(Heard this song on my first morning bus and got inspired)
"Higuchi seems really down," Gin started.
Akutagawa, Hirotsu, Gin, Tachihara, Q, and Chuuya all stood in the sitting room together, having an important discussion about Higuchi's recent behavior.
"She's been talking less," Tachihara added.
Q nodded and asked if anyone knew what was wrong with her. Everyone shook their heads no.
"Maybe one of us could ask her?" Chuuya asked.
"I'd say to send Akutagawa. After all, she obviously wants his attention, so if he gave her some, she'd tell him anything," Tachihara suggested.
Akutagawa widened his eyes in surprise and immediately replied with a no.
"Come on, Akutagawa, it'll be fine. Please just ask her," Q said, using their child like attitude to persuade Akutagawa.
Gin did the same, then Tachihara and eventually even Hirotsu and Chuuya. After they all said please, he got overwhelmed and agreed to it in a very annoyed tone.
"Fine! I'll do it! But you all owe me!" He roared, storming off to find her.
He looked around the PM base for a bit, seeing if she'd even shown up for work that day, since they'd all been too busy to fully notice.
When he didn't find her, he decided to call her.
The phone rang a few times before she picked up, not saying a word on the other end.
"Higuchi. It's Akutagawa," he started.
"Akutagawa-Senpai? Why are you calling me?" She asked in surprise.
"You didn't show up today at all, and the others were worried about you."
"I'm so sorry, sir. I know I shouldn't have skipped work, but I couldn't bring myself to do anything today. I'll try to be back tomorrow."
"Don't apologize. It's fine, as long as you're okay," he replied.
"Oh, um... Thank you, sir. I promise to be back tomorrow."
"Higuchi."
"Sir?"
"If you need time off, take it. Don't worry about us, we'll live a few days without you here. Besides, can't have you coming back and doing your job only half right because you don't feel good."
"Really sir? Oh thank you!" Higuchi exclaimed in surprise and appreciation.
Akutagawa smiled slightly up in hearing her happiness and relief. She sounded somewhat free of her worries for a moment, and he liked the way it calmed his heart.
Even after he'd wished her well and told her to get better soon before hanging up, he kept smiling. He just couldn't help it.
He didn't know why, but the way it made him feel to hear her so relaxed, he hadn't felt this at peace in a long time.
He knew he wanted to feel this feeling again, so he formulated a plan.
~
Higuchi sat at home on her couch, head in hands as she let the small tears fall down her face.
She couldn't believe it. It just wouldn't settle in her, no matter how hard she tried to accept it.
Her coffee was sitting in a small mug on the table beside her, and the TV was turned off.
She had been weeping for days now, and the loss she felt was still raging inside, threatening to home her until she felt the same as he did.
The phone call with Akutagawa had made her feel better, but she still felt broken inside.
She'd never imagined that she'd feel this way over something like this so long after it'd ended, but she did, and she couldn't stop herself.
She took a small sip of her coffee, looking at the door upon hearing someone knock. She got up and went over to it, opening it slightly.
She gasped when she saw who it was.
"I wanted to make sure you were okay."
"Oh- Um... Come on in, sir," Higuchi said, wiping her tears away with her hands.
"This place smells bad," Akutagawa commented, walking into the small living room.
"Sorry sir, I haven't really had the energy to clean much lately," she replied.
He took a small set in a chair by the couch, not daring to relax.
"Would you like anything, sir?" She asked him.
He shook his head no, and looked at her messy hair. Then, he told her she needed a shower.
"I know, sir. I'm sorry."
"Just go take one really quickly. I'll be fine up here for a bit," he said.
"B-But sir, I couldn't-!" She exclaimed in a panic.
"It wasn't a question, Higuchi."
"Y-yes sir," she said defeated, heading into a room somewhere else.
Akutagawa glanced around the room, his eyes landing on a shelf hanging on the wall with a candle and a lighter.
He got up and walked over, noticing the the paper on the outer side of the candle claimed it was watermelon scented.
He lit it with the lighter and decided that he'd clean up a bit while Higuchi was practicing personal hygiene.
