Work Text:
Kairi raced to the address as quickly as she could, giving the occasional glance down to the directions on her phone despite her usual eyes-on-the-road policy.
Selphie had said it was urgent, and Kairi’s fears were confirmed when her clunky station wagon pulled up next to a white work van. The vehicle didn’t alarm her as much as the text on its side:
Pest Control
Her business number had received an anonymous tip that the caller’s neighbor had hired an exterminator for a hive of bees, but Kairi needed to see for herself. Bless the caller’s heart, whoever they were.
She’d arrived so quickly and frantically that she’d failed to think of what to do next. Trespassing onto a potential customer’s back yard was bad business…right? No doubt they’d notice her if she sneaked in too. Playing it off like she’d just happened to be in the neighborhood and offer to help, asking for forgiveness, or waiving the costs afterward couldn’t hurt either.
Each second she spent pondering her options, however, was another that those barbaric exterminators had alone with the bees, throwing who-knows-what at them. They were supposed to take care of rats or invasive species, not friendly bees. If they started swarming, it’d be too late, so she just took a deep breath and opened her door.
More excuses came to mind as she made her way up the driveway and knocked, but when she came face to face with the older man at the door, the simplest one slipped out.
“Hello,” she smiled. “I’m here with the exterminator.”
There was a sentence she never thought she’d say (and hoped she’d never have to say again). Saying it out-loud almost made her sick, even if it had been a lie.
The man looked her up and down, raised an eyebrow, and merely nodded. “He’s out back,” he said, pointing to the side gate. “Don’t step on my flowerbed.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” she said, truthfully.
Kairi braced herself for the worst sight, but she certainly didn’t expect to see a man in a full hazmat suit poking a beehive with a baseball bat.
“What are you doing?!”
He spun, still holding the bat defensively, and even behind the face screen, Kairi could see the uncertainty in his eyes.
He’s inexperienced , Kairi thought, why send him?
Then relief flooded her mind. The less experienced one was, the less hardened they were in their ways. She might be able to persuade him.
“Who are you?” He asked. “Why aren’t you protected?”
“Not necessary. Yet,” Kairi added while ruffling through her pockets for a business card. “I’m Kairi, with Ocean Bees Apiary!”
“Oh.” His demeanor relaxed, and he soon removed his hat and veil.
The face that greeted her was far from the barbaric villain she’d imagined earlier. His deep blue eyes were wide with curiosity, his smile already brighter than the new day sun. The hair spikes that perked into position with the hat’s removal made her want to smile back just as brightly.
“I’m Sora, with Cid’s Pest Control.” He patted his pockets. “I don’t have a fancy business card, though. It’s my uncle’s company. Name’s not as good as yours, though.”
“That’s okay, it’s nice to meet you, Sora.” She offered a friendly hand-shake after giving over her card, which he gladly accepted. When he just kept smiling at her, though, she almost lost her train of thought. “So, don’t take this the wrong way, but you seem in over your head with bees.”
“I am.” He scratched the back of his head. “My uncle said it was just a simple job, to not expect more than some roaches. I know how to do those. Then the bees began stirring, and I just thought…” he trailed off and gestured to the baseball bat.
“You thought you’d scare away hundreds of tiny territorial bees with a blunt object?” she asked, unable to keep some sass from slipping out.
Sora shrugged. “I had the suit.”
Kairi shook her head and giggled, out of both amusement and relief. She’d arrived just in time. “Well you’re lucky that the neighbor called and tipped us off.”
“Oh,” Sora hung his head.
She gave his shoulder a reassuring pat. “It’s okay, I’ve done this dozens of times. I’ll handle it from here.”
“Actually, I’d like to learn from you, if that’s alright.” His eyes found hers. “I promise I won’t get in the way.”
Kairi stepped back, surprised at the request. Most people wanted to stay far away from her when she worked, especially without a suit. This guy was definitely not like any exterminator she’d encountered throughout her career. Here, she’d thought that she’d have to use some persuasion, but the tables had turned.
She smiled, trying to suppress her excitement. “Okay, but no weapons,” she winked.
“It’s a promise,” Sora chuckled. “How can I help?”
Kairi thought for a moment, then pulled out her car keys and dangled them before Sora. “There’s a big slotted box in the back of my car. Mind getting it for me?”
Not a moment passed before his smile returned. He eagerly took her keys and ran back out front. Kairi couldn’t help but giggle at his display.
In her brief moment alone, she knelt to the ground and scooted closer to the clustered hive. The bees and their honeycomb made the junk pile look nicer, she supposed, but there were better places for them.
Soon enough, she heard Sora return and stop at the gate. Thinking he’d locked himself out, she turned, only to catch him staring at her, like he was unsure of what to do with the giant box in his hands now.
“Afraid they’ll sting you?” she asked.
Sora shook his head. “Not anymore.”
Kairi hummed, deciding not to press further, and turn back to her task. “You probably don’t need the suit.”
“Oh, right.” He laughed awkwardly and turned around to begin disassembling the bulky gear from himself.
