the cafe staff. “Of course he did,” she answers, allowing her disdain for the tiger’s attitude to leak into her voice. If Atsushi hears her, then he’s choosing to ignore it in favor of the pretty ladies that continue to ruffle his white fur with soft hands. “I’ve barely been taking care of him for six months and he’s already become a spoiled brat.”

    “But how can you not spoil such an adorable little guy~?” one of the female staff giggles, her face all but smushed into the tiger's chest. Atsushi has the nerve to chuff in agreement, golden eyes shining with mirth when they make contact with Akiko from across the room. 

    Akiko kinda wants to skin him for his disrespect and turn his coat into a warm blanket—

    Atsushi then flops down on the ground and rolls onto his back, allowing the smallest lady of the staff to fall on his chest. A round of laughter fills the cozy morning air, warming Akiko’s heart.

    Akiko’s coffee is served in less than a few minutes of waiting, but the doctor hardly notices. She brings the beverage to her lips absentmindedly, purple eyes never leaving the tiger.

    …She’ll turn Atsushi into a blanket another day.

    “Don’t let his cuteness fool you–he’s worse than a dog,” Akiko mutters, but her tone lacks any real bite. The man behind the counter laughs good naturedly before sliding a small cup of whip cream to the doctor. Akiko stares at the treat for a few beats knowing that—without a doubt—it’s for Atsushi. When she looks back up at the worker, she finds the man avoiding her gaze, face red and bashful as he waits for Akiko to take the treat to Atsushi.

    Akiko almost wants to groan at how easily Atsushi managed to wrap the staff around his fingers—er, paw.  

    She pushes the treat back to the man, her smile barely concealed behind the cup of coffee held delicately in her hand. “Give it to him yourself.”

    The worker almost appears to shrink into himself at her words.

    “I don’t want to startle him…perhaps you could—“

    “If you want to get on Atsushi’s good side then you have to let him warm up to you. Hiding away behind a counter won't make him trust you any less,” she interrupts. “Here, I’ll even bring him to you.”

    “That’s very sweet but—W-WAIT!!” But it’s already too late; Akiko sets her cup down and begins the trek towards the crowd of ladies spoiling Atsushi.

    She pushes past the crowd with ease and nudges him with her foot. “Get up, lady killer,” she teases, the bottom of her shoe digging into fluffy white fur. The tiger beneath her groans in protest but eventually does as he’s told. Climbing back on his feet, Atsushi follows Akiko back to the counter where the sweating man and treat is waiting.

    Atsushi pauses, golden eyes taking in the sight of the man behind the counter, and hesitates—unsure if he wants to take another step closer. 

    Akiko fights to keep a sigh from leaving her lips; The tiger’s fear for men outside the agency seems to linger like a parasite, one not even Akiko can dispel. It’s going to take a lot of healing, time, and effort for Atsushi to overcome such a fear.

    ( But nobody is in a rush, especially not the boy Akiko greedily wants to call her own. Atsushi has all the time in the world to recover now that he’s with the agency.

    Akiko will personally see to that.)

    She reassures the boy by patting the top of his head, urging him towards the nervous man with gentle hands. “It’s okay, Atsushi. He has a treat for you.”

    Atsushi perks up at the word treat.  

    Albeit reluctantly, Atsushi takes another step forward, another and all but launches his front paws onto the counter until he’s standing on his hind legs, meeting the man eye to eye. 

     Akiko watches with bated breath as Atsushi stares at the frightened man, golden eyes watching his every move, his every reaction, his every breath and—

     And promptly shoves his face nose first into the cup of whip cream. 

    The heavy tension in the air washes away instantly; a laugh escapes Akiko’s lips as the man deflates, an exhausted smile breaking out across his face as the tiger greedily accepts his treat rather enthusiastically. The rest of the staff joins in, all of them taking joy in the messy smudges of leftover whip cream that stick to Atsushi’s nose, almost blending into his white fur. 

    Akiko’s heart bursts with pride when he sees the tiger thank the man for the treat by lightly nudging his hand; a small step towards recovering, but a significant one.

    Schooling her expression, the doctor drags Atsushi off the counter. They’re already more than fifty minutes late to the agency. The last thing Akiko needs right now is a pouty Ranpo—the deductive already refuses to do most of the cases and Akiko doesn’t want to give him another reason to slack off. 

    “Alright, that’s enough,” she orders whilst hauling Atsushi away from the counter by the scruff. “We’ve got work to do and I’m not babysitting you all day!” 

    The large white tiger howls in distress, his nose still decorated in whip cream, before inevitably following Akiko in defeat. Head hung low, Atsushi growls out a goodbye to the rest of the staff, his golden eyes lingering on the male worker behind the counter. The tiger nods his head at the worker, a clear sign of respect, before padding quietly behind Akiko. 

     Right as Akiko begins to ascend up the stairs to the agency, she catches sight of the male worker beaming in accomplishment, overwhelmed by the tiger’s appraisal.

     Baby steps Atsushi, baby steps. 

     Going up the stairs, Akiko looks down at the tiger and smirks. “ Womanizer.”

    Atsushi lets out a low growl in protest, golden eyes narrowing at the lady in front of him. 

    “Don’t give me that!” Akiko laughs, her hand rubbing the top of Atsushi’s head mirthfully. “They’re practically lining up to pet you every day.”

    Atsushi snorts as if to refute the statement, but his reaction is dismissed by an amused shake of Akiko’s head. “Sure, sure. You can deny it all you want, but the evidence is all over your nose!” 

    Atsushi chuffs and ducks his head, embarrassed of all things. Licking the leftover whip cream off his nose, the tiger nudges Akiko forward, ushering her up the stairs impatiently. 

    Akiko merely laughs at Atsushi’s antics and lets herself be guided to the agency.

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     Ranpo is now 100% convinced that the police department of Yokohama are all absolute morons.

    Flicking lazily through report after report, Ranpo can hardly keep his disdain from surfacing at all of these incredibly easy cases. 

    A shoplifting case, an armed robbery, a missing cat—which, seriously? A cat?— and a noise complaint downtown are the only things Ranpo has to work with. Who does the police department think they are? Amature detectives who can’t put two and two together? A couple of fools who are only playing detectives like little kids? No! They’re the armed detective agency for christ's sake! They’re here to pick up the cases the police are unable to solve—nowhere in their job description reads that they’d be doing the police’s hand me downs! The sheer audacity of some bastards…

    “This is getting ridiculous…I’m gonna go brain dead if this keeps up…” Ranpo grumbles under his breath, his Cheshire like grin having all but disappeared from his face, replaced with something mundane and annoyed. Flopping back in his chair, Ranpo groans loudly—the sound echoing off the nearly empty office—reverberating in silence. Since they’ve yet to find any more qualified candidates for their agency, Ranpo is stuck doing all the detective work by himself. Sure, the boss will tag along every so often, and yeah, Akiko will lend him her intimidating expertise, but—all in all—it’s solely up to Ranpo to solve these cases. 

