HnG: Ecchi Gaiden

A Hayate the Combat Butler collection

By

EvilFuzzy9

A/N: You know what? I'm honestly hoping Ruka doesn't win the manga competition. Not because I have anything against her, but because if she won and took on Hayate's debt, Hayate would undoubtedly feel obligated to go along with her, regardless of whether or not he truly reciprocated her feelings. And I don't think either of them would want something like that.

That said, I don't really want Nagi to win either, because, well... there are still many things she has yet to learn about life and love. As she is right now, she clearly does not have the emotional maturity for a real relationship. "If you truly love something, set it free,"– that in particular is one lesson she sorely needs to learn.

...as a result of that train of thought, this drabble actually isn't the least bit ecchi. orz

Ecchi Drabble Fourteen:

It's Complicated

In a dusty, rundown bar in the sleaziest corner of Nerima, a grungy, disheveled man was nursing a cup of bitter, golden brown liquid. Aside from a few faint frown-lines and haphazard-at-best shave, the man was quite plain in appearance.

The bartender, a gangly, elderly fellow with failing eyesight and just a wisp of gray hair on his head, was half leaning on the counter, lethargically wiping a glass. He wore a tatty, threadbare tweed vest that might have once been quite sharp, say, two or three decades ago.

The clock on the wall up behind the counter, wedged awkwardly between shelves of dusty bottles, made a steady, monotonous TICK and TOCK as its hands slowly counted the passage of hours. It read half past seven, though the actual time was more about quarter to eight, give or take a few minutes.

The miserable-looking man sitting at the counter – the only customer in the run down old bar – gave a world weary sigh, before he took another sip of his beer. The bartender didn't ask him what the problem was, and the man didn't say. It was an understanding of sorts that the two had, an unspoken agreement to not pry into each other's problems. In fact, neither one even knew what the other's name was, though the morose fellow had been frequenting the bar every night for the past month and change.

As the customer drained the last dregs in his glass, the door opened and a handsome young man with light blue hair stepped through the door, a pensive look on his face.

"Hi, old timer," said the young man, addressing the bartender, "I'll have a bourbon; on the rocks, if you please."

The disheveled vagabond blinked and set down his glass, turning to face the newcomer. He raised an eyebrow curiously, recognizing the soft features and soulful blue eyes.

"Ayasaki?" he said, half bemused and half amused. He was silent for a moment, staring at the young Sanzen'in butler, before he abruptly let out a chortle and shook his head, smiling. "Well hell. I certainly didn't take you for a drinker," he commented wryly. Pointedly he left unsaid the matter of the lad's age and minor status, not exactly being the sort to go out of his way to discourage delinquency.

Hayate's eyes widened infinitesimally as he took a second look at the man addressing him.

"Mizune-san...?" said he, taking in his former coworker's filthy, bedraggled appearance. "...What happened to you?"

"The brat lost her inheritance," Nezumimaru Mizune said bluntly, giving a noncommittal shrug. He pointedly ignored the way Hayate twitched at his mistress being called a brat. "And the old man wasn't exactly eager to put me on payroll."

"I see..." Hayate muttered, taking a seat next to the older man. "So what are you doing for work these days?"

Mizune snorted. "Nothing exactly legal," he said wryly.

"So the same as ever, then," said Hayate with an innocent smile, prompting the former hitman to punch him on the shoulder.

"Fuck you," Mizune retorted intelligently, giving Hayate another punch in the shoulder for good measure. The teen chuckled, and made a show of rubbing his shoulder.

Mizune shook his head at this, and he waved to the bartender, who was pouring out Hayate's drink. "I'll have another scotch while you're at it," he said.

The bartender nodded silently, acknowledging the order. While he filled their glasses, Nezumimaru turned to Hayate.

"So," he said, giving the lad a Look, "What brings you here? I never took you for the sort to turn to the bottle."

Hayate grimaced, his eyes darting away from Mizune's and refusing to meet them. Mizune noticed that the teen appeared to gone a shade paler at the question – not unexpected, all things considered.

Hayate did not answer. His lips were sealed tight.

Mizune narrowed his eyes, frowning thoughtfully.

"Well..." he said slowly, "... I can't say for sure, but with you trouble is usually one of two things, isn't it?" He paused for a moment, letting suspense build a bit before bluntly saying, "Either money... or girls."

Hayate winced, and Mizune saw that he had hit the nail on the head. "Of course, girl troubles it is. Hah," he chuckled, "I dunno whether to feel sorry for or jealous, ya little bastard."

Hayate sighed, looking down. "I suppose I should feel lucky..." he murmured, "...after all, she truly is a wonderful person... I never thought someone like that could fall for somebody like me... And yet..."

Hayate sighed again, then looked up as the bartender set down his glass. Grabbing it and taking a short draught, he then continued.

"And yet... well, it's... complicated."

Mizune shrugged lazily.

"I've got time."

TTFN and R&R!