Hey guys. I've come back with another chapter for this story...thanks for the reviews!
But it seriously looks like there's only one person who actually wants Zootropolis to be updated...and that is really depressing. I mean, the difference in levels of response to both my stories is so much that I'm at a point where I'm actually considering discontinuing that story.
And the fact that I actually had high hopes for it and put in a lot of thought for the upcoming chapters does nothing to help.
But anyway, on a much lighter note, I'm glad that you guys liked this story. I'll probably still update Zootropolis, cuz I do have a person who's reviewed and is waiting for it (and it's probably the only reason I'm considering updating it).
Okay, I'm totally sounding depressed rn.
Enjoy!
I don't own Maid Sama! or any of its characters.
"Um, excuse me? Are you okay?"
He suddenly jerked out of his reverie at the woman's voice.
She sounded like an angel.
"U-Um…..o-oh, yeah!"
"….."
"Sorry. Yeah, I mean, I'm just uh, feeling a bit under the weather, sorry."
"Oh, okay. Get better soon, then."
"O-oh yeah. Definitely."
"Um, so could I have my order?"
"Oh, sure! Oh, silly me….w-what was it again?"
"A….strawberry milkshake, thank you."
"Coming riiight up!"
He turned around, ready to die of embarrassment.
And found Tamami, hunched over the counter, shaking with uncontrollable laughter.
Ugh. Guess she was trying very hard to hold it in, huh.
UGH.
He looked at her, as if saying 'you-screw-this-up-and-I-will-kill-you'; but all she did was double over, the laughter trying to bubble up intensifying.
Great. Just great.
"Tamami, why don't you go back in for your break? I'll take over for a while."
"Aha, right. I'll be off then." she said, still trying to rein in her laughter; staggering to the door that opened to their living space.
Yes, they lived in their shop. Cozy, I know.
"Um, is she having a seizure?"
"No, just a laughing fit."
"Heh, okay."
He turned to the mixer, making her strawberry milkshake. With a bit of extra chopped strawberry and extra cream.
For an extra-gorgeous woman.
Bah, I'm turning into a love-sick idiot.
But, being one was probably worth it.
Because, noticing that he'd put in a little extra of everything, a cute shocked expression crossed her face; and then she looked up at him, staring for a few seconds.
And then smiled.
It was a beautiful, megawatt smile, one that had Takumi sprouting white wings and floating into the sky, a blissful expression adorning his face.
But, of course, he decided it'd be better if he remained on earth (he hadn't even dated her yet!). So he straightened his expression into a smile of his own; his lips a tad wider than hers. She needn't know the secret behind that though.
But Tamami already knew it, and there was nothing he could do about it.
After the woman had left, he'd almost deflated in relief that she didn't seem to think that he was weird, (she had smiled, right?) and went in back to make sure Tamami hadn't died from a seizure.
Boy, was he wrong.
She was rolling on the floor, clutching her stomach, and laughing her head off.
Oh, man.
This was bad.
As she saw him come in, though, he decided coming in through that door was the worst decision he had ever taken in his life.
He really should've just died and gone to heaven earlier.
But now, he was doomed to be forever humiliated of the first encounter with his crush.
Oof. Big oof.
Because after seeing his embarrassment written clearly on his face, she suppressed her laughter a bit, and said, "We-ell, that sure was uncharacteristic."
And saying so, she burst into another bout of laughter, this time crouching, and hitting her fist on the floor.
Aah, I was right.
This is bad.
And all he could do was hope that none of the customers outside could hear his sister's hysterical laughter, because it sure would be awkward if they did.
"Ah, that was really good. I haven't laughed that much since we were five."
They were in back, because it was already after closing time, and the shop was now empty.
"Uh, what happened when we were five?"
But at Tamami's smug grin, he wished he hadn't spoken.
"Hmm, as far as I remember, I'd seen a wittle-little Takumi-kun fall flat on his face, smooshing his ice-cream between his cute little nose and the pavement."
Oh, god. Was he destined to be embarrassed for the rest of his life?
Well, he remembered the incident quite clearly. So clearly, in fact, that he never liked ice-cream that much ever since.
He remembered that it had been a hot summer day, and their guardian had given them a few notes so that they could buy themselves two ice-creams for 'being such good kids'. But after Takumi had gotten his ice-cream, he'd tripped and fallen flat on his face, and was soon helped up by a snickering Tamami.
She'd given him her ice-cream, which had stopped tears streaming down his chubby cheeks; but she'd never really stopped teasing him about it, even though a certain tenderness had shone through the smug grin she always wore.
"But anyway, what was that all about? I mean, I know that you're all head over heels for her, but it's still not like you to stammer…"
"Thank you for summing that up, Tamami."
"Haha, you're most welcome. Seriously though, what happened back there? 'I'm feeling a bit under the weather'?! What even is that?"
Takumi sighed. "Well, I don't know myself. But seriously Tamami, she smiled at me!"
She lifted an eyebrow, studying his face, which had lit up as soon as he said that. "Oh?"
"Yeah! I mean, she just gave me this huge, adorable smile out of nowhere. Oh, man, I think my heart was about to burst."
Tamami had remained silent during his outburst, her eyebrows rising up until they were in danger of disappearing into her hair. Sensing her sudden silence, Takumi suddenly stopped, the smile dropping from his face and a worried expression taking its place; as he looked at Tamami as if she were a bomb about to blow up.
And with the bout of laughter that suddenly ensued, he wouldn't have questioned that thought.
Wiping the tears from her eyes, she found Takumi staring at her, arms crossed.
"Okay, okay, I'm sorry! But you know, it's nice to see you so happy, especially over a girl."
As the tone of her voice dropped from amusement to something else, his arms dropped.