    Which, case in point, leads him to his current predicament: wallowing in the mediocrity of police cases that don’t even deserve to be classified as cases. 

    Still very much annoyed, very bored, and very over this whole dreadful game with the Police, Ranpo drums his fingers across his desk—mind swaying between doing the assigned work or tossing it all into the trash bin.

    The Armed Detective Agency has only been given the simplest, more mundane cases of Yokohama’s police department. It’s no secret as to why either—the agency is still fairly new, and despite the few successful cases under their belt, they still refuse to trust the ADA. All of the high-class difficult cases that Ranpo is itching to get his hands on? Yeah, those are being handed over to more established detective units. 

    This is an utter insult to the agency and—more importantly— to Ranpo. He’s THE greatest detective in THE whole damn world and they’re wanting him to solve a bunch of missing animal cases?! Yeah, as fucking IF! 

    “This is a waste of my genius,” Ranpo decides aloud before his frustration can bloom over into a full blown temper tantrum which he totally doesn’t have! He’s a grown man with a big boy job solving big boy cases, thank you very much! Besides, if he so much as looks through another folder, finds another case about some wrenches missing a dog, then he’s going to lose his edge. 

    He’s brushing off these cases for the greater good of the Agency—without Ranpo in tip top shape, then the agency will collapse! Akiko may claim him to be lazy and a nuisance, but he’s farrrr from it! He’s just keeping his brain refreshed and focused—he can’t do that if he’s wasting his time on kiddie cases.

    The silence of the office mocks Ranpo, reminding him that there’s no one else he can push these cases onto. They have secretaries and mundane staff on board, but detectives? Ranpo is the only one until they can manage to find someone qualified enough to solve the same cases as himself. There’s no telling how long it’ll be before another ability user with a cry for help crosses their path (not long at all, it seems) so—until then—Ranpo will wilt away behind his desk staring at easy cases that he can easily solve blindfolded…

    …or he can just annoy Fukuzawa enough until the man agrees to talk to the police and the shitty load of work they’ve been giving them.

    This idea is a splendid one and it immediately has Ranpo jumping out of his seat with one goal in mind:

    Find the boss and annoy him to death.

    Smile back on his face, Ranpo skips around desks, staff who’re holding stacks of papers, and makes a beeline to Fukuzawa’s office. When Ranpo reaches the man’s door, he doesn’t bother with knocking or announcing his presence. Fukuzawa has long grown used to Ranpo’s lack of manners and professionalism so Ranpo won’t be getting in trouble anytime soon. Besides, who on earth would have the balls to get mad at the only active investigator of the armed detective agency, hm? 

    “Fukuzawa, you’ve gotta do something about these cases! They’re so damn boring, I could do them in my sleep–”

    Ranpo stops mid-rant, blinking in surprise at what awaits him behind Fukuzawa’s door. 

    Fukuzawa Yukichi, the normally stoic and ever-composed head of the Armed Detective Agency, is lying flat on his back–as stiff as a board–with Atsushi sprawled across the older man’s stomach. 

    For a few beats, no one says a word. 

    Fukuzawa stares back at Ranpo, metallic blue eyes acknowledging the detective’s presence, before he goes back to staring back up at the ceiling, as content as can be, with a large man-eating beast. 

    Ranpo takes in the blank stare directed towards the roof, the large white tiger sleeping soundly on top of his boss like an oversized cat, the soft rumble of purrs that fill the air, and nearly doubles over with laughter. 

    “You–You’re just laying there, huh?” Ranpo exclaims from in between giggles, his legs taking him deeper into the office to get a closer look at the domestic scene before him. At the sound of Ranpo’s footsteps, the large overgrown cat on Fukuzawa’s body rumbles in greeting, a sleepy hello in tiger language, before promptly snuggling deeper into Fukuzawa’s chest. 

    The older man remains completely unfazed by Ranpo’s prodding, his hands returning back to where they were before Ranpo barged in unannounced–scratching the backs of Atsushi’s ears and head. 

    “The floor is comfortable,” Fukuzawa says, his expression unchanging as he resumes petting Atsushi. 

     He’s only saying that because Atsushi is cuddling with him! 

    Ranpo tilts his head playfully, eyes never straying from the pair as a giddy smile works its way onto his lips. “Akiko’s gonna throw a fit if you end up having a sore back afterwards.”

    “...Some sacrifices are worth making.”

    “...I can see that.” 

    “Besides,” Fukuzawa mumbles, his blue metallic eyes gazing down at the tiger across his chest with undeniable fondness. “He seemed tired. Something must’ve kept him up last night.”

    Ranpo stills, catching the unspoken words drifting through Fukuzawa’s serious tone instantly. 

    With narrowed eyes, Ranpo switches his gaze to the tiger, taking in the steady rise and fall of his body as he sleeps soundly, completely at peace. Undisturbed. Unprovoked. Safe. the sight tugs at Ranpo’s heart strings. 

    “Night terrors,” Ranpo deduces with ease, not even needing the help of his glasses to solve such a mystery. It’s no secret to anyone in the agency that Atsushi still suffers from the trauma he endured under the care of the orphanage and The Midnight Menagerie. Thanks to the agency, the circus of ability users have been thrown behind bars, but the damage has already been done; now Atsushi refuses to leave his tiger form, he’s terrified of men, and now he’s suffering at the hands of night terrors. 

     Why couldn’t they have gotten to Atsushi sooner?

    Why would anyone hurt someone so kind and thoughtful?

    Who in their right minds would willingly torture a child until they’re left with no choice but to hide behind the facade of a looming white tiger?

    “I’ll let Akiko know this evening when she returns from the hospital,” Ranpo settles on, his hands reaching for Atsushi’s white coat. The white tiger stirs at the feeling of Ranpo’s hands before settling back down, a heavy sigh leaving a pink nose upon realizing that he’s still safe. 

    Ranpo will ensure with every fiber of his being that Atsushi continues to feel safe in the Armed Detective Agency. Not because he’s a member. Not because he’ll be a valuable asset once he grows older. Not because he’ll be a force to be reckoned with once he gains stable control over his powers. 

     Because he’s Atsushi Nakajima and Atsushi Nakajima deserves to feel safe and be happy. Atsushi Nakajima, a child turned tiger, who follows the agency members around like a needy cat. Atsushi Nakajima, a child who prances around excitedly when he witnesses Ranpo use his ultra deduction ability. Atsushi Nakajima, a child who has already become the heart of the agency after only being a part of it for only six months.

