✍🏻 Little Matchmaker

19 - Wrecking Ball

She inhaled to retort back but he was already striding towards the rink.

"Wow," Yuzuru let out while he walked next to her, "if I would have told that to my mother, I think I would have been competing at the Paralympics instead."

"Yeah, I know I am too meek with him," she said with a sigh, "it's just that I hate fights with him, and most of the time I just resign on doing anything and choose the easy way out by doing nothing. Unless I get offended."

"And this didn't offend you?"

"Should it?"

"Yes?"

"Hmm," she mused, "interesting."

He laughed at her reaction and they started to put on their skates, Akira already on the crowded ice, making her glad he has his red jacket which was always easy to spot everywhere.

"Do you think I am unhappy, Yuzu?" she asked as she stepped on the ice and began to stretch her legs and arms.

He frowned a little, joining her in the stretching, "what do you mean?"

"You keep mentioning my worries," she elaborated, "like this morning. But I think every parent constantly worries. And maybe I do worry more than others, but I am happy with our current life. So I am just wondering if I am giving you some unhappy vibes."

"You give me very happy vibes, Sophie," he said with a genuine smile and they began to skate around to warm up, tailing several strokes behind Akira.

"So why do you keep mentioning my worries?"

"Because I think you have too many," he said simply, "and I would like to think that either talking about them or hearing a perspective of somebody else would ease your mind a little."

She stopped, feeling somewhat touched, but Yuzuru continued skating and she caught up with him again after a moment.

"Are you trying to fix me or something?"

"You don't need fixing, Sophie," he answered "I am just trying to be your friend."

Now it was he who stopped and she paused as well.

"I hope, that's okay?" he asked, slight worry crossing his forehead.

"Sure, it's fine," she grinned at him and continued skating again, "I was just curious."

"What vibes do I give you?" he asked keeping up with her speed.

"Vibes of needing a therapist."

She said it seriously but with a clear intention of making it a joke and he burst into laughter, putting his arm around her shoulder.

"Don't worry Sophie-chan," he said giggling, "I already have one."

"You should fire him."

He laughed even more but now she did began to think what kind of progress the therapist did with him. It was true that when she first met him, he looked to be on the verge of a mental breakdown. His cheeks were sunk in, he barely talked to anyone and seemed like he didn't sleep for weeks or months.
And as she was looking at him now, his cheeks tinted pink from the laughter and his overall gleeful mood, she wondered how much of it was the work of the therapist or if maybe she helped a little as well by inviting him over for the Christmas.
Noticing he still has his hand over her shoulder, she contemplated if maybe she could have been explaining his attempts of physical contact with a bit self-centered mindset. Maybe he wasn't doing it to be close to her  specifically but just simply being close to anyone. Like any other human being needing friends and closeness.
Considering he was truly on his best behavior as he promised, she decided to stop giving him a hard time about it from now on.