One could argue that his clothing underneath was equally baggy. Long, dark pants covered all the way to his shins. Even his tank top hung loosely around his torso. Despite the fair share of manual labor evidenced by his hands, he sported a lean build.
By the time he’d turned his attention back to her, she’d gawked long enough.
“Okay!” She clapped her hands together excitedly. “First thing’s first, I’m gonna have to start transferring pieces of their hive to the box.”
Despite his eagerness to learn, Sora still kept a safe distance. “Won’t they sting?”
“It’s okay, these are honeybees! They know that they only get one shot, so they only sting if they’re in real danger.” She looked back at him and winked. “In my care, they won’t be.”
“O-okay, if you say so.” Sora bit his lip, another question forming in his expression. “Do you need gloves?”
“Not necessarily,” she assured. “It’ll be easier to handle them gently without big thick gloves getting in the way. Besides, they’re so cute and fuzzy!” She extended her hand out and allowed a little bee to buzz close to her finger. Sora instinctively flinched away from the buzzing but tried to relax.
As soon as he set the box down next to Kairi, she got to work. Beginning with the loose chunks of honeycomb, she broke off a piece and placed it in one of the box’s slots. The bees immediately began to buzz around them, a little louder than earlier, but Sora stayed put. He sure was being surprisingly trusting, despite having just met her.
“Kairi?” Sora asked. When she turned and hummed, his mischievous smile should’ve given away his next words. “ Bee careful.”
Kairi chortled. How original . He definitely wasn’t getting the last word.
“Sure thing, honey .”
Sora’s laugh grew heavier, with the added effect of a light blush on his face. She began to feel warmer. Maybe that was too forward.
The more time passed without any aggression, the more Sora relaxed. He scooted closer and watched.
“Whatever you do, don’t squish one by accident. The others will react. Just pretend like you’re relaxing at a friend’s house,” she smiled. “And helping me find the queen would be a huge help.”
Sora stared into the bundle of bees that looked more like a moving stone. “How can you tell?”
“She’ll be bigger, with larger wings than the rest, and there will usually be a troop protecting her.”
“So like...a real queen?”
“Exactly!” Kairi said, a little more excitedly than she’d meant. Sora just smiled along, though, so it eased some embarrassment.
From her periphery, she could tell he was still watching her instead of the hive. Self-consciousness descended upon her slowly, and Kairi wasn’t sure when her face had last felt this warm.
It occurred to Kairi that, in her rush here, she’d barely bothered to look in the mirror. Maybe her hair was disheveled, or maybe remnants of her breakfast bagel were stuck to her face. Her hands were already too busy to check.
“Is…there something on my face?” she asked.
“No,” he assured her with a smile. “Just learning by watching.”
“Oh.”
That didn’t do much to ease her self-consciousness. When had she last gotten to teach someone, anyways? She worked with Selphie, of course, but Selphie handled the business side of things. In the field, Kairi always operated on her own, trying to save and relocate as many bees as she could on their island. Usually, she was seen as the weird one. Few clients had ever shown interest in her actual work.
And now the nephew of the island’s exterminator was studying her closely with an inquisitive smile on his face.
Maybe he was only pretending to take an interest in her passion to get her number, or worse, to learn information about her business to use against her as competition. But sincerity poured from his expression, obvious even from her periphery. It was impossible for anyone to fake that, she thought.
“Why are you interested?” she asked as she began carefully scooping clusters of bees into the box.
Sora broke eye contact and glanced amongst the bees slowly migrating to their temporary home.
“I don’t know.” He shrugged. “I’ve watched my uncle work, and always wondered if there was a better way to handle some pests, you know? We call them pests, but they probably don’t have any bad intentions towards us. They’re just trying to live, right?”
Now Kairi speculated on whether this guy was a mind-reader.
Her interest in bees had started at a young age, when she’d watch bees collect pollen from the flowers near her bedroom window. She’d never seen them as pests or invasive bugs either, and watching an adult spray a hive of bees with poison had haunted her dreams for months. She’d vowed to never become that kind of adult, and so far, she hoped she’d succeeded.
“That’s very virtuous of you, Sora.” Kairi smiled. “I wish more people on this island shared the sentiment.”
Suddenly, Sora’s eyes went wide, and he pointed to the pile. “I think I found her!”
Kairi followed his finger. Though it was hard to tell amidst the cluster, a distinctly large pair of wings stood out.
“And the pupil has become the master,” Kairi said before slowly, carefully, scooping up the queen and placing her safely in the box. Not long after, the rest of the hive followed, and only a few stragglers were left buzzing around. “Want to do the honors?” she asked, offering him the lid.
The sound of a car door closing drew their attention back to the street, and soon the distinct smell of cigarette smoke wafted over the fence, causing Kairi to wince. Loud boot steps made their way in Sora and Kairi’s direction.
“Oh no,” Sora gulped. “That would be my uncle.”