    “Oi Fukuzawa, move your arm,” Ranpo orders without sparing the older man a second glance. Fukuzawa does as he's told and lifts his arm, making space for Ranpo to curl up beside the older man. The detective rests his head in the crook of Fukuzawa’s neck and shoulder, hands reaching greedily for Atsushi’s head to spoil his precious tiger with pets. 

    “You can’t just cuddle Atsushi when you want to get out of doing work,” Fukuzawa scolds half heartedly despite making no move to push Ranpo away. 

    Ranpo’s lips curl up into a smile, already feeling the hard floor cut into his spine. 

    He’s totally gonna regret laying on the floor like this…

    “You’re one to talk, Fukuzawa…”

     For the first time this morning, Ranpo doesn’t feel frustrated. 

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    The conference room is awash in the soft glow of the early afternoon sun as Yukichi eyes every investor seated professionally at the long table. 

    Metallic blues observe the quiet murmur of the ladies to the left of him. The wary glances of the men on the right. The uneasy hunch of shoulders from the lady down the end of the table. The fearful looks sent to Fukuzawa’s side. Lastly–Fukuzawa’s biggest obstacle–the lady sitting at the opposite end of the table, face completely unreadable. 

     If everything goes according to plan, then these investors will agree to fund the Agency’s weaponry.  

    Abilities can only get a detective so far in their line of work, so guns, knives, and other items are greatly essential in defending oneself and others from potential threats on missions. Courtesy of his old friend Natsume–the man had lended a hand in making sure the agency could meet up with investors to help supply them with the weapons necessary to use in their organization. 

    Yukichi may not be one for meetings, fancy slideshows, presentations, or talking for long periods of time, but he can’t help but think that he’s doing a pretty good job of holding his own against such professional individuals. 

     …But there’s one problem. 

    Well, not a problem per say, but a miscalculation on his part. 

    As Yukichi continues to speak to the lady across the table, a large white tiger trots around the room, going from woman to woman, begging for pets on the head. 

     Atsushi being a part of this meeting was not something Yukichi could’ve foreseen. The older man had initially tried his best to usher the large tiger out of the room before the meeting began, but Atsushi stubbornly refused, instead choosing to stay by Yukichi’s side. Perhaps Yukichi would’ve been more stern in his orders had Atsushi not looked up at him with those big golden eyes of his, ears flickering cutely, and tail sweeping across the floor in anticipation. Atsushi is hard to say no to, so Yukichi allowed him to stay so long as he was on his best behavior. 

    And, for the most part, Atsushi had stuck to his word. 

    Throughout the meeting, Atsushu remained at Fukuzawa’s side, eyeing the men with disdain and staring at the women with wonder. He didn’t do more than chuff or yawn loudly– which Yukichi tried hard not to coo at because he has a reputation to uphold– and sit tall and still like a guard dog. The tiger didn’t growl or threaten the men upon first glance and refrained from distracting the women by asking for scratches behind his ears. 

    Atsushi was doing so good…until the meeting began to drag on and on–the lady at the end of the table not fully convinced in supporting the ADA’s cause. As the seconds started stretching into minutes, Atsushi grew antsy and bored which meant nothing but trouble. 

    Not for Yukichi–Atsushi knows better than to disturb the man when he’s working–but the same can’t be said for the investors that sit around the long conference table. 

    The curiosity of one tiger is unmatched in the face of Yukichi’s pleading looks to please stay, don’t bother them, if you’re good i’ll take you hunting just please stay– and, in the midst of proving a valuable point to the investors, Atsushi began walking around poking his nose where it doesn’t belong. 

    Atsushi went after the ladies first– of course– and charmed them within seconds. Distracted by the large domestic tiger, the ladies are none the wiser as they begin giving into Atsushi’s antics by patting him on the head, whispering words of fondness only Atsushi can catch. 

    Then–rather reluctantly–Atsushi traveled to the other side of the table where the men resided. Yukichi tried not to let his hackles rise the moment the men caught sight of Atsushi rounding the table, the urge to walk over and guide Atsushi away, to keep him safe, nearly pulled Yukichi out of his speech. Thankfully, Atsushi doesn't do anything more than huff and sniff at the men, probably searching for anything harmful they may be holding on their person. 

    And now, with the meeting coming to a close, Atsushi has found his way to the opposite end of the table staring up at the stoic woman with those irresistible golden eyes. 

    Yukichi hides his despair behind a mask of indifference, his voice quickly summing up everything he’s gone over during the meeting, all while staring his tiger down anxiously. 

    As Yukichi continues to talk, the man makes sure to keep an eye on the stoic lady, unsure of how she’ll react to being sniffed and prodded at by a dangerous beast. For the most part, the lady ignores Atsushi with a pinched expression, responding to Fukuzawa’s remarks with some of her own, as professional as can be. Yukichi can’t help but be relieved at the lady’s stubbornness, glad that she won’t be swayed away from investing in their weaponry due to Atsushi’s lack of manners. 

    But then Atsushi begins to grow persistent. 

    Yukichi fights to keep a blank face as the large white tiger begins forcefully nudging his face in the lady’s lap, leaving the woman with no choice but to acknowledge Atsushi’s presence. 

    And acknowledge Atsushi’s presence, she did . 

    Narrow eyes glare down at Atsushi, venom leaking from behind a shade of glasses that makes Yukichi’s blood boil to unreachable heights. Her lips turn downwards, she pulls back, and raises a hand in the air–

     Yukichi acts before he can stop himself.

    He flies out of his chair, crosses the room in just a couple of strides, intent to protect his tiger, his subordinate, his Atsushi–

    And promptly stops in his tracks when the lady all but falls out of her chair, arms wrapped tightly around Atsushi’s body as she begins to weep. 

    Heavily.

    “AHHHH YOU’RE SO FREAKING CUTEEEE!!!” she cries out, tears continuing to run down her face in steady streams while everyone–including Yukichi himself–stares at her, completely dumbfounded. 

    Finally–like a puzzle piece–it clicks in Yukichi’s head. 

     She has cute aggression. That must be why she held back from giving Atsushi any attention…

    Distantly, Yukichi can hear Ranpo laughing at him for not noticing it sooner, but–in Yukichi’s defense–he was much more worried about Atsushi’s safety than the inner turmoil of an investor. 

    When the lady inevitably untangles herself from Atsushi–who looks more than a little proud of himself if the sleazy growl he releases is anything to go by–she agrees to help the agency in investing in their weaponry. 

    One by one, everyone begins to leave the conference room. Of course, the head lady hangs back, giving Atsushi’s fluffy cheeks a firm squeeze before walking out the door. 

    And, when the door closes, Atsushi turns to Yukichi with a proud flick of his tail. 

    Yukichi’s rapidly beating heart finally begins to slow down, no longer stressed or at risk of growing more gray hairs than necessary. 

    He plants a hand on Atsushi’s head, petting the tiger in a gentle manner. The beast nuzzles into Yukichi’s hand, insistent and stubborn, just like he was against the poor investor just moments before. 

