Work Text:
Erika gave Ayako a pat on the head as she set the pair of scissors down. “You’re all done, do you like it?” The little girl was grinning, moving her head from left to right. A mirror had been set up in front of one of the school desks, letting the children see what Erika was doing as she gave them haircuts. “I love it! Thank you so much, aunt Ichikawa!” Ayako stood and gave her a quick side hug before running off.
Erika hummed to herself as she packed away the scissors and various combs she had been using. Once everything was away, she stood. Her knees hurt from kneeling on the tatami floors for so long. She stretched, arms lifting over her head. Her arms dropped when she noticed Kiryu watching her. Erika gave him a small smile. “You want a cut, too?” He shook his head and stepped further into the room. “I can cut yours.” He said, watching as she grabbed a broom to begin sweeping.
Erika frowned and ran a hand over her hair. It had gotten longer since she moved to Okinawa. Being a hostess meant she kept her hair short, but helping run an orphanage gave her better things to worry about. She played with the ends of her hair for a few moments before looking at him. “I’m going to let it grow out.” She had told Kiryu about her clients back in Osaka, about why she only ever let her hair cover the top of her ears. The feared dragon of Dojima pulled a yellow scrunchie from his wrist and offered it to her. “You’ll need this, then.” Erika took it with a wide smile, enjoying the feeling of their fingers touching. “Thank you, Kazuma.”
She slipped it onto her own wrist before holding the broom with both hands and starting to clean up the collection of hair on the floor. Erika heard Kiryu walk away, then stop. She looked up to see him staring at her intensely. “Kazuma?”
“I like it. It’s…nice.” A blush fell on both of their cheeks. Erika could say it was the sunset but they both knew it wasn’t. Before she could reply, he quickly walked down the hall. Erika smiled to herself and started humming again, sweeping the floor and imagining what her hair will look like months down the line.