"There's not much I can do, but I can still try," Akutagawa muttered to himself.
He folded the blankets on the couch, picked some things off the ground, and did the dishes.
By the time he'd finished and sat back down, Higuchi came out. She'd changed clothes, and her hair was wrapped up in a towel.
"You... Look better," he said, looking away and turning very slightly pink.
"Ah... Thank you, sir."
She looked around, noticing that the place had been cleaned up a bit since the last time she'd been in there.
"Higuchi. I.... Wanted to ask you something," Akutagawa started nervously.
"Sir?" Higuchi replied.
"Would you... Like to do something today?" He asked her.
"Sure, sir. Where would you like to go?" She asked.
"Hm... How about you decide what we do."
"Can we go roller skating?" She asked.
"Sure. You might want a coat, it's cold outside," he warned her.
"Alright, sir."
"Oh and by the way, you can drop the 'sir.' Please, call me Akutagawa."
"Alright... Akutagawa," she replied.
They walked in silence for a bit. It had started lightly snowing, and Higuchi had quickly combed through her hair before grabbing a periwinkle sweater and slipping it on.
"That color really suits you," Akutagawa commented.
"Thank you," she replied.
The silence fell back on them, as Higuchi thought about things.
"So, Higuchi. Why'd you choose roller skating?" Akutagawa asked politely, trying to make conversation.
"Um... Recently, something happened to someone I cared about. Me and him, we used to roller skate together all the time. We hadn't done it in a while, and now that we can't, I guess I just... Wanted one more chance to do it."
"Well you may have to teach me, because I've never tried it before," Akutagawa admitted.
"Really? You haven't been roller skating before?"
"No. Not that I remember, at least," he explained.
"Well, I'd be happy to teach you."
Seeing the small look of worry on his face, Higuchi continued on.
"Besides, it'll be fun."
"Promise you won't let go?" He asked her, unsure.
"I promise."
When they arrived, Akutagawa and Higuchi got ready. She got up off the bench and helped Akutagawa to his feet, who almost fell but was caught by Higuchi before he could.
"You ready?" She asked him.
He gently gripped her hands as she led him onto the rink, telling him that it would be fine and that she wasn't gonna let him fall.
"See? It's easy once you get the hang of it," Higuchi said, once Akutagawa figured out how to move on his own.
"It still makes me nervous," he admitted.
"Well don't worry, because you have me," she said, reassuring him to the best of her ability.
They skated for the rest of the day, stopping for a small lunch break about halfway through their time at the rink.
"I had a fun day," Akutagawa said, smiling a little.
They'd just left the rink and he was walking her home.
She smiled back at him and agreed, and he notices how she seemed to glow in the sunset.
He stopped walking when they reached the outside of her residency, turning to look her in the face.
"Hey, um, Higuchi?"
She waited patiently for him to go on.
"I really enjoyed today, and I was wondering if you'd want to do it again sometime?" He suggested.
She nodded and smiled.
Then, Akutagawa surprised her by giving her a small kiss. She closed her eyes and melted into it, enjoying every second.
When it ended, she asked in sudden realization if them hanging out had been a date.
He smiled playfully at her and she laughed a bit.
Then, she looked at her watch, and up in seeing the time, told him that she had to go.
He looked slightly disappointed, but was surprised when she kissed his cheek before running inside, calling back to him as she went, "See you at work tomorrow, Akutagawa!"
He smiled again and walked home, feeling excited to see what would happen tomorrow.
In the bushes by Higuchi's driveway sat Gin Akutagawa and Tachihara, both watching with spiked interest at the events unfolding before them.
Once everyone except Tachihara was out of earshot, Gin squealed in uncontrollable happiness.
Tachihara was laughing confidentially, feeling proud of what he and Gin had accomplished.
They hurried back to the PM base, excited to tell Hirotsu, Q, and Chuuya the good news.
And Higuchi was inside her house, sweater off, laying in bed with her stuffed walrus and thinking about work the next day.
Author's Note:
WC: 1585 words
Walrus: (:3 っ)っ