Chapter Text
Ichimatsu was walking by himself, lingering by the alleyways on the search for his feline friends. Sure he looked like some kind of creep for it, but at this point in his life he really doesn’t care. Cats never judged him and cats were a hell of alot easier to deal with than people.
Only today, there was a distinct lack of cats lurking in the shadows. Much to his own confusion and disappointment.
Pulling up his face mask, he was almost ready to head home, until he spotted a small tabby rounding a not too far corner with the most transfixed look on it’s face. Curious, he decided to follow it.
Only to stop dead in his tracks upon seeing the kitty cats destination.
It was a quaint little flower shop, painted in light pink and purple pastels. The various flowers that crowded the windows were each like fireworks ranging in all shapes and color
Only that wasn’t what made him freeze, no it was much more terrifying.
It was a woman. A pretty one at that.
She was a fairly large woman, with gentle curves and strong looking arms and legs. Making the cats around her seem small, but they were unintimidated as she smiled her plump lips and played with them.
They were definitely the only ones. He was only in a radius of this woman and he was already sweating. Feeling that familiar lump in his throat and twist of his gut whenever he was around non-trash people.
Not only that, but he had a difficult choice; either approach the woman so he can get to the cats guarding her, or run away and avoid any contact at all.
He almost yelped when she seemed to notice his presence, looking up from her position to look him dead in the eyes with her own dark grey ones. She regarded him up and down, making him feel like she was trying to pierce his flesh and look into his very being.
He sighed when she stood up, dusted herself off, and returned to inside the store, leaving the cats by themselves.
Making sure no one else was there, he snuck over to the storefront, feeling all his anxiety drain immediately with his furry companions. Looking down, he noticed why the cats were all gathered here, the woman had planted Catnip on the bottom most shelves of flowers. Clever if he had to say so.
Though it was short lived, clocking in at about fifteen minutes, when he felt the first little plops of water on his head and saw the quickly darkening sky. He ignored it at first, but it became harder as the weather became more insistent.
All the cats scattered, leaving him alone and wet in the rain.
He groaned, his house was really far away and he had no umbrella to speak of. His usual sweatshirt was already swollen and soggy from the sudden downpour, making it cling uncomfortably to his skin.
Then as if by some miracle, the rain stopped.
“Hey, are you okay? Do you wanna come inside?”
Jerking his head up, his body’s temperature spiked, as he looked to see the woman from before with an umbrella big enough for the both of them.
“ I’m fine, it’s just rain.”
“How far do you live from here?”
He tried to lie he really did, but under her soft, concerned gaze, he couldn’t even stutter out any words. All he could do was scream internally.
The woman scrunched her face, clearly confused at the brain dead man in front of her. So instead of asking again, this time she grabbed his arm and pulled him forcefully inside.
The soft jingle the door and the overwhelming fragrance of flowers made him snap outta his panic and realize what was going on.
“Hey I said I’m fine-”
“And my good conscience says I can’t just let you walk in the freezing cold. So wait here let me see if I can find an extra umbrella and a different sweatshirt you can wear.”
Before he could protest, her kind gestures completely overwhelming for his own shitty self, she was gone into the other room.
With her gone, he could really feel how outta place he felt, with the shops warm, homey, and inviting atmosphere contrasting with his cold, dark, and wet shivering form.
Suddenly she was back, rubbing the back of her head bashfully “oh silly me, I forgot to induce myself, I’m Ayaka, and you are?”
“Ichimatsu.” He uttered out gruffly.
“Ichimatsu, got it, I’ll remember that.” With that she was gone and he couldn’t help, but utter a dry chuckle. No she wouldn’t, he was garbage not worth existing. She wouldn’t care to remember him, hell the only reason she noticed him at all was because she had a functioning moral compass.
For about half an hour, he heard various clatters, and muffled muttering in the otherwise silent store before she yelled excitedly “got em!” and came rushing back in.
“Sorry it took so long, I’m a bit of a pack rat…” She walked over and handed him the pink and white polka dotted umbrella and a white sweatshirt with floral sleeves.
The two stood silently, and quite frankly awkwardly, as he eyed the sweatshirt and Ayaka back and forth as she stared at him expectantly. Suddenly she jumped, a pink dusting her cheeks.
“Oh you probably want me to turn around huh?”
“That would be great, thanks.”
Whispering her apologizes, she swiftly turned her back around to give him some privacy.
Taking off his soaked sweatshirt as fast as possible and slipping on the other, he immediately felt better in the baggier, dry fabric. The smell of some kind of perfume wafted up to his nose, kinda like candy.
“You can turn around now…”
Turning around, she beamed brightly “see? all better now, right?”
He nodded curtly and avoided eye contact.
“Well it’s getting late, just come by tomorrow and return those. Have a nice night Ichimatsu.”
Already heading toward the door after grabbing his own clothes, he tossed out a dismissive and distracted “okay.” He was trying to leave as fast as possible, so her words didn’t quite sink in yet. Pulling out the umbrella to shield himself from the rain, he sped walked away from the little flower shop.
When he was a good distance away, the scent of the sweatshirt that wasn’t his let made the situation sink in. He was going to have to go back tomorrow. Talk to Ayaka again to return her things.
His face warmed and the journey home had felt a little longer