Before Kairi could speak, the fence gate swung open, and in stepped a rugged older man. Raised goggles concealed some of his graying blond hair, and half of his face was scrunched into a sneer. A single toothpick shifted from one side of his mouth to the other.
“Ay kid, just thought I’d stop by an—who the hell are you?” He stopped abruptly as his gaze fell upon Kairi.
She stood to introduce herself, but Sora inserted himself between them.
“Uncle Cid, this is Kairi.” Sora gestured back to her. “She’s helping me take care of the bees here.”
Kairi nodded and smiled politely, but the gesture remained one-sided while Cid huffed and folded his arms.
“Was wondering who’s wagon that was outside.” He turned his attention back to Sora. “Couldn’t handle the job and had to ask a little beekeeper for help?”
Okay, niceties were over. Several rebuttals formed on Kairi’s tongue while her fist clenched at her side. But Sora beat her to the punch again.
“ You didn’t mention anything about bees, Cid.” Sora said with a smirk. “I came unprepared and got lucky that Kairi was in the neighborhood.” Cid grunted again and glanced down at Kairi’s work with the beehive. “If it hadn’t been for her, I would’ve done something stupid, and this whole block would be swarming with angry vengeful bees.”
“It’s true,” Kairi spoke up and stepped out from behind Sora. “Though Sora could’ve handled it with the right training and tools. He’s quite competent.”
Her vote of confidence surprised Sora, and he smiled gently back at her.
Cid, clearly defeated but unable to accept it, just rolled his eyes. The toothpick between his teeth cracked. “Agh, whatever. Job’s done, but next time you use my methods, kid. All this tree-huggin’ stuff will only draw more vermin back.”
That wasn’t how bees worked. At all. But Kairi knew when to pick her battles, and this was one that would take some wearing down. Luckily for her, Sora stayed firm in his conviction. Without a word, he took the box lid from Kairi and covered the temporary bee hive, completing his task. Cid huffed again and left.
After a moment, Kairi leaned in. “Will I get you fired?”
Sora chuckled. “I don’t think so, and even if he did, who cares?” He met her with a smile. “There might be better places to work for, anyways.”
Kairi got the implication, and her face grew all warm again. She hardly considered Ocean Bees to be a real business. They definitely didn’t have any openings, but Kairi didn’t have the heart to accept that reality.
“I guess we both got lucky that the neighbor tipped us off,” she smiled.
“Yeah…” Sora trailed off. “About that.”
She eyed him curiously, but he stayed silent and awkward. He rubbed the back of his head and avoided eye contact. It was strange that the neighbor hadn’t bothered to check in or introduce themselves when Kairi had first arrived. Then, something else Sora had said hit her.
My uncle said it was just a simple job, to not expect more than some roaches.
The client hadn’t called specifically about bees, so how could their neighbor possibly have known?
Kairi’s jaw fell open. “It was you, wasn’t it? You’re the one who called us.”
Sora turned to her, surprised, but his shoulders quickly slouched in defeat. “Like you said, I was in way over my head, and your number came up when I searched for beekeepers.” Shame still peppered his eyes. “I couldn’t take too long on the job, so I could only wait a few minutes. You had perfect timing, Kairi.”
Several mixed emotions swelled within Kairi at once. Relief that fate had been on her side today, confusion as to why he felt so embarrassed, and…tenderness towards the man in front of her.
She’d definitely never met anyone like him before, so sweet and patient and eager to learn. His bright smile wouldn’t leave her memory, and she found herself missing it already as uncertainty filled his expression.
Quickly, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his waist. He huffed from the sudden movement, his arms floating at his side for a moment before gently returning the hug.
He didn’t smell like she’d expected an exterminator to. The scent of sea salt was everywhere on their island, but it came off of him in droves like he spent most of his time at the beach. A sweet citrus-like essence made her crave peaches and a refreshing drink. She felt like a bee drawn to sugar.
“You did the right thing,” she said, pulling back to show her sincerity. “Thank you for calling us.”
Of course, that infectious smile grew brighter. “Thank you for answering.”
Sora helped Kairi carry the box of bees to her station wagon and place it in the trunk. Bidding her farewell, he was about to turn and walk back to his van when panic hit her. She had no way of contacting him and really really didn’t want this to be the last time they spoke.
“Wait!” she cried out. “Do…do you like jazz?”
Sora turned around with a confused head tilt, but an amused smile soon greeted her. “I love music. Why?”
Kairi’s hands folded over one another. Why was she so nervous? It couldn’t be that hard to ask a guy for his number…right?
“There’s this coffee shop I go to sometimes, and tonight’s music night. My business partner, Selphie, plays double bass. Would you…like to meet us there? The music’s good, and it’s pretty funny watching her handle an instrument twice her size.”
Whatever mental image formed in his head made him chuckle. “You won me over already.” He strode back over to her and pulled a phone from his pocket. “Text me the address?”
Kairi smiled in relief, unsure how red her face had become. Sora had been pretty vulnerable with her today, so the least she could do was be a little bold.
“It’s a date.”