24 Fic: Of Mylar and Men 1/1 (Karen/Bill)
Title: Of Mylar and Men
Fandom: 24
Characters: Karen Hayes/Bill Buchanan
Prompt: #091. Birthday.
Word Count: 682
Rating: PG
Summary: It’s someone’s birthday, but it’s not quite a celebration...yet.
Author's Notes: Can I just say I am so glad to finally finish something for these two? No spoilers, flufftastic.
They said all women had secrets, but she only had one. She couldn’t keep it from friends, although she often tried just by refusing to discuss it. She definitely kept it from her co-workers, since the thought alone made her cringe. She didn’t want a party, a silly hat, or even a cupcake. She even avoided telling her boyfriends because she just didn’t want it to be a big deal. Her birthday was just a day.
Until Bill found out, of course. No doubt he’d read it in her file when they first met, but for some reason he’d chosen to remember it into their courtship. He liked doing that to her, surprising her and ruffling her feathers since she claimed to be unflappable. In this case she wasn’t especially surprised.
Mortified was more the word for it, really. What else could she say about walking into her office to find almost fifty balloons of every shape and size? While that might have been acceptable, the largest one that proudly shouted it was her birthday just took the cake.
Her admin, of course, thought it was hilarious. The chuckles continued when she wasn’t exactly quiet in stating her intentions to kill Bill Buchanan.
“Don’t be thaaat way, Karen. It’s sweet. How many other boyfriends have you had give you balloons on your birthday?”
She cringed. “Don’t say that word again.”
“Which word? Boyfriend? Or biiiirthday?”
Punching a balloon out of the way, she rolled her eyes. “Either one. Both, preferably.”
Laura laughed again. “It’s not that bad. It’s not like he put it in the company newsletter.”
“Only because we don’t have one,” she sighed, pushing one of the offending mylar monstrosities out of her way. “Okay, let’s just get back to work. Before he sends me a singing telegram or something equally ridiculous.”
Laura’s laughter remained even after she’d gone back to her desk.
Alone with the balloons, she could only shake her head. “Why, Bill? Singing in a restaurant wouldn’t suffice?”
She had to wonder if he’d bugged her office as well, because his name popped up on her cell phone’s caller ID almost as soon as the words had left her mouth.
“Cute, Bill.”
His low, hearty laugh made her shift in her chair, just a touch. “It’s your birthday, Karen, did you really expect to get off easy?”
“With you around? Never. I could only hope.”
“Well I’m glad I didn’t disappoint.”
She might have rolled her eyes, but she was definitely smiling. “So is this my birthday gift, or can I expect dinner tonight?”
Bill laughed again, unfazed by her questioning. “Perhaps. You’ll have to wait and see, though.”
Of course she would. It would be too hard for her to get an answer now.
“Just trust me, Karen. Relax and enjoy your birthday.”
“Bill, I haven’t enjoyed a birthday since I was a child.” When she said it like that it sounded so sad, but she had to continue, “It’s just another day.”
“We’ll see about that. I’ll pick you up after work. Don’t be a grouch, it’ll make my life harder.”
She rolled her eyes. “Fine. See you later. And stop tapping into the cameras in my office, that’s cheating.”
“Karen, I’m hurt. Do you think I’d abuse my power like that?”
That earned a grin. “You? Abuse your power? Never. You’re the model of professionalism.” She shook her head. “Okay, go away now. I have work to do.”
She hadn’t even logged into her computer yet, which he no doubt knew. Even if he wasn’t bugging her office, or using the security camera to watch her reaction, he knew her routine too well.
“Of course you do, Karen.” He sounded amused again. “I’ll see you later.”
“See you later, Bill.”
“And, Karen?”
“Hmm?” She took a slow sip of her coffee.
“Happy Bir-“
“Don’t say it, Bill,” she warned, knowing he was going to do it anyway.
“-day.”
“Goodbye, Bill.”
