Todomomo Oneshots

One Day

A/N: Uhh, so, I started this story in June, wrote a couple hundred words, and then forgot about it until this past week. But yeah, please enjoy another Todomomo oneshot. It's meant to be kind of ambiguous and repetitive. I wanted to write about how sometimes we can fall into routines and it can be random things that break them. But also how sometimes we can want change but instead just watch things pass until maybe deciding to do something about it. Wasn't sure about the title, might change it in the future.
Quirkless, Adult AU
Word Count: 1316

She comes every weekday at the same time. She gets the same drink, a tall white chocolate mocha, with the same treat, a chocolate croissant. She sits at the same table near the back of the shop, and looks out the same window, watching the people pass by. This pattern of hers had become a ritual of sorts. Nothing changed. Like the rest of her life.
Wake up.
Work.
Coffee shop.
Home.
Sleep.
Nothing ever changed. And she was content. She was content with watching people pass by her, watching others' lives change as hers remained stagnant.
Was this where she'd meant to end up? She couldn't say for sure.

He walks by the coffee shop every weekday at the same time, on his way home from work. Always rushing, eyes focused on the ground. Not bothering to look up, only mumbling apologies to anyone he might bump into. Getting home was his only goal. It never changed. Each day, he found himself following the same path, hurrying towards his destination with no real reason. Nothing was changing.
Wake up.
Work.
Coffee shop.
Home.
Sleep.
Nothing was changing. And he was content. He was content being a spectator to the game of change everyone else seemed to be playing.
Did he wish something was different? He didn't know.

Today she is watching him pass by the shop. Having seen him walk by multiple times, she'd never bothered to focus on him. Until now.

Maybe it was something in the way the light bounced off his white and red hair, the colors bright in stark contrast to the muted colors outside. Her gaze tracked the brightness as he hurried by past the window, a curious expression on her face.

She begins to wonder what life is like for him, where he is hurrying to. Perhaps he is going home, to a wife and kids. Maybe he has a pet, a dog waiting to greet him with a shoe or a cat who would give him a lazy mrow. Maybe he is off to see family. Does he have siblings? Or perhaps he is off to a gathering of friends.

She finishes her drink, breaking her train of thought. As she gets up to leave she wonders, would she see him tomorrow? She feels like she knows the answer though.

He always passes by at the same time, and she will be sitting by the same window.

But would she notice him tomorrow?
She didn't know.

His commute is the same as it had been in the days past, the same it will be in the days that will come. But today he looks up for once, taking his eyes off the path in front of him to look to the sides.

Maybe it was the snow softly falling from the sky, coating the world in all the same color. But for the first time, he sees her. The warm glow of the coffee shop shining through the window, cutting through the gray aura of the snow, illuminating the woman sitting at the table. He sees her dark hair pulled up into a ponytail, her fascinated expression as she looks to some place in the distance. His step slows slightly as he passes her, a curious expression on his face.

He wonders her life is like. Is she waiting to meet someone? A lover, a friend, a family member, maybe? What kind of coffee does she like? Or perhaps she prefers tea. Does she enjoy the treats they serve?

He reaches the station. His thoughts are interrupted. He boards the train and wonders, would he see her tomorrow? He knows he will be walking by the same place at the same time.
But would she be there again?
Would he even look up again in the first place?
He doesn't know.

The next day comes and the man catches her attention once again. She sees the white, the red. The red that seems spill over onto his face. She watches him as he disappears into the crowd, her thoughts again full of questions.
What is he like? Is he nice? Funny? What type of job does he have? Does he like it? What caused his scar?

What if she talked to him? Could they get along well?

She lets out a soft sigh as she finishes her drink, her moment of curiosity over. Again she briefly ponders if she would see him the next day before then returning to her routine and heading home.

He walks by the coffee store as he does everyday. But his eyes remain focused on the ground, as they har everyday in the past.
Except for yesterday.
But the snow is not falling today and he does not look up.

And so it goes.

Days, weeks, months pass.

She continues to notice him. It became part of her routine, a pleasant one. For that short period of time, she would think about him, the peppermint stanger walking somewhere.

How had his day been, how was his family? Was his job going well?

What if she talked to him one day? What if they had coffee together someday? What if they became friends?

What if-...

She would dream of changes, maybe she did want something new in life.
She would dream, but then, back to her routine. The same old, same old, just like always.

He continues to hurry for no reason. Staying in routine. Just going on with his own life. But brief moments interrupt. When the sky opens up and the world is drenched in the colors of rain or snow, he looks up. He looks up and sees her, the warm glow of the coffee shop lights framing her.

He sees her and wonders, wonders about this raven haired stanger and what she might be waiting for.

Does she always get the same drink? Has she had a good day, a good week? How were her friends, family, the person she could possibly be waiting fior?

What if he stopped and decided to visit the shop? What if he said hi? What if they could become friends?

What if...

But the moments always end. These desires for change are pushed to the back of his mind after he passes her. He continues on his way.

And before either of them realize it, it is winter once more. And she is reminded of when she first saw him. A single figure amongst many, just another person trying to get through life. A man hurrying through the crowds who just so happened to catch her attention that one snowy day.

A snowy day just like this one.

A snowy day and he sees her again. And he wonders once more about her. He only every thought to look at the world when everything was colored the same. But then he saw her, standing out from the sameness of the rest of his world. This person who has grabbed his attention and he doesn't know what to do about it.

But today he stops.
He stops by the door of the coffee shop.
And he opens that door.

Why?

She is startled, confused, interested, her routine broken as she sees him enter. An unexpected development, she watches as he orders. The figure she had seen through the window now closer than she would have ever thought.

He recieves his drink and she sees him pause as he looks around. But then his gaze focuses on her and she is lost.

Neither of them know what they are doing, neither know what to expect.

But he walks up to her, wearing a nervous expression.

The change both had gradually come to desire was within their reach a the first step had been taken.

The two strangers who somehow ended up a part of the other's life are now face to face.

Their gazes meet and-