Work Text:
Sighing, Hotaru falls back into her chair in exhaustion. It’s been a long day at the CosPro office; the upcoming season leading to several events needing production. This is what she signed up for, however– busy days and piles of paperwork. Luckily, the sun was setting underneath the horizon, and Hotaru’s day would soon be over.
But just as the day is long, Ibara’s work ethic perseveres.
Crunching numbers, writing up proposals, arranging meetings. He really couldn’t catch a break, could he? Honestly, the average person would be sick of it by now. Ibara was different, though. It was obvious from his determination and skill that he cared deeply for his craft. Hotaru admired him for this, filing away techniques she observed from him for future use.
“You’re staring, Hotaru-san,” he says without looking up from his laptop. “If you finished, you’re free to go as you please.”
“Oh– apologies. I finished up the details on this; if you have the time to look at it.”
Hotaru passed a folder over the desk, the sound of typing halting just long enough for Ibara to flip through the front pages and make a noise of approval.
“I’m not particularly versed in the way this unit operates, but I trust your judgment. Good work– ☆!”
Ibara threw her one of those classic smiles– the kind that was usually reserved for the public. The kind she couldn’t quite tell was real or fake. Even after all the time they worked together, he would still maintain this level of distance
Sure, Hotaru was familiar with Eden and quite close to them as a unit, Jun and Nagisa being the most obvious in terms of affection. But Ibara… his niceties had boundaries that were difficult to determine. She knew that she mattered to him– without a doubt– but Hotaru wanted to know how much .
It just felt really nice to receive a compliment from him.
And it was unlike Hotaru to be so fixated on an idea like that. It bothered her to not know, and it bothered her that it was such a distraction from her work. But really, who wouldn’t be distracted when it came to Ibara? He was honest and genuine (and charming, despite it all) in a way that intrigued her.
How could someone be so truthful about their ulterior motives? Then, be so loved by his friends who appreciate his honesty; accepting everything openly? It was fascinating.
Hotaru forces herself to look away, taking the document back from Ibara without further preamble. Her cheeks prickled with warmth as she transferred it into her bag. This reaction was certainly new to her– there was nothing particularly exciting about exchanging paperwork, after all.
Perhaps it was the way he smiled at me this time?
Well. This was a problem for future Hotaru. Right now, she had other priorities that took precedence over her own feelings. This was something worth investigating further, though. Perhaps during her training, or a spar match? She did have a tendency to be more analytical in those situations; the adrenaline of a fight lending itself to focus and a clearer mind.
Hotaru makes a memo, pressing for the elevator when she gets to the end of the hall. It might be best to message Ibara about this later? He’ll need some time off, after all… even if that takes a little convincing.
[Added to Calendar – Force Iba-kun to relax.]
- Notes: Pay attention to personal feelings and assess.