Chapter Text
Tonight, it seemed, the outfit wasn’t going to be a perk.
Akira opened the door of the car to scramble out and have some space to move, where hands couldn’t grasp at him and do damage. The man kept spewing profanities at a volume that made heads turn, but none of Lala’s people were around. Akira had driven too far with that asshole to have his own look out for him.
The few walking here in the middle of the night ducked their head and sped up. Akira would just have to get away and walk back. In these heels.
“Oh, shut up,” he hissed, shoving away. “You’re giving me a headache.”
He could hold his own, but he didn’t want to get dragged into a fight.
But of course, a too-warm clammy hand closed around his wrist and wrenched him back, sharp pain shooting up to his shoulder. He spun to alleviate it and broke the grip, but the man lunged again.
“I should fucking kill you -” he grit out, features ugly now as the truth of his character came to surface.
“Let go,” Akira said calmly, his wrist twinging. “Or you won’t have a wrist much longer.”
“You little bitch,” sneered the man. “You wish you were one, don’t you, so I could actually fuck you -” That kind of bastard. “Maybe for free I’ll -”
Akira had heard enough - the only reason he still hesitated was the sudden sound of approaching footsteps. Before he could turn his head a scream sounded behind him -
A woman barreled into him, her arm swinging around him clutching a can, and then that asshole was shouting in agony.
This stranger had peppersprayed him right in the face.
Akira reacted the second his hand was freed, stumbling backwards with his arm out to force the woman out of range, too.
He turned his head, meeting a brown-eyed gaze burning with adrenaline and a fire that he recognised, a fire hidden deep, deep inside himself.
“I’m gonna call the fucking cops!” screamed the man, and Akira took the girl’s wrist and pulled her along, running despite his heels. At least she was wearing sensible shoes, her ponytail swinging as she came to run by his side, and then slightly ahead.
She yanked at her wrist in a peculiar way, so Akira let go, but still they ran together. The streets were dark and the motor of the car howled behind them.
Cradling her hand against her chest, the woman who had come to his aid suddenly swerved left, into a park lovelessly dotted with only a couple of streetlights to create more ominous shadows. Akira followed without thought, hearing the car pass by the street behind them, off and away.
Slowly, slowly, they came to a halt in the low light of a flickering lantern. A shitty little playground that looked ready to be the set for a terrible horror movie was right behind them. Panting for breath, Akira met the woman’s eyes again - she looked horrified, but also amused, as if anarchy delighted her.
Grinning, he breathed: “Thanks.”
Clearly his deep voice startled her, but she didn’t turn on him like that man had. She composed herself rather quickly, staring at the can in her hand. “I never used that before,” she said, wondrous.
Akira grinned. “How’d it feel?”
“Honestly?” She glimpsed at him, shy, but that same spark was still burning there. It’d suit her better, for it to be a wildfire. “It felt real good.”
Akira laughed, and bent down to undo his shoes. “The heels are killing me,” he explained, and felt her gaze drop to them.
“Oh. That doesn’t surprise me.” He could hear it, in her voice. The consideration, the question.
“Yeah,” he said, sighing as his bare feet pressed against the pressed mud, cooling the ache. “I’m a hooker. Most of my customers are nicer, though.”
The stranger scratched at her neck, looking away. “I’d hope so,” she said, and Akira couldn’t pinpoint her sudden shyness. Either she was the kind to judge, or …
“Will you be okay?” was all she said, next, looking at him again. There was a sudden reluctance in her words, something calculating. But her kindness seemed real. “I can walk with you, if you want.”
This wasn’t the first time things had gone awry, and Akira had taxi fare tucked away in his stockings. But something about her made him feel as though she could use someone to walk with her.
“That’d be nice … whatever the name of my saviour may be.”
A small smile touched her lips, fleeting. “Suzui Shiho. Pleased to meet you.”
Akira bowed his head with a flourish. “Kurusu Akira. Call me Akira, if you want. Pepperspraying an asshole in the face for me puts you high up on my list.”
A startled laugh escaped her, and her smile stayed, this time. “Then … call me Shiho? Akira …”
Akira scooped his boots from the ground, allowing himself to at least walk through this park with them in hand, and playfully offered his elbow for her to hook her arm through.
