On Cupcakes and Difficulty
Title: On Cupcakes and Difficulty
Series: Clamp School Defenders Duklyon and xxxHOLiC
Characters: Kentarou, Takeshi, Himawari
Pairing: Kentarou/Takeshi, sliiiiight Himawari/Someone
Rating: PG
Warning: First time writing Duklyon.
Summary: Himawari offers some bridal advice to her boss.
Notes: Holiday fic for linkeepsitreal, with the request for something between Himawari and Kentarou.
“And here are the papers you requested,” Himawari said, holding out a thick folder.
“Thanks!” Kentarou said, grinning widely. “You’re a real life saver! Sometimes Takepon is so busy being angry at me, he forgets to do parts of his job!” He sighed. “He’s so cute.”
“I’m happy to help,” Himawari said, adjusting her hair. The little bird on her shoulder chirped. Kentarou stared at it, still not used to seeing a little bird in the office or, indeed, it being acceptable at all. But Himawari was the secretary for the head of the advertising department, and her office was nearby, so whenever Takeshi was in one of his lovers’ fit (as Kentarou called it), Himawari stepped in periodically.
Kentarou didn’t know much about Himawari, other than her name and her job, but he liked her. They ran into each other sometimes downtown, shopping for something. And one time during a Christmas party, she’d been the one to call a taxi for Kentarou and Takeshi, who’d both been too drunk to get around on their own. Come to think of it, Kentarou didn’t know if he’d ever seen Himawari drink. As she helped them into the back of the cab, she’d wished them a happy Christmas and to please take care during the new year. Kentarou’d slurred some kind of good luck wishes that made her smile a little tight-but Kentarou, in his drunken stupor, hadn’t seen the expression.
Now and then, Kentarou ran into Himawari in the office, and always made a point to talk to her. She was a sweet girl, and there weren’t many girls in his wing of the office, so he liked to get advice on how to be a bride from her, since he’d told her once that obviously she was a new bride or would be soon-the way she’d smiled and called him so entertaining didn’t really confirm or deny the assertion.
Kentarou looked over the papers, but they seemed to bore him immediately. Takeshi could take care of things like that. He grinned at Himawari. “I have a question.”
“Hm?” she asked, smiling and titling her head to the side.
Kentarou set the papers down on the ground and practically skipped to Himawair, clasping his hands over her shoulders. “As a woman, what do you think is nicer to give to a husband? Flowers or chocolate?”
“Eh?”
“You see,” Kentarou said, slowly, nodding sagely. “I always get him flowers and chocolate, and he always gets grumpy and says that a man shouldn’t receive those things. But I think it’s really cute for a wife to give those things to a husband!”
“I see,” Himawari said, pleasantly.
“So what do you think, Himawari-chan? Should I keep going with flowers or with chocolates?”
Himawari was about to answer before the door slammed open and Takeshi, looking haggard and frustrated, stomped in. “You better not be asking her for love advice, damn it!”
“Takepon!” Kentarou said, brightly, his entire face lighting up. He even threw his arms up into the air, grinning widely. “There you are! We were just talking about you, Takepon!”
“Don’t call me that!” Takeshi shouted, and Himawari just managed to step out of the way in time for Takeshi to stomp up to him and fist his expensive suit in his shaking hands. “You, you, yoooou-!” He stumbled over his words, trying to restrain himself since Kentarou was the president, but at the same time wanting to insult him into oblivion. His problem, as always, was the lack of ability to figure out the perfect insult. “You!”
“Ha ha ha!” Kentarou laughed. “You’re speechless. That’s so cute.”
It looked as if Kentarou’s eyes were going to overflow with hearts. He stood there, grinning and sparkling at Takeshi as if he hadn’t seen him in years, and with all the sentimental enthusiasm of someone who’d just been swept off their feet. The reality was something different, with Takeshi’s face darkening every further. But Kentarou was never one to feel snubbed.
“I swear to God, if you weren’t the president-!” Takeshi shouted.
“You didn’t have breakfast today, did you?” Kentarou asked. “That’s why you’re so grumpy!”
“That’s none of your damn-!”
“I bet it was a piece of bread and a glass of juice,” Kentarou said, ignoring the way Takeshi seethed, still clinging to him tightly.
Himawari, still smiling, said, “You two get along so well.”
Takeshi froze, and Kentarou kept laughing for half a syllable before he, too, turned to look at Himawari. Takeshi looked flabbergasted, staring at Himawari as if she had grown a second head. Kentarou’s expression brightened.
“Yahoo! I think so, too, Himawari-chan!”
“Are you deranged?” Takeshi shouted at Kentarou, because he couldn’t quite shout at a woman who smiled so warmly. Also, the bird on her shoulder looked about ready to peck Takeshi’s eyes out for all the shouting. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
Kentarou dismissed him with a wave of his hand, laughing and blushing, coyly, turning his face away. “Takepon, I know it’s been a long time since we saw each other, but try to keep your hands to yourself when we’re in front of company.”
Takeshi shook, looked about ready to murder Kentarou if his job didn’t rely on it, and then shouted, “I’ m taking my break!”
He stomped out of the room, pausing only to give Himawari a curt nod. The door slammed behind him.
The two remaining stood in silence.
Then Himawari said, chipper, “I think the best gift is the gift of cooking.” If her smile could sparkle, it certainly would right then. “Like little cupcakes with smiling faces on them!”
