015 :: seeking solace.

Featuring: Mikage, Ushio
Rating: K+
Genre(s): Hurt/Comfort, Romance
Spoilers: none


"She had him right in her arms, and for a brief moment of whimsy,
She imagined that she was never, ever going to let him go.
"
Jessica Bird, Lover Mine


Mikage never thought she would be over Jack Atlas this quickly, but one particular look-alike, Thomas, stole her heart at first sight.

It was his first day at the Public Security Bureau as a junior assistant, yet he already attracted the gazes of women, young and middle-aged, everywhere. He was very tall, with blonde hair and the most magnetic dark eyes.

"Hey," he had greeted her that morning. "You're… Mikage, right?"

The way his eyes slightly crinkled upwards when he smiled was enamouring. Just one look at him was enough to make her heart beat faster.

Not this again, she bitterly thought to herself. I'm too old to be acting like a teenage schoolgirl… But there was nothing she could do about it. Love had the power to intrude on anyone and control feelings like some kind of sick puppet master.

She had spent the rest of that day thinking about Thomas. Every time she passed by him on the hallway, she would avert her gaze and look at the ground instead.

She would look at anywhere except straight at him.

There was no doubt about it, she was in love with him already. And it had only been two hours since she first saw him. In fact, she didn't even notice Ushio walk by her with a funny look on his face – because apparently, she blatantly looked like she was daydreaming.

Of course, fate was never so much on her side to begin with. After work that same day, she saw him step out of his office with another girl. They were walking out of the building together, where the girl clung onto his arm and he didn't seem to mind. Mikage tried to say goodbye to him, but he walked right past her as if she was just a ghost.

The two lovebirds looked so much in love.

And once again, Mikage found herself ignored, her feelings unreciprocated and left in the dust.

She had to lean onto a wall as she felt her knees starting to buckle under her. What more did she expect? She had unknowingly dug her own hole by falling in love with a man (whom she now discovered was already taken) and now she had to leap in in order to cover up her shameful self. Another one bites the dust again, and, of course, it just had to be her.

She was so preoccupied in her own thoughts, she didn't even notice the sound of footsteps approaching her.

"Mikage," came a voice behind her. It was familiarly coarse – but the gentleness was soothing. She immediately knew who it belonged to.

Without a second thought, she whirled around and wrapped her arms around Ushio's large frame. She could feel him tense up under her, but that only made her tighten her grip. She could feel his arms around her and despite the tears rolling down her face, her mind was slowly clearing – it was as if a tidal wave had swept through her, detoxifying her mind and body of heartbreak.

My place of solace… was right here all along.

She never felt more at peace than she did then.


Sorry for not updating in forever! I had received plenty of PMs and while I appreciate people asking about my whereabouts and showing interest in my work, the truth is that this story and FFnet is nowhere near my priorities. 3D/CG art takes up all my time now, but considering how I still have about 12 chapters that I have written last year, I can still post them.

As always, reviews are always appreciated, and perhaps they can also prompt me to update more frequently from now on.

Thank you all for your patience.
-Winter