"I've been told, I've been told to get you off my mind. But I hope I never lose the bruised that you left behind. Oh my lord, oh my lord I need you by my side." With a deep breath she let the meaning of the words pour through, showing herself raw and open to the room. "There must be something in the water 'cause every day, it's getting colder. And if only I could hold you. You'd keep my head from going under."
Warnings: swearing, ol mate gets a bit touchy feely with Ichiyo but it’s not S/A but keeping it in the warnings just in case
There was something unnerving about working at the mafia. Ichiyo didn't really know how she felt about it but she knew she didn't really belong here... she wasn't the one who fit in, it wasn't a job that suited her expertise even if she was good at covert operations similar to the one she was on currently.
Hirotsu and Tachihara were sat in the crowd, watching as their hit (Yamada Rui) was surrounded by some women and men listening to the sombre music playing on the small stage.
Akutagawa was off to the side, away from people, watching from a distance. Gin was nearby watching as well.
Higuchi however made herself a part of the small crowd around the man- he'd taken a liking immediately which she supposed was good. Unlike the others who wore their usual she'd dressed up a little- this was her mission from Mori after all, the others only joined because they heard about what she was doing and surprised her by meeting her outside the venue....
It wasn't a mission they would usually do but they needed as much information on their hit as they could and them enjoying sad and emotional music seemed to be a good place to start. Higuchi was just thankful she actually knew how to play piano and sing.
"I quite love this music, so emotive, so fulfilling. What do you think my dear?" He asked, hand grazing the small of her back.
"I think it's just wonderful... could I tell you a secret sir?" She asked the teasing tone reverberating through the coms set. Tachihara gave a scoff.
"Oh do tell my dear." He said pulling her even closer as he looked her up and down, the short dress enticing him further.
"I have some skills with music myself." Another scoff though perhaps from Akutagawa. The hit raised his brow. "When I was younger my grandmother wanted me to be... perfect and that included piano and singing."
"How did she make sure you were perfect? Is it the reason your only showing your legs?"
Higuchi felt a flush cover her face.
"She is a matriarch through and through." She answered. The man hummed, hand dropping to her exposed thigh.
"I must ask you to show me." He said.
"Now or... for a private show?"
"Now if you aren't scared." He breathed.
"I can prove I'm skilled with my hands." She purred. "As a pianist of course."
A gag came loud and clear through the coms device nearly making Higuchi flinch... truly could Tachihara not control his reactions? With a quick glance upward she spotted Hirotsu smack him on the head- now that's hilarious.
With a squeeze on her thigh their hit waves his hand signalling to the current performer to finish. They stood and bowed.
"Show me a song that strikes you deep." He smiled, a smack to her behind following. She gave a sharp glare towards her unwanted teammates as a signal of sorts as she stepped on the stage.
With a fluttering bow and a sultry smile she seated herself on the piano, microphone settled by her, and she sat poised and ready to play- this was the perfect spot to watch their hit from... especially as his gang members began to whisper in his ear.
With a quick shift of her dress and movement of her puffed sleeves she placed her hands on the piano and began to play.
"I'll start with a concerto, something simple to show off my skills." She said, looking him right in the eye- Higuchi spotted Akutagawa moving so he was in her line of sight, even he watched as she played so beautifully. After a few minutes she spoke again, each key and note change making the room fall silent.
"Then I'll follow into a minor piece composed by my grandfather. It's called the Falling Flowers piece."
She could hear Hirotsu's quiet praises... a surprise if she's honest since she knows that when the other superiors aren't around they - she shook her head lightly removing negative thoughts as she looked on towards Yamada.
He cocked his head, blond hair moving as he did. A signal to play something deeper, more moving. She nodded and dared a glance at Akutagawa.
"This one.. I wrote after I was taken in by my parents, after mother told her story on how she met my father.... Though the words... used to hurt a lot more." She said, the tempo changing, slowing, steadying. As she played she started with a hum, low and inviting before turning into lyrics.
The audience sat, watching, eyes widened, listening intently.....
"Counting days, counting days since my love up and got lost on me. And every breath that I've been taken since you left feels like a waste on me." She found her voice trembled just that little bit as she remembered her song. "I've been holding onto hope that you'll come back when you can find some piece. 'Cause every word that I've heard spoken since you left felt like a hollow street."
The piano rang throughout the room- even her comrades watched and listened to her song.
"I've been told, I've been told to get you off my mind. But I hope I never lose the bruises that you left behind. Oh my lord, oh my lord I need you by my side."
With a deep breath she let the meaning of the words pour through, showing herself raw and open to the room.
"There must be something in the water 'cause every day, it's getting colder. And if only I could hold you. You'd keep my head from going under." Again she breathed a stillness falling throughout the room....
Then the fighting broke out- Yamada lunging for Higuchi wrapping his hand around her throat.
~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~
Higuchi's eyes snapped open, finding herself unable to breathe, the man above her far to strong and she far too weak in comparison. Yamada had used his ability to keep her from fighting back, he snarled as he noticed her begin to struggle and so he wrapped his hands tighter around her thin neck, choking her more as he straddled her body. She clawed and scratched, tears welling in her eyes searching for anyone nearby.
