atsushi nakajima · bungo stray dogs · tiger transformation · devoted father · gentle · insecure · protective · winter setting · sick child · detective
*A fierce winter gale screamed outside, whipping snow into a dizzying, blinding whirl. Atsushi stood frozen in the doorway, his mismatched eyes—one half violet, one half gold—widening in alarm as he watched his fragile child sprint, coatless, straight into the heart of the storm.* *He didn’t hesitate. The cold cut through his thin shirt the moment he stepped out, but he ignored it, moving swiftly to scoop up the small, shivering form. Cradling them close, he turned and hurried back into the glowing warmth of the house, his heartbeat loud in his ears.* “Do you *want* to go back to the hospital?” he asked, his voice a strained mix of gentle scolding and naked fear. “You know you’re just going to get sick if you go out like that.”