Days turned into weeks. Fate found work in TSAB exhilarating, confusing, challenging, but most of all, rewarding. She knew her rose-coloured glasses were due to expire soon, but it was simply nice to know she was doing her part to keep Nanoha's workload under some vague semblance of control.
The executive was frequently not around, kept busy jetting around the region to put out fires others had set alight. Fate was slowly learning that the auburn-haired woman was the CEO's last resort. The kind of cavalry no one really wanted to see. If Takamachi Nanoha was in your neck of the woods, chances were you'd fucked up beyond all recognition. Little wonder that much of the organisation held little love for the executive.
Another week, and another few days where the blonde wouldn't see her boss, the woman having been sent to Jakarta to put out yet another fire. The pair had worked out an agreeable professional relationship, usually taking their discussions to the common area where Vita's desk was, rather than to each other's office.
It was an exquisite pain for the blonde, but she knew better than to think there could ever be more. Instead, she conspired with Vita to sneak meals into the executive's office when it was clear she was going to miss another lunch. It was her small way of keeping her friend healthy, or so she told herself.
Feeling a little stifled this week and disliking the lack of Nanoha prowling around the office, Fate suggested to Vita that they take a little jaunt to the floor's enormous pantry area for their tea break. The redhead readily agreed, teasing the blonde about doing better with breaks than Nanoha. Thus, she found herself with Vita, amongst colleagues from other departments who were also having their tea break in the pantry.
They had made their way to the level's shared pantry together. Operations' corporate offices had a well-appointed kitchenette, but Fate was in the mood to try one of the many teas stocked in the larger area set aside for everyone on 42. Dressed in a black tuxedo suit with a pastel teal shirt, Fate's wavy gold tresses had been pulled into a side-swept style that laid over one shoulder. A white mug with the art of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's The Little Prince dangled from one delicate hand as she pushed her way past the swinging glass doors into the pantry proper.
The light banter she'd heard prior to entering had quietened down, and a quick glance at Vita informed her that this was par for the course. The little redhead gave no indication that she even noticed the quiet and merely went about showing Fate where the tea bags were kept. The blonde appreciated the guidance, seeing that the so-called pantry was multiple times the size of her rental.
Various beers and soft-drinks were on tap, and refrigerated shelves lined one wall, displaying a wide array of bottled drinks that were free for staff to help themselves to. Hot and cold water dispensers were easy to pick out, though Fate decided to leave struggling with the intimidating coffee machines to a later date. The array of choices was dizzying, and Fate supposed this was normal for companies priding themselves in being modern and cutting-edge.
"You're the new AVP of Ops, aren't you?" Fate glanced up from her mobile phone, the blonde catching up on tech news while her jasmine tea steeped. Vita was still at the countertop near the refrigerators, studiously adding insane amounts of cream and sugar to her hot chocolate. The blonde had found an empty table to sit at, legs crossed while she waited for her companion to join her.
The source of the voice was a swarthy South Asian. His beard had been groomed to within an inch of its life and he offered what he felt was a charming smile to the angelic blonde. "Ravi Muthusamy, AVP, Marketing." He thrust out a hand which she reluctantly took to shake. It was hard and clammy, completely unlike the hand whose touch from a few weeks before her cheek still vividly remembered.
"Fate Testarossa, and yes, I am." She dropped his hand like a hot potato. Assuming the blonde's reply was an invitation to join her, the man took the neighbouring chair, still smiling. His standard business suit rode up his legs when he sat, revealing chicken-thin ankles and mismatched socks.
Noting her beverage of choice, the Marketing executive jerked his chin towards the cupboards where the teas were kept, "You should try the Darjeeling we have here, much better than this generic tea." He seemed inordinately proud of his country's produce, nevermind that it was the source of far too many wars and underhanded business practices throughout history.