    “...Well done, Atsushi.” 

    Atsushi chuffs happily, the tiger melting against Fukuzawa as the older man continues to pet him with a hint of a smile curling upon his lips. 

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    Reclining lazily on the agency’s sofa, Akiko lays with her head resting on a cushion with Atsushi sprawled on top of her, loud snores rumbling through the quiet offices. 

    Staff members only spare the pair a glance before getting back to work, none of them intent on putting an end to Akiko’s relaxing break. Anyone who stares at Akiko for too long receives a nasty glare from said woman, sending them crawling away with their tail tucked between their legs. She knows she should probably be a little nicer about people interrupting her breaks, but she can’t find it in herself to care when she has the privilege to have Atsushi cuddled up against her, radiating nothing but security and contentment. 

    Telltale signs of mid afternoon crawls between the agency’s blinds, a ray of sunshine landing squarely on the calm pair as they fall into a state of complete relaxation. Atsushi’s head nuzzled deep into her chest–too innocent to be considered perverted–with her long nails scratching behind the tiger’s ears, earning a handful of satisfied purrs from the sleeping beast. 

    The soft hum of the office’s background noises blend beautifully into the rhythm of Atsushi’s breathing, and Akiko lets her mind wander, at total peace with herself and her surroundings. Her trail of thought begins with creating plans for this evening; perhaps she and Atsushi can take a walk to the park after work and enjoy the lull of nature before they have to ready the tiger for the upcoming new moon. It feels like it's been ages since the two have taken the time to explore the neighboring park that’s usually empty around late afternoon. Atsushi will probably appreciate the open air before being locked away in the agency’s dorms for the night.

    A voice from across the room breaks the serenity.

    “He’s gonna turn into a house cat if you keep spoiling him so much,” comes Ranpo’s teasing tone as he walks back into the office with a new stack of folders under his arm. 

    Akiko doesn’t bother looking up, her gaze never straying from the tiger on top of her as she says with her full chest, “Meh, he deserves it.” Ranpo’s footsteps falter at Akiko’s words. “After everything he’s been through, he’s earned it.” 

    ( Akiko still remembers the clouded heterochromic gaze that stared up at her when they found the boy behind tall rusting bars of steel, the small bundle of bones and flesh that made up the child, the bruises, marks, blood, scars that decorated his body like a crude painting, his soft cry for help when–)

     Akiko inhales sharply, not wanting her thoughts to stray into dangerous territory. 

    They’re here now– safe and away from the abusive men who tortured Atsushi day in and day out. 

    Ranpo is quiet for a moment, his thoughts probably coinciding with her own. She can feel his gaze on the pair, more specifically the tiger, and wonders–briefly–if Ranpo will finally reveal something about Atsushi’s past that he’s been keeping locked away for sometime now. 

    Akiko knows Ranpo is hiding something, that he knows more than he lets on. There’s more to Atsushi’s abuse than what meets the eye and Akiko has a feeling that Ranpo is withholding such information for the time being. She should probably be mad at Ranpo for hiding information from her, especially about Atsushi of all people, her roommate, her responsibility, hers, but she can’t truly bring herself to feel an inkling of anger at the moment, not when Atsushi is sleeping soundly on top of her without a care in the world.

    Instead of voicing his true thoughts, Ranpo crosses the room and pets Atsushi’s head, the tiger’s ears twitching slightly at the new contact. 

    “You might be the only person on earth who’ll get away with slacking off– like it while you still can kitty cat,” Ranpo says with a chuckle. 

    Atsushi chuffs softly in response, eyes half-lidded in bliss as he continues to soak up the attention handed to him on a silver platter. Akiko smiles, letting Ranpo’s words slide for now, and takes in the contented look of Atsushi Nakajima. It’s moments like these when Atsushi seems at peace with himself, his surroundings, and the people around him. Safe. Secure. Happy. 

    Akiko will do anything it takes to make sure Atsushi continues to feel this way while in the detective agency. 

     Anything.  

     Anything at all.  

    Ranpo stands and returns to his desk and Akiko exhales, relaxing back onto the sofa now that the snack goblin has given them their much needed space and quiet. 

    The tiger’s warmth is soothing and she can feel the tension easing from her muscles as her thoughts drift back to planning her late evening. It’ll be good for Atsushi if they take a stroll around the safer side of Yokohama before returning back to the dorms, that way Atsushu can soak up as much open air as he can get before the full moon rises. 

    Akiko finds herself slumping slightly–equally excited as she is worried–about tonight. 

    The full moon. 

    The only time Atsushi transforms back into a human. 

    As much as Akiko loves Atsushi’s tiger form, the doctor also adores how small and precious he is in his original form; a frail growing boy with clothes that hang off dainty shoulders and trembling limbs, big heterochromic eyes that are now filled with so much light and happiness, silver streaks of choppy hair that the boy still refuses to let Akiko cut no matter how much the boy claims he trusts her, and his crooked smile that always sends Akiko’s heart into overload–

    “FINALLY! SOMETHING WORTHWHILE!” Ranpo’s voice shouts into the open air, cutting through Akiko’s train of thought like a sharp knife. 

    Yosano groans as she watches Ranpo approach them from afar with a folder in hand. 

    “Ranpo,” Akiko grumbles, rubbing her temples. “It’s my break.”

     “Ah, don’t worry Akiko– you’re not the one I need right now.”  

    Akiko tenses up, an inkling of doubt rising up in her–

    Then, with absolutely no regard for her or Atsushi’s moment of peace, Ranpo crouches down and grabs Atsushi by the scruff, dragging the groggy tiger off the couch and onto his feet with a loud growl. 

    “Hey!” Akiko snaps, her body sitting up as she glares up at the detective who had stolen her precious cuddle buddy. “We were in the middle of something very important!” 

    Ranpo ignores her entirely, more focused on the now half-awake tiger in front of him. “How do you feel about being a detective today, Atsushi?” He asks, his voice sing-songy in enthusiasm. 

    “Eh?! Detective ?! Are you out of your mind?! Atsushi’s never been out in the field before!” Sadly, Akiko’s words fall on deaf ears–well, not deaf ears exactly– but Ranpo is definitely tuning her out in favor of swaying the tiger to his side. 

    Atsushi blinks blearily, his large golden eyes slowly coming into focus. For a moment, he looks confused–but when Ranpo’s words eventually sink in, his eyes brighten with unmistakable excitement. 

    The tiger rumbles happily and immediately shakes off the last traces of sleep, tail swishing behind back and forth as he nudges Ranpo in eager agreement. 

