Mind Over Matter: A Request Prompt

2012
A’s Office – Headquarters
Tokyo, Japan

Olsen hummed as he walked around the office, sipping from his paper cup. He didn’t really know why others preferred coffee over tea – tea was much healthier, more energizing than the damned bean water. He tried defending his case to Peters, but the American shot him a look from his own cup of black.

So he scampered away, slightly dejected but amused at the same time. His footsteps slowed to a stop as he reached a familiar lady’s office, and he smiled to himself before knocking.

“Daily reminder to not drink during work,” he sang. Usually, he would receive a snarky reply and he’d laugh as he walked inside to visit her. Those happened on usual days – even if she were swamped with cases.

But she didn’t reply at all. So he knocked once again, and he eventually heard a mumbled answer. Upon stepping inside, the first thing he noticed was the tissues that were discarded quickly.

And her eyes were red around the edges.

“You look awfully sad this morning,” the brunette commented. A blinked and looked up at Olsen, who attempted at a smile as he raised his cup of tea to her. Where he got the tea, she didn’t quite know. “Would you like a cuppa? I can get you some in the shop nearby,” he offered.

A wanted to decline, to tell him that everything was fine.

 Peters poked in his head, smelling of nicotine. The scent of it made her clench her fists under the desk. “Take a break, A. Touta asked me to tell you that.” Olsen studied her worriedly and A sighed loudly, grabbing for her bag and rising from her desk.

“Fine. I’ll go out.” Without waiting for either of the men, she stormed out of her office, leaving the two men flabbergasted on what had just occurred. Narrowing his eyes, Peters turned to Olsen.

“…I don’t understand what’s wrong with her,” the Brit muttered, but Peters merely shook his head.

“Go after her, Sawyer. Best not leave her by herself.”

“Why not you?”

Peters merely shook his head.

“Trust me; she needs someone else right now.”

The Beginning: A Caffè Americano Challenge Short

“Happy birthday, Peters!”

He turned around in surprise, spotting A rushing to him with Mack and Touta on her heels. She smiled this time (which surprised him – since when did she smile?) and shoved something into his hands, something large and heavy and bottle-shaped. He threw the woman a look.

“Is this alcohol–”

“No take backs. This is *good* alcohol.” Mack clasped Peters on the back and handed something square, this time wrapped in red paper with a golden ribbon affixed on top.

“Enjoy this, assbite.”

Peters said nothing. Touta came forward next, holding something small this time, smaller than the square parcel. “I can’t believe you’re twenty-six,” the Japanese said in disbelief. “You don’t look that old.”

“Drinking from the fountain of youth,” he replied with a smirk. A rolled her eyes.

“Or actually eating healthy and working out on a regular basis.” She poked his arm.

“That too. Thanks, really – I told you not to get me anything,” Peters defended. It was true – he had specifically requested for no gifts. He wasn’t the type of person who would hold a grudge if he received nothing on his birthday. Mack shrugged.

“Touta and A wanted to, so I tagged along. Wasn’t supposed to get you something to make you happy, but I found that,” he nodded at the square, “And thought you’d like it. So accept them. No take backs, as A said, or she’ll skin you alive.”

Smells Like Sunshine

Touta combed back his wet hair, grinning and catching the beach ball that Peters threw. “Oi A, come join us! It’s not fun if you keep in the shade for the whole day,” he called to their other teammate, watching in disbelief as she read a magazine under an umbrella, waving off offers from other men to give her a drink from the beach bar. “I don’t think she can hear us,” he told Peters, who frowned and got out of the water. Touta blinked in surprise. “Hold on, what are you doing?”

“Watch me.”

And at that, a screaming match ensured between the two agents.

“What the hell – Peters, put me down!”

“You have to get in the water, now stop whining.”

“You idiot – I told you to let go of me, the sunblock hasn’t settled in!”

“It already settled! You’re wasting the opportunity, A.”

“The only opportunity I want is sipping a mango smoothie under the su-”

Touta cringed upon seeing her land in the water.

“…did you have to throw her?”

“Maybe,” Peters shrugged, coming back.

“Hold on, where did you throw her?” he pointed a little bit east.

“Did you see a person flying in the air? She was in a magenta bikini,” Olsen interrupted, swimming up to them. Peters laughed and Olsen wore a look of confusion on his face, eyes widening as Peters suddenly sank into the water, as if pulled by something…or someone.

He looked at Touta, who remained impassive.

“Aren’t you going to do anything?” he asked, referring to the two who were wrestling in the water.

“They’ll get over it,” the Japanese laughed.