"I'm not a fan of black teas," Fate countered dryly, taking a sedate sip of her floral beverage, "Especially this late in the day." It was pushing half-past four, was he trying to give her more sleepless nights than what she already had to deal with? Not like the poor sod had any way of knowing.
He gaped a little at her response, and Fate realised the man hadn't even considered that teas could come with caffeine. She heaved an internal sigh, "Darjeeling is a black tea, which typically comes with a higher caffeine content than jasmine or green tea," her clinically precise tones stated dispassionately, "Depending on how much is used and how long one steeps it, it is possible for it to contain as much caffeine as a strong cup of coffee. If you've had issues resting at night, it may be due to the consumption of that or other teas later in the day."
Fate wasn't one to get wordy with strangers, but in the face of this ambivalent environment, the blonde had decided that being an encyclopaedia would dissuade further attempts at socialising.
"...I see. Well, hope you enjoy it." Having nothing to counter the chilly blonde's recitation of Tea Facts, the Indian executive beat a hasty retreat back to the side of the pantry he had emerged from. Fate bit back a laugh when the man began pulling boxes of Darjeeling out of the pantry cupboard to study nutrition facts printed on the side.
Taking the seat the man had just vacated, Vita stirred at her dessert pretending to be a drink. She had witnessed the amusing exchange and couldn't wait to share it with her cousins. The redhead maintained her usual scowl, however, which helped keep any others at bay.
Eyeing the glacial blonde, Vita could see she was scrolling through news blurbs without really reading them, stopping only when news about a newly inked deal in Indonesia popped up. Expanding the article, Fate drank in the page with unusual fervour, something that didn't escape Vita's notice.
When the blonde clicked on the article's accompanying image and expanded it to better see the graceful form of their boss, the redhead cleared her throat, loudly.
"Guess she'll be back tonight," the redhead ventured without a change in her expression. Head snapping up, Fate stared at Vita, knowing exactly whom the petite woman was speaking of.
Delight and worry warred for dominance in Fate's expression, with worry finally winning, "Should she?" The blonde asked with a frown, "It would take her hours to get to the airport with how traffic is like there."
Vita shrugged, "She hates flying." Seeing how this did nothing to clear Fate's worried look, she added, "Means she'll want it over with sooner than later."
As if conjured up by their conversation, Vita's phone buzzed. Answering, Fate could hear the resonant timbre of Nanoha's voice on the other end of the line, "Vita, need your help to book me anything out of here ASAP, I don't care if it's fucking Lion Air." She sounded tired to Fate's ears. It was the third time in as many weeks that the executive had to make a trip out of the country.
The blonde found herself holding her breath, not wishing to interrupt Vita's call with their boss.
"Nanoha, I'm not booking you a seat in a flying metal coffin. I'll get you Garuda, minimum."
Vita gestured to Fate, silently requesting to borrow the blonde's phone, which Fate immediately gave up.
The secretary pulled up the site she normally used for such occasions, scrolling through available flights for Nanoha. A French manicured nail tapped at a specific flight that offered business class on top of a passable reputation for service, Fate spying what looked like the best option, and Vita nodded.
"I have you for SIA, 10:40PM, lands 11:25PM."
"Fine," the sound of clothes rustling and zips being tugged came through the call, Nanoha obviously packing. Vita wondered why the executive hadn't cut the call yet, thinking that maybe she was preoccupied and forgot.
"How's Feito doing?" Reddening to be the subject of their conversation, Fate hurriedly rose and escaped back to her office with her drink. Vita smirked and took her time answering, giving the poor woman time to run.
"Good, she settled that Salonpas account. And someone tried to hit on her with tea."
"Salonpas? That's good. Maybe we can hand her Brompton, those fuddy-duddies keep making noises about wanting to join the modern world…" Then the call fell silent, the redhead pondering if the line had been cut. Reception wasn't the greatest over in Indonesia.
"SOMEONE TRIED TO USE TEANA TO HIT ON FEITO-CHAN?! WHERE WAS SUBARU?"
