Wagnaria's New Year's Workplace Affair

By Major Mike Powell III

In a place like this particular venue of the Wagnaria restaurant, normality was really overrated. The place was a damn madhouse, and no matter what Maya said in the instances where she flipped the Hell out and claimed that she was "normal", everyone in Wagnaria was a world-class weirdo. In a way, that was why they all got along so well…or at least would make a perfect setting for a slice of life/romantic comedy anime.*

In any case, Shirafuji Kyouko had never claimed to be "normal". She was just herself and that was good enough, and clearly, Kyouko being herself was more than fine for the beautiful, always-smiling, katana-carrying waitress of Wagnaria, Todoroki Yachiyo.

The girl had long since worshipped the ground her darling Kyouko-san walked on and she likely always would till death did them part…or perhaps that was just one of Yachiyo's frequent fantasies. In any case, Yachiyo never made it any secret that she was completely and utterly in love with the older woman (who would make your life a living Hell if you actually asked her about her age) and for the woman herself, that was fine.

Why would Kyouko ever complain about Yachiyo when the girl fed her such delicious parfaits? The honey-blonde being a total cutie was actually a secondary appeal, just one tier below her parfaits.

All introspection and relationship dynamics analyses aside, the look on Yachiyo's face when Kyouko one day approached her before the girl left for home and told her, straight up, stoic face, "Yachiyo. Spend the New Year with me" was one expression that the older woman greedily burned to her memory. The joy on display on Yachiyo's beautiful face was the most heartwarming thing Kyouko had ever seen. The girl looked just about ready to pass out from the happiness engulfing her entire being and Kyouko would have actually found it hilarious if she had, indeed, passed out on the spot…especially because that would mean Kyouko having to carry Yachiyo back into the restaurant and- but the girl did her best to pull herself together and actually give a happy-as-can-be "YES, Kyouko-san~! I would LOVE to spend the New Year with you!"

Preparations had been simple enough, namely Kyouko tasked Satou with the vital task of making some food for her and Yachiyo to eat on New Year's Eve. As for the elephant in the room at the time, the issue with Kyouko asking Satou to make prepare some food for her and Yachiyo…it was an unspoken apology and understanding and a look on Satou's face that told Kyouko "You take care of her, you make her happy and I get a pay raise or I quit".

All Satou got as a response was a nod from Kyouko.

As for New Year's Eve itself, when the time came for Yachiyo to knock on Kyouko's door…the older woman couldn't help but feel inadequate, seeing the honey-blonde in a beautiful yellow and garnet kimono with a lily flower pattern…but the girl's smile upon greeting her beloved Kyouko-san set her heart at ease. After all, Yachiyo knew Kyouko wasn't one for elegant and traditional clothing for the holidays. For Yachiyo, seeing Casual Kyouko-san was perfect already.

It was a cold night, New Year's Eve, but Kyouko's apartment was nice, warm, cozy and if there was a visual representation of being on Cloud 9, it was probably Yachiyo as the girl not once was able to stop smiling as she and Kyouko sat in the woman's living room and ate the simple but delicious food that Kyouko was very grateful for Yachiyo not asking the origins of, whether she didn't ask because she was airheaded on bliss for being with Kyouko-san or simply because she knew but chose not to, none of it mattered.

A nice little chat (or good-natured ribbing on their co-workers and about how "normality is overrated" and "why yes, Kyouko-san. It totally is~!") later saw Kyouko and Yachiyo standing on the balcony of the woman's apartment, waiting for the countdown to New Year's, tall glasses of white wine in hand, the brunette gazed at the honey-blonde beside her with just a bit of regret.

"Sorry I couldn't take you to a shrine to see the fireworks. I heard a podcast earlier that said all the shrines in this area would be completely jam-packed and we saw earlier on the news that it's even worse now…"

Yachiyo's gentle smile soothed all of Kyouko's worries, just like that.

"It's Ok, Kyouko-san. Don't worry. I'd rather see the fireworks with you here, all by ourselves, than surrounded by hundreds of strangers," the girl spoke with such sweetness, Kyouko thought she would get a tooth ache later on. Yachiyo sighed with bliss when Kyouko unexpectedly wrapped an arm nice and secure around the younger woman's slim waist to pull her flush into her side.

As the countdown to Near Year started on the TV in the room behind them, Kyouko and Yachiyo tapped their wine glasses and gave a silent greeting when the clock struck midnight and the black velvet of the night sky lit up with every color of the rainbow via a breath-taking fireworks display that, yes, would have been way more impressive if seen from a good spot in the grounds of a shrine, still looked amazing from their spot, on Kyouko's balcony.

The two beautiful women downed their drinks in one go. They set down their glasses and then, Yachiyo embraced Kyouko tightly and the two shared a soft, slow, gentle kiss.

After the smooch was broken because of the good old need for air, Kyouko and Yachiyo gazed into each other's eyes, blushing cheeks and noses touching.

"Yachiyo, let's sleep in tomorrow."

"Awww~ No visit to a shrine to get our luck and make a wish?"

"Why, though? I already have every wish I could ever want granted. I just kissed you and I have you in arms, don't I?"

"Awww Kyouko-san~!" Yachiyo swooned, happy tears and all.

"Besides, I never have to worry about somebody ever taking your parfaits away from me."

"Kyouko-saaan~!"

"…though I guess we could wish for more customers and more publicity and for Souta and Inami to get it together and hook up already."

Yachiyo giggled.

"I'd say Souta-kun would be better off with Taneshima-san, though."

"Geez, that's just silly, Yachiyo. You know Taneshima's got the hots for Kotori-chan."

"Oh come on, Kyouko-san! Are we having a shipping war here~?"

"I guess. I prefer us better, anyhow."

"Kyouko-san~! Mou, just kiss me more!"

Kyouko shrugged and gladly complied. The two women kissed once again on the balcony as the fireworks display finished with the biggest explosion of color of the night.

So, bottom line: in their workplace, normality was completely overrated and the workplace affair of Kyouko and Yachiyo was, funny enough, the most normal thing amid all the crazy hijinks of happening on a daily basis at Wargnaria.

FIN

Requested by Macho Man Randy Quaid. Here's for you, you dork, and a Happy New Year for all~! Seeya/read ya in '16!

Semper-Fi! Carry on!