Still, she was smiling at her balloons when she lowered the phone. Maybe he would win her over about a birthday celebration after all.
Fandom: 24
Characters: Karen Hayes/Bill Buchanan
Prompt: #091. Birthday.
Word Count: 682
Rating: PG
Summary: It’s someone’s birthday, but it’s not quite a celebration...yet.
Author's Notes: Can I just say I am so glad to finally finish something for these two? No spoilers, flufftastic.
They said all women had secrets, but she only had one. She couldn’t keep it from friends, although she often tried just by refusing to discuss it. She definitely kept it from her co-workers, since the thought alone made her cringe. She didn’t want a party, a silly hat, or even a cupcake. She even avoided telling her boyfriends because she just didn’t want it to be a big deal. Her birthday was just a day.
Until Bill found out, of course. No doubt he’d read it in her file when they first met, but for some reason he’d chosen to remember it into their courtship. He liked doing that to her, surprising her and ruffling her feathers since she claimed to be unflappable. In this case she wasn’t especially surprised.
Mortified was more the word for it, really. What else could she say about walking into her office to find almost fifty balloons of every shape and size? While that might have been acceptable, the largest one that proudly shouted it was her birthday just took the cake.
Her admin, of course, thought it was hilarious. The chuckles continued when she wasn’t exactly quiet in stating her intentions to kill Bill Buchanan.
“Don’t be thaaat way, Karen. It’s sweet. How many other boyfriends have you had give you balloons on your birthday?”
She cringed. “Don’t say that word again.”
“Which word? Boyfriend? Or biiiirthday?”
Punching a balloon out of the way, she rolled her eyes. “Either one. Both, preferably.”
Laura laughed again. “It’s not that bad. It’s not like he put it in the company newsletter.”
“Only because we don’t have one,” she sighed, pushing one of the offending mylar monstrosities out of her way. “Okay, let’s just get back to work. Before he sends me a singing telegram or something equally ridiculous.”
Laura’s laughter remained even after she’d gone back to her desk.
Alone with the balloons, she could only shake her head. “Why, Bill? Singing in a restaurant wouldn’t suffice?”
She had to wonder if he’d bugged her office as well, because his name popped up on her cell phone’s caller ID almost as soon as the words had left her mouth.
“Cute, Bill.”
His low, hearty laugh made her shift in her chair, just a touch. “It’s your birthday, Karen, did you really expect to get off easy?”
“With you around? Never. I could only hope.”
“Well I’m glad I didn’t disappoint.”
She might have rolled her eyes, but she was definitely smiling. “So is this my birthday gift, or can I expect dinner tonight?”
Bill laughed again, unfazed by her questioning. “Perhaps. You’ll have to wait and see, though.”
Of course she would. It would be too hard for her to get an answer now.
“Just trust me, Karen. Relax and enjoy your birthday.”
“Bill, I haven’t enjoyed a birthday since I was a child.” When she said it like that it sounded so sad, but she had to continue, “It’s just another day.”
“We’ll see about that. I’ll pick you up after work. Don’t be a grouch, it’ll make my life harder.”
She rolled her eyes. “Fine. See you later. And stop tapping into the cameras in my office, that’s cheating.”
“Karen, I’m hurt. Do you think I’d abuse my power like that?”
That earned a grin. “You? Abuse your power? Never. You’re the model of professionalism.” She shook her head. “Okay, go away now. I have work to do.”
She hadn’t even logged into her computer yet, which he no doubt knew. Even if he wasn’t bugging her office, or using the security camera to watch her reaction, he knew her routine too well.
“Of course you do, Karen.” He sounded amused again. “I’ll see you later.”
“See you later, Bill.”
“And, Karen?”
“Hmm?” She took a slow sip of her coffee.
“Happy Bir-“
“Don’t say it, Bill,” she warned, knowing he was going to do it anyway.
“-day.”
“Goodbye, Bill.”
Still, she was smiling at her balloons when she lowered the phone. Maybe he would win her over about a birthday celebration after all.