Chapter 7 - At a loss, Boss

Haku had slipped on some of Naruto's pyjamas to sleep, and changed back into his dress when he and Neji left later that morning. He was working at noon, and Neji at three. When they got to his place, of course, his best friend tagged along. They explained briefly to Zabuza how the prior night they had gotten sidetracked by video games and that was why Haku hadn't come home, and then they went to his room.

The two worked in the same building, but in two different areas. Haku was a waiter at the small café and Neji was a cashier at the bookstore attached to it. For students with limited job possibilities, they both found that they enjoyed their jobs. As much as they could anyhow.

The café, part bookstore, was near Neji's house, and thus he had agreed to drive Haku there on his way home.

It was with -concealed- pride that he watched Haku enter the small café in one of his new outfits. But fear was there too. That was the only place he couldn't be there for him every step of the way. It was true that he looked great in the black pencil skirt and white blouse ensemble, but not everyone would think so. Haku was beginning to get confident in himself, he really didn't need anything to pull him back under.

But in three hours he would be starting work himself and he'd be able to see how his friend was doing. With that thought, he drove off, leaving his friend to fend for his own.

Haku punched in and stepped behind the counter to speak with Tayuya, the other waitress.

Tayuya was a drop-out college student trying to become a musician, while paying her way through life with the tips she earned as a waitress. Haku wouldn't call her a bad waitress, he just felt that she didn't really...Like her job. Or people.

"So, you gone tranny now?" She asked, popping her gum loudly, earning a couple glances from the clients sitting at the counter stools. She ignored them.

"T-tranny?" He repeated, uncertain of the meaning of the term, but knowing it was supposed to be offensive, although it didn't really feel offensive. He put his apron on and placed his pen and pad in the front pouch.

"Transvestire. Transgendered. Whatever the hell you wanna call it. I'm talking about the skirt, dumbass." The name, also supposedly offensive, didn't effect him. He'd grown used to Tayuya and her insulting nicknames. "Nice legs, by the way."

Haku blushed, patting down the apron self-consciously, "Thank you." He smiled at her, and she smirked back, the most affection she was going to show.

"I'm going for a smoke. Watch these guys," She pointed to the three clients on the stools at the counter, they seemed offended but she ignored it, and then pointed to the couple taking up the only occupied table, "They're good. They might want more coffee though. The chick's been giving me the eye for a while."

"Alright."

She stepped out from behind the counter, but stopped, "Also, the boss is here. He's in his office. So be good!"

Haku watched her make her way to the kitchen, where her purse (and cigarettes) were. He turned to the three men, "Is everything alright here?"

"I would like my order to be taken, if you know, there's one competent waitress here." One of them said with a roll of his eyes.

"Oh, of course!" Haku hastily pulled out his pen and pad, "What would you like to order?"

Quickly he jotted down the orders of the three men and went to put them in the computer, sending the order to the kitchen. He prepared the coffees and gave them to the men, who thanked him.

"About time somebody does something around here."

Haku just smiled, not liking them insulting Tayuya's skills, but knowing that it was kind of true. He grabbed the coffee pot and went to the couple at the table Tayuya had mentioned wanted coffee.

"Hello, would either of you two like some more coffee?" He asked politely, holding up the pot.

"Yes." The lady snapped, putting her empty mug at the edge of the table, and he began to refill both mugs. "I hope that woman is going to get fired. She's a terrible waitress."

The woman glared when he said nothing, having nothing to say, "Well? Is she going to get fired?"

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but I have no control over these sort of things. Did you need anything else?"

"No, we're good now that we have coffee."

Haku nodded and returned to his spot behind the counter. He grabbed the men's food and handed it to them. A part of him wondered how long it took to smoke a cigarette, but he knew better than to go and see. Tayuya would get angry, plus he didn't really need the help. His confidence in his waitering abilities was minimal, but even he knew he could handle a couple of tables.

It took several minutes before his boss finally exited his office, but Haku was glad to see him. He wasn't particularly fond of his boss, but he found that Gato was able to run the place well and that he knew what he was doing. He allowed a couple mistakes and was willing to hire teenagers with zero experience. For Haku, getting a job had meant a new step into adulthood, and he was grateful to Gato for giving him the chance to prove that although he was sixteen, he was able to work for his pay.

"Good afternoon, sir!" Haku greeted him, his smile honest and sincere.

"Hello, Haku. How's business?"

"Oh, it's going well, sir."

"And how about Tayuya? She still threatening clients?"

"No, sir. She stopped doing that after her last warning. She's doing a lot better now, I promise."

"Good, good."

Gato walked past him, towards the cash register. He began going through the papers, checking the numbers from the past couple of days. Haku didn't speak to him while he was so concentrated, and resumed his task of taking care of his clients. A new couple had walked in, and he brought them the menu, introducing himself as their waiter.

Returning to the coffee machine, he began a new batch, and started cleaning the counters. Something that Tayuya usually left for him to do. Again he began to wonder if she was ever going to return when she finally did. She glared at Gato, his back to her, before turning to Haku.