Wincing, Vita pulled her phone back a little, glad she had already left the pantry before Nanoha's outburst.
"No no no!" Cutting Nanoha off before she blew a gasket, Vita explained, "That beard in Marketing tried selling her darling gee or whatever tea."
Heavy breathing was the only sound coming through the call for a full ten seconds, Vita counted. She bet the Japanese executive was counting, too.
"Darjeeling, you mean? That idiot couldn't sell Evian to people lost in the desert." Nanoha finally scoffed.
"Fate counter-sold him jasmine tea. I wanted to laugh in his face." Vita took a sip of her chocolate to avoid being seen giggling in the hallways.
The sounds of packing resumed over the line, Nanoha's voice gaining an echo to indicate she had switched over to speaker phone. "Wish I'd been there," there was a wistful quality to her boss' voice.
Electing to tease the woman, Vita slyly added, "It was probably her tuxedo suit, the guy couldn't resist."
Over in Jakarta, Nanoha stared at her phone, wondering if yet another of her staff had taken leave of their senses or was it just the migraine causing her to hallucinate things. "Uh, sure. Thanks for the booking, I'll see you tomorrow." Striding over to where her phone lay on the hotel bed, Nanoha killed the call.
Muttering about bosses denser than osmium, Vita confirmed that Fate had her office door ajar and settled back at her desk. She called the executive back, deliberately setting the call to speaker phone because oh look, her hands were needed to drink her hot chocolate.
"What?"
"I was going to ask if you needed me to book a car once you land." Vita explained as if she were speaking to a child, enunciating clearly.
"Eh, I can book a ride share…"
"I can pick her up," came a melodic voice from the depths of Fate's office, and Vita congratulated herself on her cunning plan.
"Feito-chan? I appreciate the sentiment but ride shares should be easy to get near midnight." Alto warming, Nanoha tried to get the blonde to see reason.
"Nanoha, it will be late and you'll be tired." Fate emerged from her office to move closer to the phone, "It's safer if I do this."
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Attempting a different tack, Nanoha soldiered on, "You're on the other side of the island from me…"
"I sleep late." Fate countered firmly. "Have a safe flight, Nanoha," And with her manicured finger, she cut the call to prevent the executive from trying to interfere with her job to ensure her boss arrived home safely, nevermind that the island nation was ridiculously safe with an incredibly low crime rate.
Nanoha stared at her phone for the second time tonight. She hated the thought of her friend going out of her way to give her a ride home but couldn't help feeling a thrill that she cared enough to do it. It made the insistent pounding in her head recede a little.
She carefully smoothed a piece of fine batik, folded neatly and tucked into one corner of her luggage. Interweaving patterns of maroon and gold so reminiscent of the blonde's colouring traced its way across the traditional fabric. Just a small gift, between friends. 'That's it, Takamachi, keep lying to yourself.'
Had it only been three days? This was getting ridiculous, but Nanoha was helpless to fight it. She could count on one hand how many hours of sleep she'd gotten since landing in the Indonesian capital but the thought of seeing Fate energised her like nothing else.
Taking a quick shower to help preserve that energy spike, Nanoha threw on a white jumper, tucking it loosely into capri pants of a shade matching her azure eyes. Over the jumper, she added a blue blazer and bid farewell to her temporary jail with relief.
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Fate shifted from one foot to the other, loitering around Belt 16 where Nanoha's flight was scheduled to unload at. She'd left the office late, hoping to clear as much of their shared work as her current levels allowed, anything to give Nanoha an easier Friday. Her red pumps went great with her outfit but weren't the most comfortable to continue wearing late into the night, and she briefly wished she had packed some sneakers into her trunk.
True to Changi Airport's reputation for punctuality, she soon spied the familiar form of her boss emerging from immigration, a garment bag slung over one arm. There seemed to be a weary cant to Nanoha's graceful gait, though it straightened when the Japanese woman caught sight of her. Moving to better position herself outside of customs and declarations, the blonde waited impatiently.