"Hey…."
He dropped down on his knees next to her, where she had been sitting crouched from her laughter. He brought her into a loose hug, and rested his chin atop her head.
"Just because I like a girl, doesn't mean I'm gonna leave you, Tamami…Are you stupid enough to think that way?"
"Of course not, stupid. I mean, why on earth would I let you leave? You'll have to do whatever you're doing right up where I can see you, so that I can make sure you don't kill yourself out of embarrassment."
Her voice was muffled by his shoulder (her face was smooshed onto his shirt) as she continued.
"On a different note, if that girl ever hurts you, I'll be sure to hunt her down, and stuff her full of sweets till she dies of diabetes."
Hearing Takumi's soft chuckle rumbling through his chest, she smiled; knowing that the probability of her doing it was almost zero. This boy was so sweet, you wouldn't have even half the mind of hurting him.
Let's hope he doesn't over-do it, though.
Tamami was busy putting the toppings on the don, and Takumi was sprawled on his bed, staring up at the ceiling.
"What do you think she reads every time she comes here, sis?"
"Who knows….an erotica novel?"
"…"
"Pfft, kidding. Well, how would I know? If you ask me, she looks like a mystery novel fan to me.'
"Yeah, I guess….."
She hummed a song absent-mindedly, topping the dish with some onion.
"Dinner's ready."
She placed the two bowls on the floor with a flourish, placing the chopsticks.
"Itadakimasu!" they chorused, and dug in.
The next morning, Takumi rose up with the alarm, and turned it off.
"Oi, Tamami."
She was still sleeping, her thin blanket wrapped tight around herself.
"Tamamiiiiiii…"
No response.
"OI!"
He shoved her with his foot, and she fell off the bed in a tumble.
"Takumiiiiiii!"
"What? You wouldn't get up, and I called you a hundred times already."
"Uuugh….."
"Yeah, yeah, get up already."
"No…"
"Huh?"
"I'm not getting up…"
He rounded the beds, to see Tamami curled up in her blanket like a baby, murmuring in her sleep while lying on the floor.
Chuckling to himself, he went and crouched next to her, pulling the blanket off of her.
"Mmm…."
He pulled her up with his arm around her shoulders, and she curled up to him like a cat. Putting her head on his lap, he brushed her hair from her face.
And then pulled her cheeks.
"Gow! Tagubiiii!"
"Now, now, Tamami-chan, you have to get up early, otherwise it's bad for you, no? So Tamami-chan should get up and brush her teeth, like a good girl, okay?"
He smiled at her, and then released her cheeks when he sensed a hurricane coming if he didn't let go soon.
She stared at him, and then wordlessly got up, and went to the bathroom.
Oh no.
Looks like he was getting the silent treatment.
"Hey sis, could you pass the salt?"
She didn't even look up, just kept the salt container on the counter next to him.
Ehhh, this is depressing.
He looked over as he heard the bell ding, and felt himself relax just a tiny bit.
It was the woman.
She came up to the counter and asked for her strawberry milkshake, and then retreated to her corner.
He glanced back at Tamami, hoping she would react at least a little bit.
But she didn't even glance at him, let alone talk.
He sighed, and went back to making the omelet rice.
This is going to be a long day.
The bell dinged again, and Takumi looked up to see who it was.
It was a brown-haired man in a business suit that screamed wealth and power.
As was common courtesy, Takumi smiled at the man, welcoming him into the shop. The man nodded back, and went further inside the café, till he came to the counter; all the while searching about the café as if he were searching for someone.
Jerk.
With an arrogant air emanating from him, he looked at Tamami for a tad longer than was necessary, and then glanced at him, a smirk on his face.
Witless goon.
He opened his mouth to talk, his gaze back on Tamami; who either didn't notice because she was angry; or she did notice and chose to ignore him.
Takumi was fine with either. The guy in front of him didn't deserve to be graced with even a look from Tamami.
He didn't deserve to be born.
"So, what do you guys have?"
Takumi bristled. Arrogant bastard.
But Tamami's response was so clean that he didn't have to withhold himself from throttling the man.
Without looking up, she pointed a spoon covered with whipped cream at the menu in front of the counter, and said, "I believe the menu is quite visible from there, unless your nose is so long that you can't even see it."
Ooh, burn.
Tamami was normally less direct with her snarky comments(especially when there was a particular guy she didn't like), using colorful vocabulary that the victim wouldn't even understand; and then the two of them would laugh about it later, as they were cleaning up the shop after closing.
So Takumi was satisfied enough when the man narrowed his eyes and dropped the smirk.
He wasn't dumb enough to not understand that, at least.
The man seemed to be contemplating whether to return her comment or not (Takumi had been contemplating, in turn, whether he could still punch the guy or not) but settled on saying, "A coffee, then."
After taking his coffee, he backed up and went about looking for a table.
"Hey, Tamami?"
"Hmm?"
She looked up! Finally!
A grin plastered on his face, he said, "That was brilliant."
Her grin in return was priceless.
Until it turned into more of a smirk and she said, "Yeah, because Takumi-kun was close to ripping his face off."
Ah. There it is.
But when she glanced behind him, her expression changed like a traffic light would. Her smug smirk was replaced by shock, and then a frown.
"Takumi, that jerk is with your girl."
Takumi turned around so fast that he almost cricked his neck.
There, sitting with his girl, was the brown-haired witless jerk-like buffoon who he'd disliked at first sight.
What?
Haha, who do you guys think the guy is? Do you think there might be a relationship...ooh, this is interesting.
This was a pretty long chapter, huh...2k+ words...
I hope you guys haven't totally given up on Zootropolis...
Well, please Review!
