(Y/n) stared at the white-haired boy across from her in a dizzy daze. She still had yet to get any sleep and crying took a lot of energy out of her already exhausted body. When Atsushi had called earlier she'd panicked and told him to meet her at a nearby cafe which is where they were now.

The sound of busy orders filled the coffee scented air while they continued to stare. (Y/n) put up a finger to start speaking but she could only take a breath before her head collapsed against the table top making the shy boy jump. When he somewhat calmed down he carefully poked the top of her head before reeling back.

"E-excuse me? Miss are you ok?" There was no answer for a bit until her eyes shot open and she let out a slurred sigh.

"I can't remember the last time I slept for more than an hour. I'm exhausted Atsushi."

"Sorry."

"It's fine. But I wanted to get to know you, even if it's just a little."

"Won't you just report what you learn?"

"Nah, I don't really care about the bounty or any of that crap. Plus it was never my job to capture you, it was Akutagawa's" The (h/c)-ette's voice faded towards the end in remembrance of her friend. Atsushi noticed this and tilted his head in slight worry for her.

"Did something happen between you two?"

"I'd love to tell you but I don't know you yet, do I?" Playfulness was evident in the young woman's voice but it was clear that she was just acting. In her eyes, one could see the weariness and pain from her current situation and her little companion could tell that she was much different than the other port mafia members he'd met.

She wasn't cold, or cruel, nor emotionless or dutiful. She did what fit with her morals and right now talking to him seemed to do that very thing. He reached out gently petting her head which was still on the table.

"Fine but first, what do you want to drink?"

For the next hour, the two stayed in the cafe chatting away with rigor. And during that time, it was just them, no port mafia, no armed detective agency, just them. Once it was time to go, (y/n) let out her second sigh for the day.

"I'm not ready to go back."

"From what you told me, you never are. Why do you still go?"

"Because even though they're all crazy, I enjoy the other member's company in an odd sense. I know that I still have a few select people there who'd look for me should I ever go missing and that's a nice feeling. You of all people should be able to relate."

"Yeah, I get it." With those parting words, the two embraced one another before going their separate ways.

~~~~~~~~~~

Akutagawa watched (y/n) and Atsushi leave the cafe with burning blood. He was livid. 'She hugged him. Why would she hug him?!' The noir placed his head in his hands as painful thoughts went through his mind. What if it was all really just a ploy? What if she moved on? What if she abandoned him like everyone else? What if she didn't need him anymore?

Cold tears ran down his pale cheeks at the final idea and he slumped against the alley wall. 'You couldn't keep her.

She's gone because you weren't strong enough.

Do know why you can't keep those you love?

Do you know why they always leave you?

It's because your worthless and weak.

You don't deserve their acknowledgment.'

In attempts to shut out the voices, Akutagawa dug through his pockets for the lace cravat and its pendant. For the past few weeks that (y/n) had been gone, those two things proved to be his only sense of relief. But the cravat was most important because in it lied her scent and no matter how many times he'd had to wash it, that sweet mixture of roses and vanilla refused to vanish.

Once his hands wrapped around the delicate fabric and its solid counterpart, the handsome man yanked them out and softly inhaled the cloth while his free hand thumbed over the smooth stone of the pendant.

Too lost in euphoria, he failed to notice the approaching presence until he felt a soft touch to his cheek which he subconsciously leaned into. It felt like home, that hand, and right now, its comfort was what he needed.

"I knew you were over here. I was a bit scared that you'd attack him once we walked out of the shop." At the sound of (y/n)'s soft voice, Akutagawa's face snapped up, to see hers not too far away. In a needy frenzy, he put his comfort items away and forced his lips onto hers.

A gasp emitted from her throat from the gesture but he swallowed it, gently pushing her onto the ground so that he could crawl atop her.

"Don't reject me." he ordered into the kiss. His voice was laced with want making his (h/c)-haired beauty arch against his body and reply with a new found strength.

Their lips molded perfectly as the deserted alleyway was filled with their strangled moans. It had been a frustrating day for both of them and it seemed that lust was the only way to appropriately release their stress.

A few minutes into the session, fatigue hit (y/n) like a truck causing her to collapse in fatigue while her partner hovered over her with a soft smile on his face.

"I'll take you home."