    Akiko can only sigh as she watches the scene in front of her unfold. Her calm afternoon with Atsushi is slipping away fast. “You better keep an eye out for him Ranpo, or so help me–”

    “Cool your tits, Akiko!” Ranpo says with a pout, acknowledging Akiko at last. “As cool as it is to have Atsushi as our glorified house cat, there’s gonna come a time when Atsushi has to help keep the city of Yokohama safe and sound. This is good practice for him!” 

    Akiko stops in her tracks, considering the words that have fallen from Ranpo’s lips. 

     Are they really treating Atsushi like a house cat? 

    Like a… pet?!

     With Akiko distracted with the shame that begins to gnaw away at her insides, Ranpo leads Atsushi out the door without so much as a proper goodbye. Atsushi, on the other hand, at least has the decency to nod his head in Akiko’s direction before pulling the door shut by the knob with his teeth. 

    “Unbelievable…” Akiko mumbles to herself before falling back on the sofa, head hitting the cushion with a soft slam. 

    As much as she grumbles to herself, a small smile tugs at the corners of her lips 

    Atsushi deserves this, even if it means her plans for this afternoon will have to wait. 

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    The streets of Yokohama hum with life, neon lights flickering overhead as Ranpo and Atsushi stroll through the bustling city, his folder tucked safely under his arm. 

    Beside him, the tiger pads along with a pep in his step, excited grumbles rumbling deep in his throat as they travel into the darker pits of Yokohama most known for their clubs, entertainment services, and illegal activities. Ranpo has made the walk down this side of Yokohama a million times even before the agency was founded, and yet the detective finds himself mirthfully amused by the star-like gaze Atsushi observes his surroundings with. A long striped tail wraps itself around Ranpo’s ankle as they make the trek to the velvet lotus . The two of them cut a striking figure, though most of the crowd on the street wisely steer clear of them, giving the tiger and his companion a wide berth. 

    Ranpo is simply unfazed by the sudden attention and avoidance–he’s long grown used to it with how frequently he and Atsushi spend their breaks going from cafe to cafe in search of the best treats. No, his mind is elsewhere, more specifically on the case that caught his attention. A sudden uprise of overdoses have sprung up around the infamous strip club Velvet Lotus, all of their victims having died with foam at the mouth, a clear sign of tampering with alcoholic drinks. While it can easily be dismissed as a string of accidents, the frequency in which each dead body appeared points more toward a clear homicide case. 

    As Ranpo eyes the neon sign labeled Velvet Lotus from afar, he begins to come up with a list of suspects on the spot, ready to interrogate. 

    The bartenders for one–they’re the only ones responsible for making drinks for the patrons of the club. It would be rather easy for an unsuspecting visitor to get their drink spiked by a dangerous poison (or, if Ranpo’s lucky, an ability) . 

    The dancers–feelings of envy and disgust is a feeling most exotic dancers should be acquainted with upon working at a strip club due to their clientele . They’d certainly be able to get away with slipping something into a patrons drink out of clear dislike for the person they’ve been paid to entertain with their body and looks. 

    The regulars–this one is more unlikely for Ranpo, but not completely out of the question. The bouncers at the velvet lotus are notorious for being picky about who’s allowed in or out of the club and sneaking past the beefy guards with a poison on hand would be impossible. 

    But not impossible if its the work of an ability–

    A sudden nudge to his hand breaks Ranpo out of his thoughts. Looking down, he comes face to face with the disgruntled look of a tiger, an expression that screams annoyance at being kept out of the loop. Ranpo merely smiles at Atsushi’s neediness and pats him on the head, a soft but meaningful act of reassurance. 

    “The details of the case don’t concern you kitty cat,” Ranpo teases, lips curling up at the glare he receives from the white beast. Ranpo rolls his eyes, amused that Atsushi thinks he can intimidate him of all people to give away valuable information. “You just watch from the sidelines and step in if anything unexpected happens, okay?” A growl, low and disapproving, cuts through the air. Ranpo’s smirk stretches at Atsushi’s stubbornness. While Ranpo does intend to mold Atsushi into the perfect detective, he’s still far too young and impressionable to do anything that might put his life in danger. 

     “Don’t be like that, Atsushi! This will be good practice for you when you're old enough to work on your own cases~” 

    And then, when Atsushi gets a firm grip over his ability, then the two of them—detective and tiger—will be an unstoppable force in the Armed Detective agency. 

    Just as Ranpo predicts, the growl begins to simmer down into a pleased rumble. A snicker slips past Ranpo’s lips, never not amused by the beast who will be his partner in solving crimes in the near future. Ranpo will have the brains and Atsushi the brawns: One will point out the suspect and the other will apprehend them, no questions asked. It’ll save Ranpo from having to call the police to assist him in putting away the bad guy if the big bad tiger is there to scare them half to death.

    Soon enough, the sign Velvet Lotus looms over the two, a shady strip club sitting between two suspicious alleys, both of which being the main location for overdosed partygoers. With the afternoon sun hanging behind them, a silent reminder for Ranpo to get Atsushi back before nighttime, the pair step into the strip club with little resistance.

    After being let through by the bouncers, Ranpo and Atsushi split up. Now, in any other scenario, Ranpo would prefer to have the tiger close by, but Atsushi’s curiosity works in Ranpo’s favor— just this once. No one will mess with a supposed man eating tiger and Atsushi has the uncanny ability of making the most closed-mouthed villain confess. 

    Seeing as the place is still being set up for tonight, the strip club is mostly bare save for the employees. Bartenders are prepping the bar for patrons, dancers are going over their routines, and the bouncers are lounging around lazily. Green eyes carefully scan the area, over every person standing within his radius, and lets his brain calculate suspect after suspect. His mind works quickly, sorting through the information given to him and slotting it into place. However, as Ranpo continues his trek around the club, he begins to take note of the stifled tension that lingers just within the atmosphere of hazy smoke and flashing red-purple lights. 

    A small prickle of danger runs up Ranpo’s spine, instantly canceling out one of the three suspects on his list: the regulars. If the strip club is already this high strung without a single patron in sight, then the danger sits within the staff rather than the guests.

    Ranpo smiles to himself when he catches the lingering glance thrown his way by the bartenders, an inkling of suspicion already rising in the detective’s gut. 

    Following his hunch, Ranpo giddily skips his way over to the bar counter. The flash of panic that crosses one of the employees faces is not at all lost on the detective. He files it away for later, deciding to play the long game despite already having a clear idea of who the culprit is, and plops himself onto one of the round top high chairs that sit on the other side of the bar. 

    “Gah, this place reeks of opioids and cocktails! Can’t you fellas make the place more pleasant to my senses while I’m running a thorough investigation? It’d make me feel a lot better,” Ranpo remarks whilst slumping his head atop the freshly cleaned counter. With his head down, the detective takes in the profound looks of bafflement from the bartenders, all caught off guard by his nonchalance.

     All but one. 

    On the far end of the counter, one man in particular is avoiding his gaze—eyes trained on the shot glass he’s been repeatedly cleaning for the past five minutes.

