Work Text:
The whole office was working hard, socialising and schmoozing with the people who had turned up to their autumn event. It was a success thanks to everyone working around the clock and working tirelessly. It also signified months long development in the relationship of Maki and Haruta. The two were fawned upon by the whole office- even and especially the chief! They were everyone’s favourite couple and who could blame them. Chizu would often tease them about how cute and idyllic they were, showing them cute photos taken when they were too busy looking at each other.
Maki had learnt to share his thoughts and feelings, he wasn’t the only one in this relationship after all. He couldn’t damage it by being selfish and negative anymore. Haruta too had improved as a person. He had accepted his bisexuality and was so much more comfortable now about being with a man. He even initiated physical contact more than maki, oblivious to situations that could require tact when it came to their relationship. He was naive but genuine. Maki loved him for it.
“Hey Haruta! Lend me a hand with this would you?” Umataro yelled as he stood looking unimpressed with a steel advert stand that they had put up for the event. Haruta pulled a face as he arrived next to his colleague. “You’re not even doing anything! And hey! I’m your superior! Be polite!” Haruta tried to scold, in his usual bumbling and angry acting fashion. No one had ever seen Haruta actually get really mad, he had never snapped or flew off the handle at someone. Never.
Umataro sighed and gestured coolly with his hand. “Help a younger colleague out huh? I don’t wanna accidentally do anything wrong and I mean I didn’t put it up so-“ Haruta grumbled as he pushed him gently away and said “fine fine go go” before muttering to himself “aren’t youngsters the ones supposed to be doing all this stuff, ah isn’t he taking advantage of me, gah so lazy that one” as he expertly undid the advert stand and folded it all down so it was easy to carry away.
Maki watched his dutiful fiancé work with a smile from within his mascot costume, deciding to give Haruta a break from always being saddled with it. The things he did for love he thought with a sigh. He checked to see all their clients and customers had gone before gently removing the head of the mascot. He carried it on his hip as he walked towards his partner, waiting for him to turn around and smile his signature goofy smile that always manages to warm Maki’s poor fool heart. As if on cue Haruta stood and turned around and smiled a gummy smile upon seeing Maki. “All finished?” Maki asked, a nod from Haruta. “Don’t forget there’s that celebration party at wonderful straight after work ends” he reminded patiently, watching his boyfriend’s face fall. He felt much the same. He loved his co workers, he did, and wonderful was...well wonderful. But after a long day the two really just wanted to go home and cuddle together. Haruta pouted before sighing.
“I guess it can’t be helped, everyone has worked hard, they deserve to celebrate” he supposed, always so generous and thoughtful. Maki tilted his head. “You’re too sweet” he said without thinking. Haruta froze, eyes wider than normal and the beginnings of a blush on his face. He had Come so far but every now and then moments like this would catch him off guard and maki would get to enjoy his spluttering and embarrassed boyfriend deal with such focused attention.
“Hey you two! Come on! We have to get back to the office!” Takekawa yelled from the group who was picking up and carrying everything already. Maki glanced to the group and then back to his boyfriend. He stepped forward quickly pecked Haruta on the lips before intending to turn away when he heard it.
“That’s disgusting! You do that right out on the street for anyone to see!? What if a kid had seen that!?” A man maki hadn’t noticed demanded aggressively. It was one of maki’s worst nightmares and he froze, it was unlike him, but he just stood dumbstruck and wordless, his chest hurting at the man’s angry words. Before maki could even begin to reply in some fashion Haruta had dropped the advert stand and stepped forward, his expression unusually closed off and serious. “Excuse me, you need to apologise” he said calmly, but maki heard it. That new and scary but thrilling undercurrent of repressed anger in his fiancé’s voice. The man moved as if Haruta had assaulted him.
“I ain’t apologising! He’s disgusting! You’re both wrong! And in public no less!” Maki shrunk into himself and watched with wide eyes as Haruta stepped forward. “You’re gonna want to Apologise, my fiancé doesn’t need to hear you being a homophobe, so I’ll say it again. Apologise! Or else” he growled.
Maki was frozen. He had never heard his partner so serious and angry. The man scoffed and started to walk away. Maki gasped as Haruta grabbed the mascot head from him and threw it at the man’s retreating back. It hit the man square in the back of the head and caused him to stop and squeak- rubbing his head. By this point the rest of the office has returned to them, backup as they glared at the man. He scowled and kept retreating as Haruta stepped forward, only stopped by Maki desperately grabbing onto his wrist. The contact breaking Haruta out of his red fog of anger. He turned and simply stared at his partner. “Come on, lets just go” he said quietly, gently pulling Haruta closer. “Okay” he replied. Takekawa broke the moment by coughing. “One if you go get that mascot head back right now”. Haruta blushed and scurried after the head he had thrown.
Everyone was buzzing in excitement for the after party, logging off their computers and grinning as they gathered in a big group. “Is everyone ready!?” Segawa asked, checking everyone to be sure. “Let’s go!” She exclaimed, the office emptying out towards a fun and well earned night out. Maki gently took Haruta’s hand as they were the last ones to leave. “Thankyou..for earlier” he said, looking at his feet as they walked. Haruta sighed and checked the group were still walking ahead as he sharply turned and pushed Maki gently up against the wall. Boxing him in with his ever so slight height advantage. Maki just gasped, he was really seeing a whole new side of his fiancé today wasn’t he. Haruta leant down and rested his forehead against Maki’s.
“I love you, I haven’t worked out my vows just yet but I told you forever. Well I’m not gonna let anyone disrespect you either.” He said, eyes closed. Maki blinked away the tears that were forming. “I love you so much” he murmured up at his fiancé. The promise of forever warming his heart once again. “But maybe throwing that head was too much, huh, maybe? Was I wrong” Haruta rambled, back to his usual self. Maki laughed. “Maybe a bit!” He joked, pushing them back into the hallway to follow their colleagues.