It starts during a fight, Atsushi shoving Akutagawa off him by his chest and feeling something he hadn’t before. Twin bumps beneath his frilly silk shirt.

Akutagawa hisses and darts away as if burned. “Cheap shot, Weretiger.”

“Wha—huh? What was that? I was just—“

“As if you don’t know,” Akutagawa seethes. “Get up I’m not done with you yet.”

“Wait no, hold on. What…what’s wrong with your…nipples?” Atsushi blushes as he asks. He doesn’t know why he’s bothering to question Akutagawa. The mafioso never answers his ramblings anyway. They should just get back to fighting but…

Akutagawa huffs, and surprises them both by humoring Atsushi. “They’re pierced, obviously.” Cheeks a little pink himself. “It’s not that big of a deal.”

Atsushi’s mind goes blank except for picturing what that might look like, and that causes him to blurt out, “Oh wow. Can I see?”

“What?”

Atsushi sputters, wishing the concrete would swallow him up or Dazai would suddenly call. “I mean! Shit, wait that wasn’t—“

Akutagawa narrows his eyes suspiciously, then smirks, so beautiful and terrifying. Atsushi refrains from shuddering, Byakko purrs. “Sure, come over to my place later.” He draws Rashoumon back into his black coat and turns to leave. “Maybe I’ll even let you peek at the others.”

Atsushi looks him up and down and can’t recall any visible metal pierced through the easily bruised pale skin. Which means… He chokes on his own spit, “O-others???”