    A little too excessive, no?

    “We might care to dial the smell down a bit if you actually did your job as a detective!” One of the bartenders throws out, completely unaware of the culprit that lingers just a  few people away. 

    Seeing as Ranpo has nothing else to do—aside from finding some sufficient evidence and witness reports from the dancers—the detective takes the bait. “Huh? I Wouldn't even have to be here if you kept your bartenders in check. After all, it’s awfully easy for someone of your profession to sneak a tablet into someone’s shot~” 

    “What kind of detective are you to throw out vile accusations?!”

    “A good one!” 

    “You little BASTARD—“ just as one of the bartenders makes a move to jump over the counter—probably to strangle Ranpo, but whatever—his companion moves to hold him back. Smart move!

    “Just ignore him, Ryota. It’s his way of getting information.” Meh, not really, Ranpo is just provoking them to give himself a bit of entertainment, but whatever helps them sleep at night. The employee then turns to Ranpo, all blank face and serious, and he clasps his hands together and leans across the counter, getting close to Ranpo as a means to intimidate him. Well, newsflash alcoholic, Ranpo spends his days with a tiger, so there’s not much they can do to make him scared. “If you want to ask questions, ask them. You won’t get any answers by provoking my employees.”

    Before Ranpo can reply snarkily, an array of giggles fly through the air, grabbing the detective's attention. Turning his head slightly, Ranpo finds himself staring at a group of strippers crowding around Atsushi. The large tiger looks to be in total bliss with his stomach up in the air, manicured nails running through his striped fur, and tail whipping back and forth, as happy as can be. 

    Times like these remind Ranpo just how much of a lady killer Atsushi truly is. 

    Ranpo’s smile grows, his attention no longer on the bartenders and the culprit, but on the unsuspecting dancers spoiling his partner rotten. “I’ve already got what I came here for. I just need the cherry on top to finish my investigation.” Not waiting to allow his words to sink in, Ranpo hops off the chair and makes a beeline for Atsushi and his new fans. 

    The dancers look up at him briefly when he approaches the group, but Atsushi never fails to ensnare their attention with his big paws and pretty chuffs, all of which the girls fall victim to. Ranpo will never understand the tiger’s fascination with women and he doubts he ever will, but hey—at least his womanizer-like tendencies are helping Ranpo do his job!

    To gain the dancers’ attention without completely disrupting Atsushi’s work, Ranpo plops his body down on top of the tiger’s stomach, the beast instantly greeting the detective with a loud chuff that makes the smaller man’s hat nearly fly off his head. Big paws wrap protectively around Ranpo like a child would its teddy bear and the detective is left with no choice but to snuggle into the tiger’s white and black coat. It’s not like the detective can complain—this was his intention when he skipped his way towards the group of dancers—but he can never get over how protective and clingy Atsushi can get. 

    As planned, the ladies eat the interaction up with loud awes and so cute and how lucky . 

    “Oh my gosh, is this your tiger?!” One of the dancer’s ask, voice full of astonishment and wonder. 

    Ranpo answers with a toothy smile and a thumbs up. “Yep! I rescued this little cub from some mean performers and we’ve been together ever since~” Ranpo cooes, letting half lies and truths spill from his curled lips. “I’m training him to be my future partner for the ADA!”

    “Oh! Like a police dog?” 

    Ranpo pushes down the laugh that threatens to surface when he feels the tiger growl in protest. 

    “Yes, like a police dog!”

    The growl grows louder, but Ranpo ignores it. 

    “Well I wish you and your tiger good luck on the investigation! I know I sure need it; It’s hard to perform at your best when people are overdosing just an alley away…” one the girls chime in that’s accompanied with a round of nods from her fellow companions. 

    Ranpo takes this as his cue to step in and ask some questions of his own. 

    “When was the first time you girls heard that people were overdosing in the alleys?” Ranpo questions, his voice slightly muffled by Atsushi’s fur, but he’s half way sure that it’s still clear enough for the ladies to hear. 

    Distracted by the softness of Atsushi’s fur, the women are known the wiser to the investigator’s probing, all of them too enraptured by the large tiger purring in pure satisfaction. 

    “Didn’t the boss say something about a weird smell in the alley five weeks ago?” 

    “Oh my gosh I remember that! Now that I think about it, it smelled exactly like the overdosed victims!” 

    “Damn, so maybe that’s when it all started?” 

    Ranpo files the information in his head. “So five weeks ago, huh? Why wasn’t it reported to the authorities sooner?” 

    “No idea!” one of the ladies exclaim, her voice slightly muffled from where her face is being shoved into white tufts of fur. “The new bartender kept dismissing the smell or whatever–”

    The moment those words left the girl’s lips, she stops, eyes widening in horror. 

    With one sweep around the girls, the strippers also seem to be coming to the same conclusion. 

    Good. It seems they’re all on the same page. 

    Shining green eyes access the scared girls around him, beckons them close with a hand, and asks very softly as to not startle them harshly, asks “And is it safe for me to assume that this new bartender started working here five weeks ago?” 

    In unison, the girls nod. 

    Well there he has it! Now it’s time for him to work his magic~

    Jabbing the tiger lightly in the stomach, Atsushi reluctantly lets the detective go. Stumbling onto this feet, the detective reaches into the pocket of his coat and grabs his glasses with a bit of flair that would normally warrant an annoyed roll of Yosano’s eyes had she been here to witness him at work. Atsushi, on the other hand, Stares up at him with sparkling golden eyes, waiting eagerly for him to use his ability. 

    The confidence boost springs Ranpo into action; he slides his glasses up the bridge of his nose and says loudly for all to hear, “ Ability: Ultra Deduction! ”

    Everything he’s collected falls into place.

    The culprit. 

    The killings. 

    The methods used. 

    The motive. 

    Spinning on his heel, Ranpo points an accusing finger at the new bartender that Ranpo had his eye on since the moment he walked into the building. “Kitty Attack!”

    Atsushi springs into action. 

    In a flash, the large tiger leaps to his feet, his playful demeanor vanishing as he zeroes in on the culprit. The man pales, his feet already attempting to carry him to the exit, but no one can outrun a beast like Atsushi. The white tiger lunges across chairs and bar counters, tearing shrieks and screams from onlookers as the tiger easily catches up to the bartender. 

     With a single snap of his jaw, the tiger grabs the back of the culprits shirt, tugging him onto the floor and–

     And plopping himself across the squirming bartender . 

