Work Text:
Sonia waits, because she’s supposed to, for Peko to come around and open the car door, and then she shoots the chauffeur a smile through the rearview mirror, mouthing a thanks as she steps out onto the pavement. She’d thank them aloud, too, but Sonia always feels so strange talking to them… someday, though! Someday Sonia is going to thank them with her words, and it’s going to be great.
For now, she steps onto the curb, and Peko takes her place just behind Sonia, as she always does, her thumbs hooked through the loops of her belt, her gaze affixed to the ground. Sonia can’t help frowning a bit-- she hates seeing Peko with her eyes downcast, she never makes eye contact with Sonia unless they’re absolutely alone, obsessed as she is with this… professional subservience, that Sonia absolutely despises-- but she decides not to call attention to it just yet, looking up and around and then starting down the sidewalk.
“Are you excited, Peko?” Sonia asks, as she walks, weaving her way between people. Peko sticks to her heels, walking carefully, precisely so that she doesn’t flat tire Sonia, and keeps pace, but never comes out from behind her. It’s another one of those habits that’s always bothered Sonia, but she doesn’t know how she would address it, or if she even should. Peko is her bodyguard, after all, there’s… a power dynamic. Sonia is aware of this. It’s been there all their lives.
But… Sonia sort of wishes that there wasn’t.
“I hear the food is top quality!” she continues regardless of these thoughts, pumping her fists. “I am eager to be trying the cuisine of your native country as well, and to get to practice speaking Japanese in a formal setting!” Not that Peko is ever particularly informal-- even when they’re alone-- but even so, this is going to be completely different. Sonia attends a number of social functions, as one does, as the wealthy heiress to her mother’s company, but she’s never been to one in Japan before, despite it being Peko’s native country. She’s hoping to get the chance to visit somewhere Peko has been before, if they can, but Peko refuses to share any information relevant to making such plans, so… it’s a work in progress.
“I cannot imagine they would serve you any less than the best,” Peko says, with a smile in her voice. Sonia’s heart flutters slightly, just hearing that, and she can’t help but look back towards Peko, just to take in the expression. It’s gone almost the moment that Sonia makes eye contact with her (and then Peko lowers her gaze) but she catches a glimpse of it, and it’s enough to make Sonia’s heart pound heavy in her chest.
She’s really got it bad.
“But if you find the food to be unsatisfactory, inform me, and I will take care of it for you.” Peko pats the firearm on her belt, and Sonia laughs, despite the lack of irony in Peko’s voice and expression. It isn’t that Peko is never sarcastic, it’s just that she’s so often so deadpan that it’s near impossible to tell when she’s being ironic like this. Sonia just assumes nowadays that things Peko says are jokes, if for no other reason than the fact that Peko… probably wouldn’t start a fight over something like this.
Probably.
Still, Sonia nods her head, skipping a little on the sidewalk, and catches the half grin that creases Peko’s smooth expression for a moment in response. Nice.
“As you are more well versed in the cuisine, you should recommend dishes to me!” Sonia suggests, smiling. “I would love your expertise as a native of this land!”
“...Expertise is probably the wrong word,” Peko admits, after a pause. “I’m… probably not familiar with the food they’ll be serving there, either. Growing up I wasn’t poor, but it wasn’t as though I was eating… that sort of food, either.” She glances at Sonia. “But… if there’s anything I recognise, and enjoy, then… I will let you know, Mistress.”
Sonia pouts. She really wishes that Peko would call her Sonia. Even when they’re alone, Peko refuses to do that, stating that it’s unprofessional and that Sonia is meant to be her superior, but…
Well, maybe Sonia doesn’t want to be Peko’s superior. (Peko speeds up to fetch the door for Sonia, when they arrive at the proper building, and Sonia does a little curtsy in thanks, giggling. It’ll be all bows inside, but Peko understands the curtsy, at least.) Maybe Sonia just… wants to be with Pekoyama Peko, maybe she’s in love with her, maybe she wants Peko to feel the same.
Is… that so wrong?