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Language:
English
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CoAi Secret Santa 2020-2021
Stats:
Published:
2020-12-26
Words:
1,097
Chapters:
1/1
Comments:
14
Kudos:
62
Bookmarks:
5
Hits:
844

making all the days

Notes:

Sincerely, the other half of your Secret Santa

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Work Text:

 

Every morning happens the same way it always has. When the sun rises, Shiho wakes up, then it’s the morning news over a cup of coffee, and then it’s getting dressed for work. This part of the day never really changes, and the rest of it falls into routine.

Work ends, come evening.

Most days, Shiho grabs something to eat on the way home instead of making dinner. There’s not much incentive to cook after a full day's work, and even less so when she lives alone. But on Wednesdays and Fridays, Shiho’s evenings are a little different. Special.

Today is Wednesday and Shiho gets a text. Shiho has someone to come home to.

-

Shinichi’s shoes are neatly set aside at the entrance when Shiho comes home. Shiho can hear the sound of the evening news coming from the living room, where she’ll likely find Shinichi—and she does. Spots him the moment she steps into the room, where he’s lounging comfortably in front of the TV with his feet crossed up on the armrest on his side of the sofa.

“Welcome back,” he says, flashing her an easy smile. “The rice is ready.”

-

Thursdays start the same way like any other day. And Fridays are just the same.

At least it is until the sun sets. Because on Friday evening, just as Shiho gets off work, Shinichi surprises her when she catches him running all the way towards her from the parking lot. Shiho huffs, amused because Shinichi could really just walk. Like she does when she tries to meet him in the middle down the driveway.

This time he wants to take her out to dinner, he tells her, at a restaurant downtown. Somewhere Shiho vaguely remembers is a high-rise that overlooks the city, where the lights look pretty from a table by a window.

Shinichi drives them there in his white Toyota coupe. And when they arrive, Shiho thinks they’re both severely underdressed, with Shinichi in his work suit, and Shiho in her jeans. But the staff are kind and even a little eager to serve, no doubt an effect of Shinichi’s own fame and background, having parents even more famous than he is.

They get a window seat, offering a panorama of the skyline and, well. The view is better than Shiho imagined it would be.

-

The night doesn’t end there when Shinichi follows her right up to her apartment door.

“Kudo?”

“Tomorrow’s a weekend,” he says, driving his hand into a pocket, and looking down as he scuffs the toe of his shoe against the pavement. “And I wanted to stay a little bit longer,” Shinichi reasons.

He’s being greedy, Shiho thinks. But she lets him. Warms at the sentiment because whatever Shinichi wants, she’s almost certain she wants the same thing, especially if it means crossing the line of obscurity and stumbling into something more. Something she could name and hold.

He stays a couple of hours until midnight before he’s whisking himself away like a fairy tale, and Shiho is coming down the building to walk him to his car.

When he gets inside the vehicle, Shinichi rolls down the window and Shiho wants to laugh because she’s never seen him this reluctant to leave.

“See you Wednesday?”

Shiho wants so badly to kiss him. “See you Wednesday.”

-

Shinichi sees her on Monday.

-

Every day happens like usual until it doesn’t.

It’s Monday morning when Shiho wakes up to the smell of coffee, the low hum of TV, and the sound of rustling paper. Shiho emerges from the bedroom, clad in an oversize shirt and shorts, leaning on the door frame when she peeks in the kitchen.

“Hey,” Shinichi says over the island counter while setting down the aluminum trays of food onto the table. “You’re up. I was about to come and get you.”

“Kudo…?” Shiho husks. “What, what are you doing here?”

Shinichi smiles gently at her. “I got us some breakfast. Come on.”

-

Monday evening isn’t quite like it used to be, too. For one, work ends much later into the night.

She’s grateful when she gets Shinichi’s text, who says he’s at the parking lot like usual. And he’s bought some food for her to take home.

“Hey again,” Shinichi says, leaning on the hood of his car when Shiho finds him.

“You’re godsend.”

Shinichi grins smugly. “I got you your favourite.”

-

“Thanks for the lift, Kudo.”

Shinichi hums, looking thoughtful for a few seconds.

“Kudo?”

Shinichi shakes his head then nods, more to himself than to her. “See you Wednesday.”

-

It’s Tuesday and Shiho half-wishes, half-expects Shinichi to show up.

It’s the longest Tuesday of her life. But the text never comes and neither does Shinichi.

Shiho thinks she shouldn’t miss someone as badly as this. But she does, and Wednesday couldn’t come soon enough.

-

There is a moment when Shiho and Shinichi wordlessly stare at each other that Wednesday morning. The silence doesn’t break so much as it just fades away when Shiho helps set the table to move things along. Like Monday, Shinichi had come over to share breakfast with her.

“Morning,” Shinichi croaks. Clearing his throat, “Sleep well?”

“Mm.” Shiho moves over to the stool to sit, leaning over the counter as she takes a sip of her coffee, all while Shinichi watches her intently.

“Are you sitting?” Shiho smiles at him as she catches his stare. “Take it easy, Kudo. You’re only twenty-six.”

Shinichi finally relaxes and then the day flows smoothly into this new thing. Before long, they watch the news together, talk over breakfast before they’re both readying for work.

Shiho thinks she could get used to this.

-

And like Monday evening, except Shiho gets off work the usual time, Shinichi is leaning on the hood of his car. This time, he's parked much closer to the building.

“Hey,” Shiho says once she knows she’s within an earshot of him.

Shinichi gets up, taking a few steps to close the gap. “Hey.”

“So,” Shiho starts, adjusting the strap of her bag on her shoulder. “You’re here.”

“Mm, I got you something.” Shinichi turns towards the car and Shiho watches him take out a bouquet of pink tulips from the passenger seat.

Shiho closes the distance in a saunter, tiptoes, so she can lean up to kiss him on the corner of his mouth.

Shinichi breathes, “I missed you,” and then leans down again to plant a kiss on her cheek, “all of yesterday.”

Shiho hums, warmed, pleased. “I missed you, too.”

“Dinner?”

“Mhm.”

“Let me stay the night?”

“Alright.”

Notes:

Disclaimer: The hands bit is a manga cap I re-lined and coloured which hopefully counts as a fan edit. The Shiho part I did, but I'm no artist. It's super simple but here's hoping it's not too bad.

Anyway, I had to rush everything within less than a day and on very, very little sleep. The visual bit of this work was to make up for the word count in case I couldn't make the minimum in time. But I did, so yay, and thought it'd be a waste not to include it.

Happy holidays!