So I'm tackling a new pairing for the Fluff Week. More Narumai in the next chapter (hopefully) but definitely there for Friday's prompt.

Houshou and Ayako had a ritual.

Everyday, at exactly 5:30 PM, Houshou would drive to the hospital where Ayako worked and pick her up on his bike. Everyday, Ayako would be waiting for him at her desk, watching the clock tick down the minutes, her fingers itching to grab her jacket and purse.

At 5:30 on the dot, her phone would ring and Ayako would be scrambling out of her seat and rushing out of her office. She would skip out of the building and find Houshou patiently waiting for her, resting against his bike.

They never had any place in mind. The couple had taken to riding around and looking for things to do. Sometimes they would stop for ice cream and just have a laugh. A couple of times they had gone to see a movie. Houshou once took her to the hills where they sat and talked about life, watching the sun set. Everyday it would be something new.

On that particular day Ayako was exhausted due to long working hours, so Houshou took her back to his place where they watched crappy films and ate sushi takeaway. Houshou massaged her feet and painted her toenails her favorite shade of pink. Ayako even allowed him to braid her hair (and he was very good at french braids).

It kept on that way. They tried out a new cafe, they took a trekking trip, they watched another movie, spent another day in- this time, Ayako was the one with the brush and the flowers, working his long hair into a delicate waterfall braid and slipping in the flowers.

One day, Ayako had to work late due to an emergency. She texted Houshou and told him not to pick her up, she had extra hours. He replied with a sad face emoticon and told her to text him when she was done, he'd drop her home.

She replied with an 'okay' and a beaming face.

At 8, Ayako collapsed in her chair and pulled out her phone and texted the brunette man. He replied with a thumbs up emoticon and Ayako grinned down at the message before locking her phone.

However eight turned to nine, and to nine-thirty. Ayako began to panic; Houshou wasn't picking up his phone or replying to his texts. It should have taken him ten minutes on his bike and twenty if he was walking. As of now, he was unreachable.

Ayako's heart thundered in her chest. What if he had gotten mugged? What if he was lying somewhere, bleeding to death? What if he had some kind of seizure? Silent tears dripped out of her eyes as she sat slumped in the lounge.

At 9:57, the hospital doors opened and Houshou limped in. His leather jacket was ripped as were the knees of his jeans. His hands and cheek were both scraped and his long hair was matted with blood.

Ayako threw herself at the man, wrapping her arms around him as she cried in relief. Houshou winced once before returning her embrace and stroking her hair.

Ayako patched him up as they talked. he had been riding down to pick her up when he took a turn rather fast and crashed head on with a car that was coming the wrong way. While he wasn't seriously hurt, he had hit his head and passed out for the better part of ninety minutes and had awoken in a strange house.

The driver of the car had gathered him up and taken Houshou back to his house. He tried to nurse the man back to health but Houshou had excused himself, accepted the apology and dashed for the hospital as fast as he could.

"After all," Houshou told her with a crooked grin. "I thought you might be waiting."

"Everyday." Ayako replied earnestly, placing a quick kiss on his cheek.

R&R?

-M