Smoking Love (Mikoto Suoh x Reader)

Chapter Three: Soother

    The only sound in your room was the rustle of your body tossing and turning like a dryer on the tumble setting. Although, it was your mind, not your body, causing your current state of restlessness.

    It had been several days since your cringe-worthy incident at HOMRA bar, yet your mind was still on overdrive thinking about how much had ensued, all because you had a mild aversion to traveling on crowded trains. You hadn't even asked what happened to your attackers or thanked the Clansmen for their help! Not to mention you'd lost your bike along with your pepper spray in that alleyway! You thought about going back to the place, but not for long. You weren't sure if your stuff would be there anymore or who might be waiting for you once you got back to the alleyway. A shiver traveled the length of your spine thinking about it. You were lucky to survive the attack. If HOMRA hadn't stepped in, you would be either lying in a ditch somewhere near death or in a dark, dingy room chained to a wall.

    The reality of how much your life had been in danger several nights ago finally sunk in. Your hands started to tremble, your heart beating wildly in your chest. Now you'd have one more reason to have further sleepless nights. Tears clung to the edges of your eyelids, threatening to escape, thereby ensuring the first mental breakdown you'd had in years. You thought you'd gotten used to the pain life brought to you on the daily, moved past it but no, it was too much at once this time. You couldn't take both your past and your present pain together.

    This in mind, you curled yourself within your blankets, tears staining your pillows as you shook with silent sobs, trying to think of anything that might calm you down. You couldn't call your best friend Maiko; she'd already be passed out by this time. You couldn't sing yourself to sleep; it would only remind you of how your father used to do so when you were younger. The solution came as a shock to you. It was that one noxious, well-known scent accompanied by the face of one you barely knew, yet who was so familiar which was successful in achieving peace for you that night. Remembering the cigarette smoke wafting into your nose and those honest amber eyes gazing into your (e/c) ones granted you the gift of restful sleep.

    The next morning, you called up your friend and finally told her about the incident, explaining why you hadn't contacted her sooner. At first, she said only how glad she was you'd survived. After which she told you not to get the police involved, taking into consideration about how HOMRA was now in the mix. They'd take well enough care of the nasties who tried to hurt you. Then she asked if you got Mikoto's number, also when you two were going out on a date.

    "You've got to be joking."

    "Not one bit," Maiko replied in all seriousness. "It's clear he likes your spunk, otherwise he would've ignored you. You aren't too shabby looking, he's a definite head turner-"

    "Maiko!" you exclaimed. 

    She groaned in retaliation. "Look, I'm not saying you should go marry the guy, I'm just saying it might be fun to go out with him, be a bit spontaneous. You might end up liking it."

    "He doesn't even seem like the type who would date," you sighed, flopping your body onto your couch. "He's a King. I'm a boring klutz who has a talent of embarrassing herself. I don't think we'd get along too well."

    "And you wonder why you're single. You have an obvious connection to the guy, he didn't cringe when he saw you-"

    "Thanks a bunch, friend. Really feeling the love right now."

    "Hey, I'm an honest person, what'd you expect?" You could hear a slight tone of mischief in her voice.

    "You got a point there." You smiled to yourself ruefully, but you knew she meant well.

    You had to admit, you were lonely sometimes, with your adoptive parents and old friends back in (c/n, if Japan, city name), living alone in your apartment. You'd tried dating before, tried being the key word, as you always found some excuse to cancel or not ask the person out in the first place (which was what you were doing as of that moment). Maiko was your lifeline, one of your only true friends in Shizume City.

    "I know you don't like mentioning your love life in front of our other friends. Still, I've seen the sad eyes you get every time someone says something about their new boyfriend, how good of a kisser they are, etcetera. You can't hide it from me, missy."

    Not too happy about being put on the spot, you changed the subject in a hurry to her love life, "By the way, how's it going with the new guy you started dating? Have any chance with you?"

    You sensed Maiko's glare through the phone connection. "No, he was too clingy. Definitely not my type." You heard a doorbell ring on her side, sensing it would be the end of your conversation.

    "Someone's at the door, so bye for now. This talk about Mr. Red King isn't over, by the way. You can't sneak past me."

    "Bye," you said in a slightly sheepish tone before the call got disconnected.

    'Weird,' you thought. 'She likes to shoot a sarcastic comment at me before hanging up. Must've been in a hurry.'

    Despite trying to convince yourself she was rushed by the person at her door, you still got a nagging sense that something felt wrong about the whole situation. You didn't know why you experienced such a strange feeling, after all, she'd only hung up a little different than usual. You decided to text Maiko the next morning, see if everything was alright, hoping your sixth sense would be wrong and you'd only embarrass yourself with your over-worrying when you contacted her. The sixth sense hadn't gotten anything wrong so far, though...