“… Great idea, Himawari-chan!”
Series: Clamp School Defenders Duklyon and xxxHOLiC
Characters: Kentarou, Takeshi, Himawari
Pairing: Kentarou/Takeshi, sliiiiight Himawari/Someone
Rating: PG
Warning: First time writing Duklyon.
Summary: Himawari offers some bridal advice to her boss.
Notes: Holiday fic for linkeepsitreal, with the request for something between Himawari and Kentarou.
“And here are the papers you requested,” Himawari said, holding out a thick folder.
“Thanks!” Kentarou said, grinning widely. “You’re a real life saver! Sometimes Takepon is so busy being angry at me, he forgets to do parts of his job!” He sighed. “He’s so cute.”
“I’m happy to help,” Himawari said, adjusting her hair. The little bird on her shoulder chirped. Kentarou stared at it, still not used to seeing a little bird in the office or, indeed, it being acceptable at all. But Himawari was the secretary for the head of the advertising department, and her office was nearby, so whenever Takeshi was in one of his lovers’ fit (as Kentarou called it), Himawari stepped in periodically.
Kentarou didn’t know much about Himawari, other than her name and her job, but he liked her. They ran into each other sometimes downtown, shopping for something. And one time during a Christmas party, she’d been the one to call a taxi for Kentarou and Takeshi, who’d both been too drunk to get around on their own. Come to think of it, Kentarou didn’t know if he’d ever seen Himawari drink. As she helped them into the back of the cab, she’d wished them a happy Christmas and to please take care during the new year. Kentarou’d slurred some kind of good luck wishes that made her smile a little tight-but Kentarou, in his drunken stupor, hadn’t seen the expression.
Now and then, Kentarou ran into Himawari in the office, and always made a point to talk to her. She was a sweet girl, and there weren’t many girls in his wing of the office, so he liked to get advice on how to be a bride from her, since he’d told her once that obviously she was a new bride or would be soon-the way she’d smiled and called him so entertaining didn’t really confirm or deny the assertion.
Kentarou looked over the papers, but they seemed to bore him immediately. Takeshi could take care of things like that. He grinned at Himawari. “I have a question.”
“Hm?” she asked, smiling and titling her head to the side.
Kentarou set the papers down on the ground and practically skipped to Himawair, clasping his hands over her shoulders. “As a woman, what do you think is nicer to give to a husband? Flowers or chocolate?”
“Eh?”
“You see,” Kentarou said, slowly, nodding sagely. “I always get him flowers and chocolate, and he always gets grumpy and says that a man shouldn’t receive those things. But I think it’s really cute for a wife to give those things to a husband!”
“I see,” Himawari said, pleasantly.
“So what do you think, Himawari-chan? Should I keep going with flowers or with chocolates?”
Himawari was about to answer before the door slammed open and Takeshi, looking haggard and frustrated, stomped in. “You better not be asking her for love advice, damn it!”
“Takepon!” Kentarou said, brightly, his entire face lighting up. He even threw his arms up into the air, grinning widely. “There you are! We were just talking about you, Takepon!”
“Don’t call me that!” Takeshi shouted, and Himawari just managed to step out of the way in time for Takeshi to stomp up to him and fist his expensive suit in his shaking hands. “You, you, yoooou-!” He stumbled over his words, trying to restrain himself since Kentarou was the president, but at the same time wanting to insult him into oblivion. His problem, as always, was the lack of ability to figure out the perfect insult. “You!”
“Ha ha ha!” Kentarou laughed. “You’re speechless. That’s so cute.”
It looked as if Kentarou’s eyes were going to overflow with hearts. He stood there, grinning and sparkling at Takeshi as if he hadn’t seen him in years, and with all the sentimental enthusiasm of someone who’d just been swept off their feet. The reality was something different, with Takeshi’s face darkening every further. But Kentarou was never one to feel snubbed.
“I swear to God, if you weren’t the president-!” Takeshi shouted.
“You didn’t have breakfast today, did you?” Kentarou asked. “That’s why you’re so grumpy!”
“That’s none of your damn-!”
“I bet it was a piece of bread and a glass of juice,” Kentarou said, ignoring the way Takeshi seethed, still clinging to him tightly.
Himawari, still smiling, said, “You two get along so well.”
Takeshi froze, and Kentarou kept laughing for half a syllable before he, too, turned to look at Himawari. Takeshi looked flabbergasted, staring at Himawari as if she had grown a second head. Kentarou’s expression brightened.
“Yahoo! I think so, too, Himawari-chan!”
“Are you deranged?” Takeshi shouted at Kentarou, because he couldn’t quite shout at a woman who smiled so warmly. Also, the bird on her shoulder looked about ready to peck Takeshi’s eyes out for all the shouting. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
Kentarou dismissed him with a wave of his hand, laughing and blushing, coyly, turning his face away. “Takepon, I know it’s been a long time since we saw each other, but try to keep your hands to yourself when we’re in front of company.”
Takeshi shook, looked about ready to murder Kentarou if his job didn’t rely on it, and then shouted, “I’ m taking my break!”
He stomped out of the room, pausing only to give Himawari a curt nod. The door slammed behind him.
The two remaining stood in silence.
Then Himawari said, chipper, “I think the best gift is the gift of cooking.” If her smile could sparkle, it certainly would right then. “Like little cupcakes with smiling faces on them!”
“… Great idea, Himawari-chan!”