Our Mask [Shinso Hitoshi X Reader]

Chapter 7 - Heart to Heart

Your ringtone rang relentlessly despite how many times you ignored it. It started driving you crazy on its fourth go and you finally got out of bed,  taking your phone from the kitchen counter. It read 7 am. The number calling wasn't yet saved but you recognized some of the numbers and knew who it was.

"What", your voice came out unfiltered and in a grumble. You heard a chuckle at the other end of the phone.

"You up?"

"I'm gonna hang up",you announced. Shinso only laughed at your grumpy threat.

"Sorry, princess. I'll be dropping off Smudge in a few minutes. Don't fall back asleep", he said the last sentence with more sincerity than playfulness and you almost got offended that he thought you'd be irresponsible to fall asleep while waiting for him.

Then again, it was 7 am, so it wasn't impossible. You set your phone to charge and opened the door so Shinso could walk in whenever he got there. It wasn't as though he'd never been there so there wasn't anything to shy away from. The fact that he'd already been to your living room meant he already knew what you whole place looked like.

You decided to wait for Shinso at the door, leaning your head against the door frame in your spirit of sleepiness. The small action alone caused the full weight of your tiredness to set back in and you were having a hard time staying awake.

Shinso finally came out with a familiar box in his hands and you couldn't help but smile through the drowsiness.

"Morning,princess", he muttered fairly quietly. Whether it was out of respect to the drowsy cat or the drowsy you, you didn't know.

"Morning, Shinso", you smiled at him. Your earlier moodiness had gone away when you laid eyes on the box and actually seeing Smudge only prompted more happiness in you. You opened your arms and let him place the box between them. The man stood quietly as you both observed the cat; it was a peaceful quiet the two of you were sharing and he enjoyed the opportunity for it before going to work.

"I'm leaving my door unlocked", he broke the silence. You turned to him questioningly and he took it as a sign to continue,"I put his nursing kit in the box but in case you need anything else, I'm leaving my door unlocked so you can get it. Otherwise, you'll have to buy it and I'll have to pay you back, right?", he recalled your words from last night. 

You smiled at how seriously he took your words. It was something you appreciated about him and you'd be lying if you said it didn't give you a fuzzy feeling somewhere in your chest.

"Thank you, Shinso", you smiled.

"Hitoshi", he said soon after. Your smile dropped in surprise but your eyebrows shot up and Shinso was quick to elaborate,"you should call me Hitoshi. You let me call you (Name) so it's only fair you call me by my first name."

"O-Oh. Right. Well, again, thank you, Hitoshi."

 His first name sounded a bit foreign rolling off your tongue to you but the purple-eyed man in front of you broke out into a soft smile that you rarely saw on him. It only made you smile back at him. 

With great reluctance, Hitoshi uttered a quick goodbye and spared one last glance at Smudge before descending the stairs.

"Now what am I going to do with you, you big cutie patootie?" you shamelessly baby-talked the kitten in a low voice. Hitoshi, still in hearing range, laughed.

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You'd changed into a comfy crop top shortly after getting Smudge and judging by the time, Hitoshi would be picking the kitten up any minute now. You were looking intently at the kitten's eyes as you could've sworn they looked the tiniest bit less scrunched than yesterday when you heard a familar set of knocks.