    “Hah! Nice work Atsushi!” Ranpo praises as he walks up to the tiger and culprit. “We’ll have to grab you a treat on the way back to the agency–”

    “The hell do you think you're doing to my employee?!” The head bartender shouts angrily from where he’s stepping over knocked over chairs and tables. His fellow bartenders follow closely behind him, all with narrowed eyes full of anger and disbelief. “He’s done nothing except his damn job and you–”

    “Haruto, right?” Ranpo interrupts the man’s spiel, intent on wrapping this investigation up so he can get Atsushi home before nightfall, green eyes never leaving the culprit’s flailing body beneath Atsushi’s hulking body of pure muscle and fur. At the sound of his name, he startles, dark eyes peering anxiously up beneath fluttering lashes. Crouching down, the detective gets close to the culprit–well, as close as Ranpo can get with Atsushi lounging on top of him like a couch cushion–and begins to create a spiel of his own: the truth. 

    “You started working here five weeks ago around the same time an odd odor began permitting through the alleys. I have multiple accounts admitting that the smell is familiar to the ones we’ve caught when inspecting the overdosed victims lingering in the alleys. However, every time you were sent out to investigate the smell, you brushed it off like it was nothing! Weird, isn’t it?” Ranpo says, his smile growing with every nervous twitch in the man’s body. “You’ve been running experiments on drugs, huh? Mostly with opioids and morphine due to the obsessive foaming at the mouths from the victims, and this profession gives you the perfect chance to ring up some bodies and get some meaningful results!”

    The culprit, Haruto, begins to cry.

    “I-It’s not true! He’s lying, I swear–!” and yet, when Ranpo sneaks a look at the bartenders that were so ready to come to his defense, he finds looks of unease and hesitance, all of them now unsure in which action they should take. 

    It seems Ranpo needs to bring more evidence to light in order to get them on his side. 

    “Atsushi, take off his coat.” 

    Nudging his head, Atsushi turns the culprit around, presses a paw on his chest to keep him from escaping, and tears the coat off his back with a quick snap of sharp teeth. 

    A bottle of unlabeled pills sprawls across the floor, landing right at the head bartender’s feet. 

    Horror crosses the culprit's face. 

    “W-Wait! Don’t look, I need those for–for my–my epilepsy–” 

    “Except epileptic prescribed pills would be labeled, wouldn’t they?” Ranpo cuts in with a knowing look, all while watching the head bartender snap the bottle open. 

    An innocent looking white pill lands in their hand. 

    “When placed in a beverage, the pill should instantly dissolve without leaving any trace of tampering. No change in color, smell, or condensation will be made to the drink, making it the perfect drug to kill unsuspecting victims.” This seems to be the final nail in the coffin for the bartenders. At last, the employees back away, convinced of their fellow worker’s guilt. 

    Ranpo’s smile drops at last when he reaches for his phone to contact the authorities to apprehend the culprit.

    “I hope you had your fun turning human beings into your little lab rats.”

    The detective slips the glasses off his face and rings in the police. 

    In a matter of minutes, the culprit is being dragged into a police car while crying and screaming his lungs out for any pedestrian to hear. Ranpo and Atsushi watch the red, white, and blue lights fade away into the distance, the tiger’s tail once again secured around the detective’s ankle, both relishing with pride at a job well done.

    After bidding the dancers goodbye, the two–tiger and detective–make the trek back to the Agency in peace. 

    Ranpo’s lips curl up into a smile, remembering just how agile and quick on his feet Atsushi was during the investigation. While he hadn’t initially planned for Atsushi to play a part in apprehending the culprit, Ranpo can’t say he regrets nudging the tiger forward–pushing him out of his comfort zone–to save innocents and ensure a safe and secure arrest. ATsushi followed instructions to a tee. Granted, he was a bit violent with chasing after the culprit, but that can easily be fixed with more hands on experience and practice. 

     Atsushi was only supposed to be shadowing Ranpo, and yet again he manages to surpass all of the detective’s expectations. 

     Ranpo’s smile grows.

    When the time comes for the boy to officially join the agency, his Atsushi is going to be one hell of a partner.

     “Good work today, Atsushi,” Ranpo says with pride, his hand running across the tiger’s back with pure approval. “You still have a long way to go if you want to stand by my side, but even so I have no doubt that you’ll catch up.” The tiger’s black sharp pupils expand into two dark pools of darkness, nearly covering the gold that shines pretty beneath the afternoon sun. Even without verbal language, Ranpo can tell that his words have resonated within the beast–a beast who against all logic should be out tearing humans limb by limb. 

    Instead of yearning for meat or flesh, the tiger yearns for love.

    And Ranpo will do his best to satisfy the tiger’s needs.

    “Let's grab a treat before I toss ya back to Akiko!” Ranpo exclaims cheerfully, his declaration followed shortly with a loud chuff of agreement from the tiger padding quietly beside him. “Lets see…I bet with your kitty-cat charms we can get away with taking some bags of lollipops from the corner store! We won’t even have to pay if you flash them a bit of fang–”

    A shrill chuff is the only warning Ranpo gets before he’s being thrown over the tiger’s back by the beast’s powerful jaw, the detective landing clumsily on top of Atsushi’s long flank with a look of complete confusion. 

    “H-huh?!” He voices aloud, unsure of how he managed to get on the tiger’s back so fast in such little time. And yet, as Atsushi continues his walk back to the agency–or maybe a corner store, Ranpo isn't really paying attention at the moment–the tiger seems to be entirely at peace with Ranpo using him as his own personal uber. 

    Once again, Atsushi suprasses Ranpo’s expectations. 

    Giddy and full of something warm and fuzzy, Ranpo lays across the tiger’s back and nuzzles his face against the top of the beast’s head, relishing in Atsushi’s soft white and black fur. 

    “Best night ever.”

    Another noise of agreement rings through the air, this time sounding more human than tiger. 

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    The night is quiet, the soft purr of the busy city below barely reaching the balcony of the ADA’s dorms as Yukichi leans against the railings, eyes fixed on the full moon hanging low in the sky. 

    It casts a cool silver and blue glow across the rooftops of Yokohama, bathing everything in an ethereal light. Yukichi inhales softly, taking in the peaceful atmosphere of a lovely night such as this one. The older man has always been fond of these kinds of nights–calm, still, and full of solitude. 

    But tonight, solitude isn’t what he’s expecting. 

    Soft scuffling reaches Yukichi’s ears, the kind that would be unnoticed by most, but Yukichi’s senses are unlike that of a normal person. The older man doesn’t turn from he’s facing the bustling city, doesn’t need to. The scuffling–bare feet padding across cold metal–grows closer and closer. The sound is accompanied by the scent of rain-drenched grass mixed with the unmistakable hint of wildness; all of this belonging to one individual. 

    A soft tug on the man’s yukata is the only permission given to Yukichi to look, to take in, to smile at the boy who he’d be spending the full moon with. 

    Atsushi Nakajima has arrived.  