But Shiho shied away, her face twisting with guilt. “Ah … sorry.”
Akira studied her drawn brows, the press of her lips. He let his gaze fall away, fist clenching at his side. It wasn’t her who had to say sorry to anyone, he was certain. “Don’t worry. People tend to tell me I’m like a cat, way too clingy.”
“Do they?” Shiho asked, keeping her gaze away from him, arms hugged to her body.
Akira wanted to see her easy smile again. “At least I don’t bring mice to the door. I know better gifts.”
“Mice make perfect gifts,” Shiho joked, but it fell a little flat. It seemed the adrenaline was draining from her - her grip on the can was so tight, her knuckles went white. It looked painful.
“Right?” Akira said. “But nobody knows to appreciate them.”
She gave a polite chuckle at that, and then fell quiet. But it was the charged kind of silence that spoke of gathering bravery, and so Akira waited, curious to see what it was that was making her think so hard he could practically hear it.
At the edge of the park, he used the last bench to put his boots back on. “Time to soldier on,” he sighed, and they stepped into the winding streets of the city.
“How do you …” Shiho began at last, voice wavering.
Ah. There it was. It hadn’t been interest before, that silence - at least not in the way he had hoped. Akira’s senses were really getting dull for that kind of thing.
But she had saved him, and Shiho seemed nicer than most. So Akira folded his hands behind his head. “Just ask me. I won’t bite unless I’m paid to.”
“How can you do this, when there’s a chance someone like that would get you alone next time … ?”
Oh. Akira thought of the way she had refused his touch earlier, and looked over to her. Even in the dark, he could see how pensive Shiho was, her mind working. It felt less about him, and more about …
“I know self-defense. And the others look out for me - I always have precautions. And I’ve got a pretty good sense for people by now.” He scratched his neck. “Most nights, at least. That was a total disaster. But it’s always riskier when I …” He gestured down at his black skirt, the boots, encompassing his stunning look as a whole.
Shiho nodded, her gaze raking over him again. “Then why … not wear something less risky?”
“Where’s the fun in that?” Akira asked. He shrugged. “If I feel like wearing a skirt and tights, I will. Why should I let assholes dictate what I can and cannot wear? If I’m gonna be bent over all night, I want to feel comfortable.” He grinned, catching himself before winking at Shiho. Maybe she wouldn’t appreciate that. “Sexy, too. I’m just really pretty like this, how could I deprive the world of it?”
Shiho chuckled, and looked down at her feet. “You are,” she breathed, so softly it was barely audible.
Akira looked over at her, startled by the way his heart skipped. Maybe … “Am I?” he asked, trying not to lay it on too thick. She didn’t seem like the type who could handle him being brash.
Shiho looked at him, and away. Then she steeled her shoulders and met his gaze head-on. “You look gorgeous,” she said with conviction. There was still that something in her gaze.
“Why, thank you,” Akira said, curtsying even as he kept walking. “I always love to be complimented.”
“I would have never guessed,” Shiho shot back, the sudden sharpness of her words delighting Akira to no end.
He was happy he had gotten to meet her, no matter the circumstances.
The silence that followed was heavy. Shiho stopped walking, her head bowed.
It had obviously been the wrong thing to say. Tonight so wasn’t his night. The silence got so bad Akira didn’t dare to apologise just yet, mouth falling open to make a terrible joke and maybe do damage control -
But Shiho let her arms fall to her sides, pepperspray dangling loosely from her fingers. And then the can clattered to the ground, the noise was like a shot in the dark.
“H-how -” she whispered, and Akira stepped closer to hear her. Shiho raised her gaze, eyes wide with terror, and determination. “How much would it - be -”
Her hands were shaking.
Akira stepped as close as he dared, wishing he could take her hand in his. “Don’t push yourself,” he said gently. “I’ll find someone kind like you, so don’t worry about me. It was just a stupid remark. I shouldn’t have made it.”
Shiho wrapped her arms around herself and began to cry.