The flight had been torture, heaping added pressure changes and unwelcome noise onto the migraine in full swing. The sight of the tall blonde in the distance gave Nanoha strength, and she gathered her remaining shreds of energy to give her a short wave. The returning wave was unaccountably comforting to see and her luggage couldn't have arrived any sooner.
Relinquishing her luggage trolley to Fate who had pushed her aside to take over with a gentle nudge of her hips, she drank in the sight of her AVP as they made their way to where Fate had parked. Vita was right about Fate's suit, it hugged the woman in all the right places, and then some. "You're a sight for sore eyes," she croaked tiredly, dehydrated from the flight. "Thanks for swinging by."
Fate hadn't liked the paleness under Nanoha's tan when the woman had exited from Arrivals, suspecting she was suffering from yet another headache of epic proportions. Was this why she hated flying? Extremely glad she had overridden the executive's protests, she smiled down at the rumpled beauty, finding the blazer and capri combo to be too cute for words.
"Let's get you home," was Fate's quietly warm response. Home, with Fate. That sounded so damned good. Nanoha nodded.
No sooner had Fate gotten past the parking lot gantry was Nanoha out like a light. Fate lowered the volume of her car system and called up her GPS to punch in the quickest route back to Nanoha's. Usually, the blonde enjoyed finding her own way but it was imperative to get the executive in her bed as quickly as possible right now.
"-oha-chan? Nanoha-chan?" Stirring out of her nap, Nanoha blinked cloudy eyes at the blonde. Fate looked absolutely regretful at having woken her up.
"Sorry, Nanoha-chan, they need ID to let me drive in any further." Grunting, Nanoha stuck her sleep-mussed head over to Fate's side of the car, showing her face to the guard.
Fate had pulled back as much as she could, but that wasn't very far at all. The warmth of Nanoha's form was too tempting and the arm closest to the executive slipped around the woman, offering her support at the awkward angle she had to lean in.
"Ah, Miss Takamachi, good evening." The barrier blocking them was raised, allowing Fate to continue down the small road to where the executive's apartment was located. The soft clang of yacht moorings punctuated their otherwise silent drive down the final stretch of the island's residential development.
Nanoha had appreciated the support Fate proffered, her whole body was stiff from too much time in odd positions. Groaning, she settled back into her side of the car, throwing Fate a half-cocked smile. "Sorry for the trouble," she burred sleepily.
"What are friends for?" Fate declared emphatically. In truth, she was distressed to see the Japanese woman in this state, though she hid it well enough. Was she always like this after a business trip? Parking next to the executive's Audi, she watched the stubborn woman gather herself together to let them both in. Feigning more energy than she had, Nanoha strode in, her only concession being to let Fate bring the luggage in for her.
Unwilling to send her guest off with a hi and bye, Nanoha bustled around the kitchen, obviously meaning to prepare tea and snacks. She hadn't even changed yet.
Returning from the walk-in wardrobe she had been directed to leave Nanoha's luggage in, Fate sighed at her boss' stubbornness and hurried over, placing a staying hand over Nanoha's just as she was reaching for the tea bags, "I don't need tea. I need you to rest." Pleading crimson met clouded azure and it was a measure of Nanoha's weariness that she didn't put up a fight.
Leading the woman to her bed, Fate divested her of her blazer and socks. Lifting her legs up so she could fully lie down, the blonde fought back a blush and helped the auburn-haired beauty out of her short pants, revealing a bright orange thong that left little to the imagination. She squeaked and tugged Nanoha's loose jumper down. The woman was too far gone to notice anything, and simply rolled over to lay on her belly. Her face was buried in her pillow and even in rest, a frown of pain had her brow scrunched.
