Work Text:
Both Aoba and Haga-san had attempted to convince Clear that it really wasn't necessary for him to help out around the shop when Aoba was working. Aoba pointed out that there were other, more productive things Clear could be doing; Haga-san's main concern was that Junk Shop Heibon didn't do enough business for him to pay two employees, even part-timers, and it weighed on his conscience to have what amounted to a volunteer working in his store for free.
But Clear's reply was the same every time. Coming with Aoba-san to work was a pleasure, not a burden, he'd say. He would talk excitedly about the new things he'd learned and the people he'd met while lending a hand at the shop; when that wasn't enough to convince them, Clear would begin to rhapsodize on the perfection of Aoba-san's face while he was concentrating on his work, or the deft grace of his hands as he took orders via computer and Coil, and how every minute spent together with Aoba-san was like a dream, no matter where they were or what they were doing. He would continue until Aoba, completely red-faced, had plastered both hands over Clear's mouth, while Haga-san busied himself somewhere else and tried to keep a straight face.
So they reached a compromise. Every other day that Aoba spent at Heibon, Clear would stay at home and help Granny with errands, groceries and housework. The rest of the time, he was free to come to the shop. Clear agreed to this without much coaxing, and Haga-san seemed satisfied with the arrangement.
And, well, Aoba wasn't really complaining about Clear's visits either.
He'd joked once that Clear was "Bonjin-kun's assistant", which wasn't far from the truth. Right away, it seemed that Clear's main duty would be to distract Mio, Kio and Nao whenever the trio decided to pay a visit to Heibon, so that they'd leave Bonjin-kun alone. He kept them out of the shop and occupied for hours at a time with endless rounds of janken and hide-and-seek and scavenger hunts. When the children ran out of games, Clear could always be counted on to come up with a new one. (With a few caveats, of course; Aoba had to forbid them from playing let's-see-who-can-spin-in-circles-the-longest after it came to light that Clear could spin for about five hours straight without getting dizzy, while Nao's vomit threshold was regrettably non-existent.)
Even beyond acting as the kids' walking, talking jungle gym, Clear was a great help to Bonjin-kun. He was always eager to lend a hand with cleaning up and organizing the shelves; he gave special attention to all the spare parts and used appliances, treating every piece of inventory as if it was a treasure, polishing each one until it sparkled.
"You and Bonjin-kun make quite a team," Aoba pointed out on one occasion, glancing up from the bi-monthly inventory report he was in the middle of filling out.
"Of course! Bonjin-san always works very hard!" Clear replied, pumping his fists into the air energetically. "So we'd better do our best today, too!" This was met with the utility Allmate's typical mantra of 'working! working!', which prompted a delighted laugh from Clear. Aoba smiled as he watched Bonjin-kun raise his own tubelike arms in an imitation of Clear's gesture. He turned his attention back to the report, but looked up again when he noticed that only Bonjin-kun had gone back to straightening the shelves. Clear was still looking down at the Allmate with an odd expression; not quite melancholy, Aoba decided, but thoughtful.
"Clear?" He leaned over the counter with a questioning look. Clear fiddled with the wireless remote driver he was holding.
"I was just thinking about something," he said, "but it might be a little bit weird." Aoba minimized the inventory listing projection on his coil, rested his hands on the countertop and waited patiently for Clear to continue. After a brief pause, he did.
"I wonder if Aoba-san would love me even if I looked like Bonjin-san."
Aoba was silent for a few moments as he looked from Clear to Bonjin-kun in surprise, and Clear laughed, sounding almost nervous. "A-aha, well, it really was a weird question, anyway, wasn't it?" he began, casting around for an excuse to change the subject. "I'm sorry I said something strange, Aoba-san, you don't have to--"
He was interrupted by the sight of Aoba making his way around the side of the counter, his steps bringing him to where Bonjin-kun was busily rearranging a shelf of pocket flashlights. He knelt down beside the Allmate, putting his head on one side, a small, quiet smile on his face. When Bonjin-kun noticed this, he seemed startled, and scooted back automatically.
"Wor...king?" he sputtered.
"Don't you think Bonjin-kun has a good face?" Aoba began, shuffling to face the Allmate fully. "I mean, his complexion is a little grey, but he's got kind eyes and a nice smile. You think so too, right?" Clear blinked, puzzled, but nodded without hesitation.
"Of course! Bonjin-san has a fine face."
"A fine face," Aoba agreed. Then he gestured to the brightly-colored flashlights on the shelf, careful not to knock them over. "And you said yourself, he's a very hard worker. He's always giving it his all."
"Yes, that's true."
"A hard worker with a handsome face, huh... let's see, what else... ah, I know." Aoba stood up suddenly and took one of Bonjin-kun's clamplike hands in his own, resting the other one on what passed for his shoulder.
"May I?"
"C-cleaning! Cleaning!"
With that, he began to lead Bonjin-kun in something vaguely reminiscent of a waltz, with no real rhythm or tempo, but plenty of spins. He dipped and twirled the Allmate like a child dancing with a doll, much to poor Bonjin-kun's alarm. Clear's confusion was plain on his face as he watched, but once the two came to a stop and Aoba bowed with a flourish, he clapped just the same.
"Just as I thought," Aoba announced. "Bonjin-kun is an impeccable dancer." He bent down and planted a chaste kiss on one of the metallic components that made up the structure of Bonjin-kun's head, the sort of kiss that a nobleman might bestow upon the back of a lady's hand at a courtly ball. Then he stepped closer to Clear and pressed his lips to the spot between mouth and chin on the right side-- Aoba's favorite place to kiss, Clear knew from extensive experience. This time, he lingered.
"I'd love you no matter what you looked like," Aoba murmured into the small space between them, pressing his palms into Clear's and twining their fingers together. "Even if you still wore that gas mask everywhere, or if you were metal all over and I could see all your wires. I'd love you just as much."
A soft breath escaped Clear's mouth, his face reddening, and he let his eyelids drift downward until they were nearly closed. He rested his head shyly in the crook of Aoba's shoulder.
"Even if I looked like Bonjin-san?"
"Mmhm."
"What if I looked like Haga-san?"
"Ahh... well, yeah, but that's kind of..."
"What about Yoshie-sa--"
Clear was interrupted by an exasperated snort and another kiss, this one on the lips, which he took as his cue to stop talking. Aoba could feel him smiling against his mouth. They stayed that way for some time; when they finally separated, Clear put on an expression of mock seriousness.
"But now I'm worried," he said, cupping his chin in thought. "Bonjin-san really does have it all, doesn't he? I saw him using his charms on Aoba-san just now. And while at work, too! So shameless." He shook his head at the stunned Bonjin-kun, who had still not quite recovered from the unexpected dance session; then he laughed.
"I'm sorry, Bonjin-san," Clear said, taking hold of Aoba's hand once more. "I won't be giving Aoba-san up that easily!"
And he began to waltz the two of them around the tiny space of the shop, humming an airy tune in three-quarter time. Aoba couldn't keep the laughter out of his voice even as he tried to protest. With Bonjin-kun puttering around the shop in a daze, he could almost swear he heard a music box's metal cylinder whirring and clanking as they went, its pins plucking at the metal comb inside its mechanism. Plink plonk, plink plonk. Around and around, the music twirling in circles along with them, until Aoba grew dizzy and had to stop.
Later, Aoba would ask about the song Clear had been humming. "It was the Waltz du Heibon," came the answer.