It startled Akira so much, he had no idea what to do, what to say. “Shiho?” he asked. “I’m so sorry, I -”
She shook her head wildly. “I-it’s fine - it was a, a stupid idea -” She laughed through her tears, a terrible sound. “T-to think I could even p-pay someone to t-touch me -”
Akira stepped a little closer yet, but didn’t dare touch her. “Hey,” he said quietly. “You’re beautiful, and kind, and fierce. I’d do whatever you wanted me to, even without money.” That made her cry harder.
Maybe he was saying the wrong thing, but he had to - he had to say this, too. “But I won’t touch you when you so obviously don’t want me to.”
Shiho buried her face in her hands, shoulders shaking. She tried to keep quiet, but small noises escaped her still. All Akira could do was stand vigil with her, be close, even as his heart broke more with each terrible sound from her.
Someone had hurt this girl, and if he could, he would strangle whoever it had been. “Shiho?” he asked softly, when she had quieted a little. He offered her a tissue. “Promise it’s clean,” he tried to joke, cursing himself. But at least she dropped her hands, and blew her nose.
“S-sorry -” she said, wiping angrily at her eyes. “I-I’m stupid - I, I didn’t help just to - to c-come onto you … !”
“Oh.” Akira gave her his best smirk. “ That wasn’t the problem. Don’t worry.”
She bit her lip, looking down again. It didn’t suit her, didn’t suit that spark Akira had seen. “I, I just - I guess I - was desperate …”
He waited, patiently, for her to gather her words. It seemed like words that needed to be spoken.
“T-to know if I - c-could still - if s-someone could -” She closed her eyes, hands balling into fists with such force, even her shoulders trembled. “- touch me.” The moment the words left her, she slumped into herself.
Akira wished he could embrace her. He wished he could show her all the ways someone kind and careful could help. But maybe - maybe he should …
“Shiho,” he said, unable to keep the sadness from his smile. “I understand. I - can’t imagine what has been done to you, but I understand.”
Fresh tears spilled from her eyes, but this time, Shiho did not hide them. Just let them fall and drop from her chin.
Akira wondered if anyone had ever told her that. “What if we try something?” he asked, noticing the way she tensed, but still, the determination in her eyes was back.
“L-like what?”
“A hug. Because I’m a cat, and I’m dying because I can’t hold you when you seem like you could use to lean on someone.”
Shiho wiped at her tears, shaking her head, but she was smiling. “You gotta stop - doing that. Saying - the stuff I need.”
Akira never wanted to stop. “Does this mean we could try?”
“I …” She bit her lip, seeming uncertain, and so Akira offered his hand. “Maybe this will be okay, too?”
Shiho looked down at his palm, and back up at his face. “Akira, I -”
He didn’t say anything - only left her her time as she lifted her hand, slowly, slowly. She was tense, as she placed her palm against his, but exhaled as she fit their hands together. Slowly, studying her reaction, Akira laced their fingers. The tension drained from her body, bit by bit. Despite her tears, Shiho smiled a little. “Wow. I can hold someone’s hand. Guess I’m totally not broken after all.”
Akira drew a small circle on the back of her hand with his thumb, moth twisting at her words. Shiho tensed, but didn’t pull away, so he kept going. Circle after circle rubbed into her skin. “Don’t call yourself that, okay? You’re beautiful, Suzui Shiho. You peppersprayed an asshole for me tonight, and you’re trying your best.”
Akira couldn’t let her go.
He had to introduce Shiho to Ann, to Lala. To those who’d understand and lift her up.
Shiho laughed, not knowing that he was planning to hook her up with a whole support network. “That was nothing. I’ve always wanted to do that. If anything, I should thank you.”
Akira laughed, hit with fondness for her. He took a step forwards, and Shiho reluctantly joined him. Slowly, they started walking, their fingers still laced. “I’m glad we could make each other’s night.”
“Heh.” Shiho softly swung their laced hands. “This is … kind of nice. A little awkward, but nice.”
“We can work up to it,” Akira promised without thought, but even though Shiho tensed again, he saw her nod. “Okay,” she breathed, voice wavering with emotion. “But shut up now, or I’ll cry again.”
“Maybe that’s my nefarious plan, though.”
Shiho glared at him from her puffy eyes. “Don’t make me turn around and get that can back to spray you.”
Akira grinned back at her, his steps light. What a gem he had found. "I humbly object."
She'd fit into his colourful family just right.