Inside Jokes and the Consequences that Follow

1. Akutagawa is a Secret Dork

Hello! I hope y'all enjoy this first chapter to Inside Jokes and the Consequences that Follow, featuring Akutagawa Ryunosuke and Higuchi Ichiyo crushing over you. Please read the note in the summary for this series because it explains a few things! But thank you for giving this a read :) The perspective throughout the story is Akutagawa's and Higuchi's unless stated otherwise.

Akutagawa Ryunosuke x fem!Reader x Higuchi Ichiyo Warnings: Cursing, bad flirting, some ooc for characters
Word Count: 3k

Higuchi was amazed and slightly pissed off that Akutagawa managed to make a friend without her around and without her knowledge. As his assistant and bodyguard, she was practically around him all day and all night (when they were working), so it came as a shock when Akutagawa mentioned that his friend would be coming to his apartment in a few minutes.

Normally, Higuchi wouldn't be in his apartment, but it was a special day, since Chuuya had stopped by earlier to discuss and drop of some documents for the team to review. Higuchi was usually the one who wrote down all the notes for what Chuuya had to say, so she stayed in the room, writing down everything. Once he left was the time Akutagawa spoke up and told her of his friend.

"A friend? Really?" She mumbled quietly, surprised at the word coming out of her mouth. When did Akutagawa have friends? Never. He barely called Higuchi a friend after working together for two years, and after countless times of saving his life (even though he claimed he didn't need the help).

"Yes, really. You can stay, I guess." Akutagawa replied, ignoring the stunned look on Higuchi's features. She froze at the response, wondering if what he said was just a joke or not or if she should laugh – but she quickly pushed that thought away, since if she did laugh, she might upset him. She never wanted to upset him or anyone else, especially the team and especially the friend that Akutagawa invited over.

She feared that if she were to upset his friend, then somehow it would affect her workstyle and possibly break the trust that Akutagawa formed with her. She knew deep down this wouldn't really happen and that it was just anxiety speaking, but it really did worry her.

"What's your friend like? If you don't mind me asking, of course!" She stumbled out, eyes following Akutagawa as he shrugged back to her, walking to the kitchen.

By his nonchalant answer, Higuchi was more scared than ever, wondering what type of person could be called a friend by Akutagawa. And she wondered if the friend was anything like Gin, his sister. She shuddered quietly at the thought of Gin. She admired her but was equally terrified of her skills, it was incredible.

"Has anyone else in Black Lizard met your friend?" Higuchi called out to him, quickly picking up all the notes and documents off the table into a neat stack. She put them into a folder and then tucked them into her bag, noting that she needed to make copies for everyone else in the team.

"No, she doesn't know about the Port Mafia. She thinks it's just an ongoing joke that we have together that I'm an assassin with omnipotent powers." Akutagawa responded, without batting an eye. Higuchi blanked – almost let out some nervous laughter, hoping that was a joke, but she knew Akutagawa didn't joke.

"But you are an assassin with omnipotent powers..." She whispered, mouth dropping into a very visibly disturbed and confused look. How could this friend not know of the biggest part of Akutagawa's life?

Higuchi has had friends in the past. She doesn't have that many friends now – but she knows what its like to have friends. They're great to have! Incredible, she would say, but so very curious into your life. She lost so many friends because of how interested and nosy they were with her life when she joined the Port Mafia. She even questioned her job in the mafia because of how close they were to figuring out what she did for a living.