"When did the cat drag him out of his office?"

"He's going over the reports, that's all."

Tayuya didn't like Gato, clearly. And he wasn't really a fan of her's either. They were both far too outspoken to get along, and Haku wondered how she always managed to convince him to let her keep her job.

"The old man's got it in for me today, just wait. He'll start tearing me up a new one the second he's done with those papers."

Haku wasn't sure if he believed her, but her statement was proven true when he finished what he was doing and stepped towards her, a reprimand already on his lips.

"Tayuya, I've gotten another complaint about your waitressing skills. One of them being about the smell of smoke you carry around with you. What did I tell you about getting rid of that smell before coming back inside?"

"I forgot my perfume and mouthwash at home that one time. I have it now. Smell."

Gato scrunched his nose as she breathed into his face. His hand waved away the smell of cigarette coated by mint, "I suppose that's the best I'm going to get from you. Have you started smoking, Haku?"

"No, sir. It's not really something that interests me. Excuse me, sir, the couple over there needs a refill. I'll be right back." Haku said, going over to serve his clients. Once done, the look on his boss's face made him hesitant to walk back to him, but he did. If Tayuya had said something insulting in the minute that he'd been gone, he didn't think he'd be able to fix it this time.

"Haku." The tone made him rethink that. Had he been the one to say something he shouldn't have? He couldn't recall doing anything bad, but Gato tended to zero in on the littlest things, "What are you wearing?"

"Sir, the regulations state that the waiters must have a black bottom, a white top, and the apron. Hair must be tied and shoes must be clean. I do believe I'm following the rules, sir." His eyes scanned his own attire. He'd been working there long enough to know the uniform, and he always made sure to follow it down to the last line.

"I know what the regulations say, Haku. But you're not wearing the gender-appropriate uniform."

"Oh..." He looked down at himself again. Having been surrounded by his friends for so many hours, he'd forgotten that him wearing women's clothing was actually not normal.

"Are you all trying to piss me off today?" Gato snapped, sending Tayuya a glare. So she had said something insulting to him...Haku hadn't been so far off after all.

"Sir, this is my...new uniform. This is what I want to wear now. It still follows all the rules, it's just more...me." He finished lamely, staring timidly at his flats.

"I don't care what you want. I'm running a business here, not a gay bar or whatever. Whatever statement you're trying to make, I don't wanna hear it. You can go home, change uniform, and come back."

"I'm sorry, sir, but I can't do that."

"What do you mean you can't?"

"Let the poor kid wear what he wants to wear." Tayuya piped in.

"This is a respectful café and I will not have his obvious confusion ruin our image!"

"Sir, I've served several clients already and none of them seem to care. As long as they get their coffee they're alright."

"Just because they don't disapprove out loud doesn't mean they don't disapprove. The clients are the future of the enterprise. Without them, business' get nowhere. If they walk out of here thinking that being served by a male waiter in a skirt was not something they want to repeat, they won't come here again. Haku, leave. Either get changed and come back, or don't come back at all."

"Sir, just because you're a scared little man doesn't mean everyone else is!" Haku didn't know where the words came from, but he assumed that all those years spent listening to Neji fire off insults finally influenced him, "My being in a skirt doesn't change my capabilities as a waiter. What I wear isn't going to change anything! You're ignorance and intolerance is repungnant, and if that's how you think, then maybe I shouldn't be working for you at all."

"Haku, I know you're confused right now, but bringing this sort of thing to the work place is...It's not acceptable. This is the kind of thing you keep a secret between you and your bedroom. Showing yourself like this to the world...Do you really want to be a freak? Forever ridiculed and outcasted?"

"I am not confused, nor do I feel the need to keep who I am a secret. If I want to wear a skirt, I damn well will! You have no say in the matter."

"I have no say? I'm your boss, Haku! I have all the say in what you wear here in my café."

"Good thing you aren't my boss anymore."

"Are you quitting?"

"Yes, sir, I am. I refuse to work for someone who doesn't believe that people ought to be themselves."

"Ditto for me, asshat."

"What?" Both Gato and Haku turned to look at the redhead, who smirked.

"I like more girly boy over here than you bossman. I've been meaning to quit for a while now so, whatever. Need a ride home, lady face?"

"Tayuya, that's really sweet of you, but you don't have to do this. You need this job-"

"I'm not sweet, and I ain't doing this for you. I've been doing this gig down at the bar on Main for a while now, so I don't need this job anymore. So get your crap and let's go." Tayuya removed her apron and handed it over to Gato, who took it silently, "You try being a waitress, bossman. It isn't as easy as you think."

Haku got his things, knowing it was better to do what she ordered than to disobey. She got her purse and coat, Gato not saying a word. He watched his two employees leave in disbelief. Before he knew it, the rundown jeep was leaving the café parking lot for good.

AN: Hello. Here's the newest chapter. I don't think there's anything to explain so...

I'd like to thank AUehara and AkatsukiCrush for reviewing the last chapter! It really means a lot!

Thank you for reading,
-MewMew