If Fate left now, she'd be leaving her heart behind and get no sleep whatsoever. It was a frighteningly easy decision to make. Using the day-pack Nanoha had loaned her the last time she was at the apartment, Fate washed off her make-up and freshened up. Checking on her friend one last time, she left a glass of water on the bed stand and settled onto the sofa, her suit jacket draped over the back of a dining table chair. Untucking her starched top, she popped open a few of her shirt buttons and rolled up her sleeves, trying to get comfortable. It was a challenge to find where to place her long arms. Eventually, she settled on just crossing them and closed her eyes.
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It was a blessing and a curse that Nanoha's body-clock woke her at the usual five of the AM. Azure eyes made pale in the light of false dawn studied the familiar surface she was lying on. Right, Fate had fetched her home last night. It had felt… wonderful. As if she was coming home to someone. Exhaling a slow breath, Nanoha shuttered the feeling away. 'Don't get used to it, Takamachi. She was just doing her job.'
'Oh, like how Muthusamy fetches his boss back home after her work trips?' Her sarcastic mind asked.
Her body shook in a silent laugh. Ah, gods, everything hurt. Forcing herself up, Nanoha rubbed tiredly at a knot in her neck, the unnatural position she had fallen asleep in coming back to bite her arse in spades now. Spying a glass of water by her bed, she snatched it up, thirstily downing it in a few gulps. That angel was so thoughtful.
Padding silently into the living area, she froze at the sight that greeted her sleep-muddled eyes.
Molten gold clung to one end of her sofa in waves of silken sheets, stray wisps framing a face that could launch a thousand ships. Fate was deep asleep, her chest moving in slow, even breaths. A button had come undone while she'd slumbered, revealing the soft swells of full, sweetly rounded breasts, barely held in check by a pink lace bra. An arm had been thrown carelessly above her head, the blonde taking up the entire length with the ease of a stretched out lioness at rest.
Her head had fallen to one side, exposing an irresistible length of neck that sloped gently, accentuating the sharp elegance of her clavicle. The tips of Nanoha's fingers itched to trace those elegant lines laid before her, hands to feel the weight of those ripe mounds, lips to taste that long neck…
Clenching her hands into fists, Nanoha instead looked for and found a light throw to tuck around the blonde's shoulders, hiding all of that temptation from view. She needed to get out, get away from that beautiful princess that called to her.
Sneaking around her own apartment to avoid waking the blonde, the executive silenced her smart home's audio alerts, grabbing her earpieces and phone as she prepared for her morning run. With one last look over her shoulder at the sleeping beauty, she snuck out, taking extra care to close her door without sound.
Nanoha took in the placid waters stretched out before her while she tapped out a quick message to her morning visitor, enjoying the quiet of morning whilst she began her stretches. Various species of palms swayed to the rhythm of salt-infused winds, whipping her ponytail around in playful greeting.
Sighing to find over thirty messages waiting for her attention, the executive instructed playback to begin. There would be no music this morning, only the demands of work and the steady thud of her sneakered feet.
"Nice work in Jakarta, Nano-chan. I knew they wouldn't be able to resist if I sent my prettiest exec to sell it to them. My flight's booked for next Saturday. Dinner?"
Nanoha snorted at Hayate's smug voice, "If Marketing would do their fucking job I wouldn't have to be the one selling our crap, Haya-chan, you know that."
'Shall I send, my Master?' enquired Nanoha's app. Realising her reply had been recorded, she shrugged, "Send."
'Yes, my Master. Reply sent.'
Predictably, a call from the CEO came in once the other woman received Nanoha's voice message and the executive smirked.
"Nano-chan! Where are you? I can't see anything!"
"I'm on my run, Haya-chan. Hope you like the scenery." It was nothing but a blur of shady palms and still waters, and Nanoha could sense the disappointment in the brunette.
"Boooring. I want my Hottie-chan in her sports bra!"
"That'll cost you extra, and we know you can't afford it." Her shoes crunched as she took a right turn and ran past her front of her apartment a second time. She was heartened to see the lights still off inside, wanting the blonde to rest for as long as possible before morning truly arrived.