    Metallic blues stare down at the boy beside him, treasuring the human form presented to him with trust and security. Heterochromic purple and yellow eyes stare up at Yukichi, pupils changing from dark pools to sharp slits at a moments notice as he too takes in Yukichi’s presence. The sight of the frail boy–barefoot, silver choppy hair strewn across slight shoulders, an oversized sweater that smells keenly like Akiko, exposed bones that poke out sharply beneath marred skin–strikes a familiar chord in Yukichi’s chest. Atsushi is barely twelve and yet life has already weathered him beyond his years. 

    Belatedly, Yukichi notices the book the young boy is holding in his mouth. His eyes widens in recognition, surprised to find that the book Yukichi had given Atsushi on a whim is still being valued by the tiger-turned-human boy. 

    Careful and slow, Yuikichi reaches out with his hands and gestures for the boy to drop the book so its spine is not being sullied by more saliva than what’s necessary. With a slow blink, Asushi drops the book into his hands, a sheepish smile breaking across the small boy’s fanged lips. After wiping the small traces of slobber off with his haori, the older man properly turns to face the young boy.

    “Good evening, Atsushi,” he greets softly, voice barely above a whisper. “I've prepared you some chazuke and tea for tonight.” At the mention of his favorite meal, Atsushi’s eyes brighten. 

    “...fresh?” It's the first time in over a month that Yukichi has heard Atsushi’s voice. It’s tender and strong, rough from disuse but full of conviction. Atsushi’s soft tone is music to Yukichi’s ears; the older man fights to keep himself from doing something he might regret, like patting the boy’s head fondly without his permission. 

    Yukichi nods his head, gently guiding the young boy to his own dorm where the fresh chazuke and tea is waiting. Atsushi follows obediently, hand still gripping Yukichi’s yukata tightly, as he beckons the boy into his home. Sliding his own sandals off at the entrance, Yukichi almost misses the small tug Atsushi’s hand makes on his clothing before the boy disappears from his side, bare feet prancing across his floor until he reaches the low table. 

    Lo and behold a bowl of chazuke sits, waiting to be devoured by one tiger boy. 

    “It won’t be as good as Akiko’s but it should suffice for the time being,” Yukichi says encouragingly, his footsteps carefully making their way to the frail boy. 

    Atsushi nods his head, multicolored eyes never taking themselves off the bowl of steaming chazuke, yet he doesn’t move to grab his chopsticks. Instead he squirms in his spot, eyes darting from the bowl to Yukichi’s socked feet and then–

    “Will–will you sit next to me?” Atsushi asks quietly, eyes fluttering up to meet Yukichi’s stone cold gaze–one that's carefully hiding away the smile that so desperately wants to take over his face. 

    “Of course.” 

    Beneath flowing layers of clothing, Yukichi sits on his heels beside Atsushi. When his sleeved shoulder meets Atsushi’s, the boy finally grabs his chopsticks, a small thank you spilling from his lips, before he begins to dig in. 

    Yukichi watches him quietly, giving the boy space to gather himself. There is no need for conversation right now. 

    Atsushi has always been skittish while in his human form and the only way to get the boy to relax is with a bowl of chazuke, warm tea, and quiet companionship. While he craves attention and touch in his tiger form, Atsushi almost appears to want to shrink into himself while in his original human form. The vulnerability of roaming the dorms without the strong heavy muscles and fur of a tiger must leave the boy feeling off balance, more cautious of his surroundings and who he interacts with. 

    This is why everyone has agreed to take turns watching over Atsushi during full moons. Last time Ranpo had the pleasure of taking care of a jumpy Atsushi and now it’s Yukichi’s turn. 

    Yukichi will treasure every moment with the boy until he shifts back into his tiger form, to show him that he will always be protected and loved by the agency and its people no matter what form he takes. 

    Yukichi averts his gaze back to the book Atsushi had his mouth earlier. Turning the item over in his hand, he reads the title with crinkled eyes. 

     Journey to the West , a chinese novel that Atsushi had stared at longingly while in his tiger form whilst in the middle of an errand run with Yukichi. The purchase was an impulsive one, but not one that Yukichi regrets, especially after remembering how happy and excited Atsushi became upon owning a book of his own. 

    Placing the book on top of the low table, Yukichi returns his gaze back to the boy chewing on his chazuke. The moonlight bathes the room in a soft glow, illuminating the child’s pale face. Atsushi’s bony shoulders seem even smaller under the light and Yukichi's heart aches for the boy he should’ve saved sooner. 

    The rigged scars that run across Atsushi’s trembling fingers engraving themselves in Yukichi’s mind, blue eyes shifting to the small skinny legs that hold lines, burns, and blots of marks, then to his feet. 

    The natural tone of milky pale skin barely peek out beneath the marred flesh of his feet. From burn marks, to bullet wounds, embedded nails, and god knows what else, his feet suffered the worst fate imaginable. It's a wonder the boy can still walk, can still shakily stand and chase after Yukichi when they decide to visit the woods during the full moons, can wiggle his small toes across soft patches of grass, can kick and splash handfuls of water onto Yukichi’s robes–

    A small clink–chopsticks landing on wood–fills the air. 

    “Thank you,” Atsushi whispers, his voice barely audible within the turmoil of Yukichi’s rageful mind. 

    Pushing down the violent urges that threaten to rise, Yukichi nods, eyes taking in the empty bowl with clear satisfaction. It appears he did good on the chazuke tonight, wonderful. 

    The older man nods his head, gaze switching from the boy and his empty bowl to the moon shining through the window across the room. “You’re always welcome here, Atsushi–Whether it be in Tiger form or human form. Never forget that.” 

    In the corner of his eye, he can see the boy's body visibly melt, every tense muscle in his body turning to goo upon hearing Yukichi’s words. 

    His frail body leans against Yukichi and the older man doesn’t dare to move, not wishing to disrupt the peace that has settled nicely over them like a nice warm cloak. 

    Glancing down at the boy almost snuggling up to his side, he witnesses the way Atsushi’s sharp eyes soften, although the shadows of his past continue to cling to him like a second skin. There are stories in those shadows–things that Yukichi can only guess at–but he won't push. Atsushi will tell him and the agency in his own time, when he is ready. For now, the moonlit silence is enough. 

    “Would you like me to read to you?” Yukichi asks, his hands returning to the book Atsushi brought with him. The older man feels the boy nod against his robes, giving him all the permission he needs to flip the book open and settle on the last page Atsushi had read, marked by an obvious doggy ear. 

    Yukichi lets his voice flow with the words, painting a tale for Atsushi’s mind to enjoy. As he reads, the older man feels Atsushi curl up beside him, his small head resting tiredly across Yukichi’s lap, his eyelids seeming to grow heavier with every word that slips past the older man’s lips. 

    Before long, the boy’s breathing evens out, his small body succumbing to sleep.

    But Yukichi doesn’t stop reading. 

    Together, the two stay hidden beneath the moonlight, finding solace in the Chinese tale and the stillness of a calmin g night.