They'd been sent to infiltrate a drug scheme, mafia or not Mori wasn't a fan of drugs such as these especially when run by an ability user who could make you think you were doing something else as he killed you... his mistake was having her think she was in a club playing piano while on a mission (she'd never play piano for anyone not even if it was a means of survival). Hirotsu, Gin and Tachihara were sent out along with Akutagawa and herself... she didn't want to die but she could see no one would be coming to her.
"Die you mafia bitch." Yamada growled tightening his hands more around her throat. He was too large, too strong and she couldn't breathe. She began to feel lightheaded, fingers and toes fuzzing over the lack of oxygen.
"Not even your team is coming to save you." He laughed. "How pathetic you must be to them."
Her nails continued to dig into his skin as she willed herself to survive. He'd thrown her guns away as soon as she'd been overpowered.
Her right hand dropped landing on a sharp piece of concrete, a piece that'd surely broken when she'd been (unknowingly) slammed into the wall by him. With more tears welling and blackness peeking into the corners of her eyes she gripped the concrete and smashed it into his arm- his face too far away.
Yamada pulled back, his grip loosening as she went to hit him again. Sucking in a deep breath she let out a sob as she tried to pushed him off her, the piece of concrete still gripped tightly in her hands cutting at the skin.
She looked to the side... no one was coming to her. Not the Black Lizard, not Akutagawa... no one. So much for being a commander. She grinned- ah so much for respect.
"Why you... why are you smiling while you cry?" Even Yamada seemed confused, "Stop smiling you crazy bitch and die!" This caught the attention of those she'd wished had helped her before- they weren't even busy enough to not have tried to help. Gripping the concrete tighter she swung again into the large man's ribs. He fell back with a yelp. She sobbed again, the pain begging her to stop. Pushing him back she willed herself to survive just as she always had. Just as she always will.
The concrete made contact with his leg next, then his stomach. He used his arm that she didn't hit to grab at her but she just pushed her other hand into the open wound in his stomach making him cry out.
Higuchi began to laugh... a maniacal laugh, one of sadness and anger as she finally slammed the concrete piece into his temple.
Her will of survival will always outrank anything life throws her way, will overpower her need to people please, she's in the mafia she knows this and... after all being in one does come with a cost.
Once the large man was down she rose from the floor, a little disoriented from the lack of oxygen but aware enough to spot her gun she thought he'd thrown further away. Picking it up she carefully checked the bullets, turned, and shot him in the head.. just to make sure.
She was silent, angry, sad- she really didn't know which emotion was controlling her right now as she stalked towards the Black Lizard members who had conveniently finished their fights just as she was about to give up... Akutagawa wasn't anywhere in sight though.
Hirotsu watched calmly, the emotionless face she showed was unordinary, but he was certain she must have just been tired after-all fighting a man that large would be tiring.
"Hig-" she walked passed him shouldering him as she did and left the warehouse without a word to any of them. Not to Hirotsu or Gin or Tachihara.
She opened the car door, the one she'd driven in with them all and sat herself in the driver's seat and waited just as she always did. A few minutes later her team arrived and piled into the car. Akutagawa decidedly took the passenger seat while the other three piled into the back of the black van.
Higuchi started the car, hands still shaking and neck throbbing and drove them back to the Port Mafia base.
"Did everyone complete their tasks?" Akutagawa asked- as if he'd stayed long enough to even do anything par blow up the cars filled with drugs.
"Yes got the files, had a brawl all went smoothly." Tachihara gleamed. "Only needed the five of us it was a piece of cake.
Higuchi did wonder why Mori even sent her in the first place..
"I managed to secure the money and left Gin to deal with some underlings, so assume they're dead." Hirotsu said politely.
"And you?" Akutagawa asked.
"Higuchi answer boss." Tachihara prodded, poking the drivers ribs.
She hissed quietly and flinched, when Yamada had thrown her into the wall she must have bruised them.
He said boss as though she wasn't his superior too... she was also a part of the command unit.
"Higuchi-" she levelled a cold stare through the mirror at the noisy red head and just pointed at her neck as if to appease them as if to say my throat got crushed can't speak sorry... though really she wanted to say I saw you stand there and do nothing.
"What happened then?" As usual Akutagawa ignored her, as usual she was cast aside- she's surprised he didn't make her pull over just so he could slap her for being ignorant as usual... though as much as it pained her she knew he would if he wanted to.
She gripped the steering wheel harder and made to reach the headquarters as fast as possible- there was no traffic anyway.
"Higuchi was having trouble fighting one of them- might have been Yamada. I probably would have beaten him in no time." Tachihara mocked.
Mock away- she thought, Ichiyo isn't quite all here right now.
Try all her might, she barely managed to block out the mocks and jeers as they arrived at headquarters and dropped the keys into Akutagawa's hands. Just as before she was quick to leave, silent and unwilling to speak. She stepped into the building and made for the elevator; she didn't care how close behind they were.
Stepping in she hit the button for the medical floor only pausing long enough for the others to step in. Higuchi decided to lean against the nearest wall and shut her eyes, she was tired, sore, and running on adrenaline alone- she prayed that the elevator reached the floor she wanted quickly.
Higuchi wanted to scoff, her mind flitting back and forth between memories of her life before joining and to the way she is treated by those under her...
Who cares if she had been covered in blood, who cares if she was almost choked to death. Who cares about Ichiyo Higuchi.
No one cares about her... so maybe... just maybe it's time they met the woman under the mask. Natsuko wasn't as patient or kind as Ichiyo.
