Bokuaka - The accuracy of destiny - Angst/Fluff

Interrupting the process of forgetting

"Here you are.", I said, while placing a mug filled with latte macchiato and a teaspoon full of sugar in front of Mia on the table. "Thank you, Akaashi-kun.", Mia responded, while grabbing the handle of the mug and taking a sip. She smiled in approval of the taste and placed the mug back on the table as she waited for me to settle down. So, I grabbed my own cup of black coffee with both hands and sat down on a chair in front of her, only separated by my kitchen table. I could feel the warmth creep through my frozen fingers and shivered a little at the feeling. I took a sip on my own and tasted the bitter aroma on my tongue and felt the warmth flow down my throat, when I swallowed, warming my stomach once it reached it. While I was drinking, I glanced at Mia over the rim of my mug and mentioned for her to speak, curious what news she might have.

"So, I can see you are feeling much better now. Are you still sick?", Mia asked a little concerned. "No, I am fine now. Thank you.", I responded and inwardly cringed at my dry answer. I have never been good at small talk, so I send her a slight smile as apology. "Good, I was really worried. Especially after you didn't draw for a week. You never had such a long break, normally someone needs to pull you away from your atelier.", my manager continued, underlying some questions in her tone that I really didn't want to answer. So, I raised my hands and hid my face in my mug, while I mumbled into my coffee: "I didn't feel that well.", hinting that my sickness was the reason for my lack of drawing which was not even the slightest true. Since Mia once had to put force on me in order to pull me away from my canvas while I had been coughing with 39°C (102,2°F) fever, she knew that the sickness was not the reason I didn't draw, but she knew it meant for her to stop asking questions.

"Well, I am glad you're feeling better. Especially since I hate to represent you at this official events. Ugh, just by thinking about standing on a stage like yesterday, makes me nervous. By the way, I got your trophy in my car, so I can give it to you later.", Mia subtly tried to change the topic, which I was really thankful for. Not really caring about that piece of metal I just nodded and said: "Yes, Thank you, Mia-kun. And I am sorry you had to do that yesterday.". At this, Mia set down her mug after she was just in the middle of taking a sip and waved her hands in dismissal, frantically swallowing her coffee, before she hurriedly exclaimed: "No, no. It's fine. I don't really mind that. And it's my job after all. At least I could meet some interesting people.". At the last words she paused and smiled a little.

"Actually, that's the thing I wanted to talk to you about.", she continued. I raised an eyebrow in worry. "About your job?", I asked. Again, Mia was shocked, and her eyes were as big as the rim of her mug, while she was waving her hands and she yelled: "No, no not that. God, no.". At that I felt relieved. I didn't know what I would do without Mia. She was a reliable and undemanding employer and a friend I am trusting, which was both rare in this world. So, instead I nodded slightly and waited for her to continue talking. "No, I wanted to talk about the people I met at the gala yesterday.", she continued finally. That peaked my interest, as Mia has never been interested in any celebrity and after she once met a very... intimate artist at one of those events, who asked her to 'paint a picture with their bodies' she wasn't thrilled to meet the people there.

Luckily, she didn't seem like whatever meeting she had was traumatic or even uncomfortable. I would have never forgiven myself, if something happened to her at one of those events and I wasn't there to protect her. But somehow, I felt a goosebump crawling over my skin, like I had some kind of presentiment. "Well, who did you meet?", was obviously my next question as I saw a little smirk appear on Mia's face, which was a rather unusual sight on the once shy woman's face. "Well, there was this really handsome man asking for a date with you.", she continued. At that my eyebrows rose slightly. It happened sometimes, that I was asked on a date, mostly with the intention of a one-night stand or a friends-with-benefits relationship as a distraction until their real, destined partner came around and I would be dumped. Not that it had happened to me, but only because I didn't let it happen. I would just feel disgusting to be used like that, so I rather stayed virgin, not really needing or wanting sex anyway.