((I wasn't happy with the ending, so I edited it slightly, enjoy!))
Clare woke up with her face resting against the floor.
She was always a restless sleeper, but recently sleeping was becoming more and more alluring as she stayed up most nights. She hadn't won the award, but the nomination was enough to motivate her to work hard, and for once Takano hadn't said a word as she sketched. She still of course had to go over to his apartment every day, and her only true comfort was Onodera, who could understand having to deal with Takano every day.
However recently Takano had become bitter, and her stays at his apartment getting cut short, last time she had only been there for about half an hour before Takano kicked her out. Today was her nomination party, and she invited Takano, Usami, Takahashi, and Onodera, considering how much of a help they had been.
Of course Usami's editor had argued (even though personally she got along great with Aikawa), but in the end she won, allowing an hour for the white haired man to be there. It might have been awkward, with her being the only woman, but she brushed this thought off considering they were all gay.
She walked out of her bedroom in her favorite dinosaur pajamas, and found Takahashi passed out on the floor.
"TAKAHASHI?!" Clare yelled, shaking the small man.
Takahashi woke up with a start, looking around the room.
"This… Isn't Usagi's penthouse" he observed, looking around.
"What are you doing in here?" Clare asked, lifting an eyebrow.
"Usagi forced me to go out with him, and I think I got drunk" Takahashi replied.
"You DID get drunk" Clare corrected.
Takahashi blinked a few times before getting up.
"I better go back to Usagi's apartment before he does something stupid" he grumbled, opening the door and walking out, leaving Clare's door open.
Clare let out a sigh and walked towards the door to shut it, and looked over at Usami's now open door to see a sleep-deprived Usami bear hugging Takahashi.
"Usagi! Let me down!" Takahashi cried, flailing his legs.
"I was worried sick, where were you?" Usami said, concern laced in his voice.
"I was in Clare's apartment!" Takahashi managed to choke out, and it became evident to Clare his hug tightened with every word Takahashi spoke. Clare held back a laugh, these two were quite the pair.
"Still coming tonight?" Clare asked, Usami's attention diverted to her.
"Yes, we still are" Usami confirmed, turning to Takahashi, turning around, and shutting the door with his foot. Clare had learned to shut her door before the shrieking began, but sometimes it would ring clear into her bedroom. And Usami never gets warnings from the landlord. Clare thought, grumpy.
Clare was sitting in a booth at one of the best restaurants in Tokyo, alone.
This is natural. It's my editor and a famous novelist, they probably have good reasons to be late she thought to herself, twiddling her thumbs.
When Takano showed up, with a red-faced Onodera in tow, he waved and sat down.
"Sorry for being late" Takano apologized, Clare waving it off.
"It's okay, was there traffic?" Clare asked, Onodera becoming an even deeper shade of red.
"Oh yes, lots of traffic" Takano said, Onodera racing off into the restroom.
Clare lifted an eyebrow, but decided to ignore it once Usami showed up, with Takahashi behind him.
"Sorry I'm late, Usagi lost his manuscript" Takahashi said, sliding into the booth.
Usami muttered something about Takahashi's pants, and Clare lifted an eyebrow.
"I see" she said, flicking open the menu.
"Don't worry about it, tonight's on me!" Clare exclaimed.
"You really don't have to, this is your nomination party" Onodera said as he walked back over to the booth, seemingly composed since he had run off to the bathroom.
"Psh, I've barely spent a drop of money since I've started working, someone has been making my meals the months I've been working" Clare stated, smiling at Onodera
"You really don't have to be so nice, 'the pressure is supposed to help me work'" Clare quoted, giving a quick glare to Takano, who shrugged as if he didn't understand.
Usami lifted an eyebrow to Takano, and looked as if he was about to say something, when Takahashi suddenly blurted out
"Oh wow they have Fondue! Let's get some Fondue guys!" he squeaked, accompanied by nervous laughter, Onodera nodding his head rapidly in agreement.
"Oh I love Fondue!" Clare said, looking down the menu, then swallowing at the price.
"They really don't waste any expense here do they" Clare said with a shudder.
"It can't be that ba- Oh" Onodera said, his eyes widening at the price.
"I'll cover it then" Usami said, pulling out a card.
"Usami are you sure?" Clare asked.
"I live in a penthouse and own a red sports car. I'm pretty sure" Usami replied.
"Oh my, is someone gloating?" Clare asked.
"I'm not gloating, I'm just stating the facts" Usami said, becoming slightly irritated
"Your gloating" Clare decided, but let him pay anyways.
When the Fondue came, Clare could barely hold in her appetite. She had resisted the urge to eat the remaining bear puffs earlier, to hold her appetite. But now that the food was infront of her, she reached forward and began to feast.
"Onodera, want some? This kind is really good!" Clare said, smiling.
Onodera smiled back and nodded, reaching forward for one, only to find Takano grabbing his hand as well.
"Let's eat together" Takano said with a smile. Onodera went red in the face and flailed his hand away.
"I-idiot! You'll eat the whole thing!" Onodera protested, making Takano frown.
"Ehehehe, guys, you don't have to share!" Clare tried to ease the situation.
"See? Clare agrees with me!" Onodera said, and that broke Takano's restraint.
"I would like it if you would stop talking about Clare" Takano's voice said, clearly irritated
"Takano, not in front of her" Onodera began, to be cut off by Takano again
"Why are you so careful about her? Do you love her?" Takano snapped, Onodera's eyes widening.
"Are you… jealous?" Onodera said, eyes widening.
Takano folded his arms, looking down at the table.
"Takano, there's nothing going on between me and Onodera!" Clare panicked.
"I know that, you don't meet anyone's standards" Takano grunted, making Clare angry.
"Then why are you upset?" Onodera asked.
"You're always making food for her and talking with her, you should be doing those things with ME" Takano argued.
Onodera went red in the face, and sputtered out a reply.
"W-well, if you wanted me to do that, y-you could have asked" Onodera stuttered.
Takano's eyes widened slightly, then he grinned and grabbed Onodera, pulling him closer to Takano's side.
"I'll make sure to take advantage of that" Clare heard Takano whisper.
Clare let out a sigh, she was glad that hadn't ended badly. Usami seemed to be focused on feeding Takahashi, who was having none of it.
"I'm- not- a- child!" Takahashi protested between Usami's attempts to put the food in his open mouth.
"You act like one" Usami muttered.
"I HEARD THAT" Takahashi yelled, Usami finally managing to stuff the food into his mouth. Takahashi looked defeated, but chewed and swallowed none the less.
"It's good" Takahashi decided.
The rest of the night was spent eating, and eventually drinking. Clare got herself incredibly drunk, as did Takahashi and Onodera, while it appeared Takano and Usami held their alcohol well. Clare only remembered taking about two drinks before effectively passing out.