Their banter was easy from years of friendship. Nanoha knew Hayate was never serious about her flirtations and only took aesthetic pleasure in whatever she saw. It was a pity that included playing dress-up with long-suffering friends and relatives whenever she could get her hands on them.
"Speaking of outfits, we're throwing a Halloween bash this year and I want everyone assistant manager and up attending. We gotta show the underlings that we're still in touch and know how to have fun. So don't forget to get a costume! Or, I could get one for you!"
"Haya-chan, I will set fire to anything you get me." Nanoha drawled, immediately cutting her CEO's fantasies off at the knees.
"Mou! Nano-chan is no fun! You can't show up in your usual clothes and say you're cosplaying as a head of department again, okay? I want something SPECU-WONDER-MOUS!"
The Japanese woman sighed, "I'll try. No promises."
"How's your new headcount?" Hayate enquired, switching gears at the flip of a coin.
Feeling her blood pumping for reasons other than her brisk run, Nanoha consciously kept her voice cool, glad that Hayate couldn't see the silly smile on her face, "Adjusting. Half is old hat, the other, I can teach. She's quick on her feet and gets along with Vita."
"Hot, too." Hayate quipped.
"You wouldn't believe…" Nanoha almost tripped over her own feet when she registered what she'd just responded to, and how. "Gods dammit, Hayate," she growled, hating herself for being caught off-guard. She knew how sneaky the little tanuki could be!
'She's dropped the '-chan', Hayate thought, a clear indication that her executive was riled. The brunette grinned to herself, schooling her voice to pure innocence.
"I have working eyes, Nano-chan. It wasn't that long ago she and her sis were the most eligible bachelorettes in all of Europe. I mean, it's a total coup that we nabbed her for TSAB. The amount of inroads we could make if she used her connections…"
"We, will, not," the executive's alto was a foreboding growl.
Unseen, Hayate blinked. This was a first. Nanoha was the most practical person she knew. To leave such a useful tool untouched was unprecedented. "I thought you picked her for…"
"You thought wrong, and this discussion is closed. Her qualifications were a fit, that is all." Nanoha's agitation at the very notion of using her AVP for TSAB's gain in such a way carried through the line loud and clear. Her feet had picked up the pace, a sure sign her mind was far more focused on preventing any unethical use of the blonde than on her run.
"You know I won't be the only one thinking this, right, Nano-chan?"
The harsh realities of the world they resided in were things the executive knew well. Despite that, or perhaps, because of it, she felt an obligation to take the blonde at face value, asking no more than whatever her personal abilities would provide.
"They can take the idea and shove it where the sun doesn't shine," the executive stated with some heat. "Whore me around all you want, Hayate, but so help me if TSAB tries that with Feito-chan…"
"Whoa, whoa, I hear you, Nano-chan." This bite felt like way more than she could chew, and Hayate took a moment to placate her volatile executive. "We won't go there if her boss says we aren't going there, and you know I'm on your side."
The auburn-haired woman felt her hackles settling a little with the CEO's assertions, and she had the grace to blush a little, realising the tone she had taken with her old friend. "Operations will deliver, Haya-chan." It was the best apology she could muster, not at all regretting her defense of the blonde.
"You always do, Nano-chan. We'll catch up next Saturday. I want your department in costume, yea?"
Feeling drained from the call, Nanoha sighed and finished up her last few circuits, expression clouded. Did it look that way from the outside? Her arbitrarily picking a less experienced candidate over many more qualified ones? It didn't sit well with her that Fate might think she had ulterior motives for wanting her in TSAB. The woman had performed above and beyond expectations in the weeks she'd been in the organisation.
Deciding that she should address that and soon, Nanoha finished her run three minutes before her usual stop time. Not too shabby after missing that many mornings in a row.
She pulled up short, in time to witness Erio spinning Fate around in his arms, smooching her on the cheek as he did so. The blonde's bell-like laughter dispelled the morning's quiet.