In honor of the first day of Spring Break I am finally getting around to publishing this story that's been in my mind for a really long time.
As always, I own nothing, but I am so excited to be out of school that I just can't bring myself to care.
~Maximum Ride 000
Keep drinking coffee stare me down across the table
While I look outside
So many things I'd say if only I were able
But I just keep quiet and count the cars as they pass by
She couldn't take it anymore. He had been sitting at his desk drinking sake just staring at her for hours. She hadn't looked up from her paperwork but she could feel his eyes burning a hole through the top of her head. She wanted so badly to yell at him for not doing his work, but she knew that he was just waiting for her to do so, anything to draw her into a conversation with him. She would not let him win this silent argument so she just kept quiet and continued on with her work.
You've got opinions man, we're all entitled to 'em
But I never asked
So let me thank you for your time and try not to waste anymore of mine
Get out of here fast
I hate to break it to you babe
But I'm not drowning
There's no one here to save
"My Nanao-chan", he rumbled, startling her from her thoughts, "I think you work too much".
She had to resist the urge to roll her eyes, "Thank you for pointing that out sir, but it wouldn't be a problem if you would actually do your own work", she responded, still refusing to look up from her paperwork, "If you're not going to help me with the paperwork then please do me the courtesy of not distracting me, sir".
"But Nanao-chan", the whining began, "You don't appear to be taking care of yourself, really, when was the last time you had a decent night's sleep?"
She finally looked up from her work to glare at him over the tops of her glasses, "I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself, sir. However, if you'd like to do your share of the work I would be more than happy to accept your help, and then I could leave at a reasonable time, captain", she said pointedly.
Who cares if you disagree?
You are not me
Who made you king of anything?
So you dare tell me who to be?
Who died and made you king of anything?
"Or", he began, giving her his best puppy dog eyes, "we could both leave the work for tomorrow and go out and drink sake".
He was met with a deafening silence and a murderous glare. "Unlike you sir, I am reliable and actually turn things in when they are due, not two years after the fact", she replied icily.
"That was one time Nanao-chan", he said with a dismissive wave of his hand. She wondered, not for the first time, how he had come to be captain. "Besides", he continued, "you really should relax more often Nanao-chan". She had to resist the urge to slam her head against her desk. She had to know who had made him captain.
You sound so innocent, all full of good intent
Swear you know best
But you expect me to jump up on board with you
And ride off into your delusional sunset
"Really Nanao-chan", he continued once again, his tone sounding more and more pleading as the seconds ticked by, "you should relax more often, it would be good for you. In fact I think we should go out on a picnic. Oh, I'll get the food and the sake and my lovely Nanao-chan can sit in my lap and read love poetry as we relax beneath the Sakura trees!" he exclaimed. She simply stared at him, unable to come up with a legitimate response to such a flamboyant display of insanity.
I'm not the one who's lost with no direction
But you'll never see
You're so busy making maps with my name on them in all caps
You've got the talking down, just not the listening
She drew a deep breath and counted backwards from ten, trying to keep control of the anger that was threatening to explode, "Please just do your work, captain", she pleaded, pleased with how calm she sounded.
"If that will make you happy my Nanao-chan", he replied, though he didn't sound like he believed it would. He pulled a piece of paperwork in front of him, picked up a pen, and appeared to begin to read the document diligently. Nanao shifted her eyes back down to her own pile of paperwork as silence filled the office. She heard his pen scratch across paper and a small smile spread across her face at the thought of her lazy captain actually doing his work for once. She glanced up at him and instantly felt the anger return, he wasn't doing the paperwork, he was doodling her name all over it.
"Captain!" she yelled in irritation, "You're supposed to be doing the paperwork. Not writing my name on it!"
"But Nanao-chan", he whined, "it's such a lovely name."
And who cares if you disagree?
You are not me
Who made you king of anything
So you dare tell me who to be?
Who died and made you king of anything?
"Besides, paperwork is boring. Why would you want to stay inside and do this busywork on such a lovely day?" he pleaded with her once more.
"I've already told you captain, unlike you, I am quite reliable and I will see to it that this paperwork is done by the end of the day", she said, lowering her eyes back to the unnecessarily large pile of papers in front of her. If she didn't know about his prowess in battle, when he actually chose to get up and join the fight, she would have already drawn up the paperwork to have him removed from the rank of captain.
"Really though Nanao-chan", he began once more, breaking the relative silence that had invaded the office, "You ought to take a break."
All my life I've tried to make everybody happy while I just hurt and hide
Waiting for someone to tell me it's my turn to decide
"With all due respect, sir, if I don't get this paperwork done then no one will. And if this paperwork isn't turned in on time Yamamoto will get incredibly angry with the entire division and make things much more difficult than they already are", she seethed, "So, yes, I barricade myself in this office and never take breaks, but I'd rather do that than deal with the alternative."
"I hardly think that Yama-jii really pays attention to all the paperwork he makes us do, Nanao", he said in what he hoped was a soothing voice.
Let me hold your crown, babe
Something inside Nanao snapped at his statement, maybe it was the dropped honorific, maybe it was the insanity that was the eighth division finally getting to her, but a crazy idea suddenly launched itself into her mind. She pushed herself up from her desk and walked purposefully towards her flamboyant captain. Before he could even ask her what she was doing she plucked the ever present hat from his head and continued on her way to the door. "You can have your hat back when you finish all the paperwork, captain", she tossed over her shoulder. He stared at the empty doorway for a moment before chuckling to himself and returning his focus to the paperwork.
And so it begins. My plan is for this to be a multi chaptered story. Please drop me a review and, yes, I know I left some parts of the song out so you don't need to comment on that. Thanks for reading
Until next time,
~Maximum Ride 000