Morning Rebuke
By CrazygurlMadness
The door to the office slammed open as Link stepped in, his hair in the usual morning mess and tie crooked. He uselessly tried to straighten his jacket, but to no avail. Around him, the others didn't even look up, save for the occasional female. He passed all the desks without even glancing at them, his only thought resting on his tardiness.
He pressed on the elevator button, saw that it was at the last level, sighed impatiently and ran for the stairs.
He arrived on the correct level two minutes later, a bit flushed and his breath shallower than just a few moments before. He hurried down the hallway, coming to a set of two desks, including one that was already occupied. The young woman there glanced up, smiled, pushed a strand of red hair back behind her ear and gazed back at her work. Link waved at her lightly, not stopping at the other desk, instead knocking on the thick wooden door behind the redhead's office chair.
The young woman turned and smirked.
"Late again? She's gonna let you have it."
Link rolled his eyes, sighed, absently ran a hand through his tousled hair and checked his suit.
"You tell me. Malon, how do I look?"
Malon ran him a head to foot glance, shrugged, and went back to her paperwork.
"The usual."
Link scowled desperately.
"That bad?"
She laughed and waved to brush it off, offering him a styrofoam coffee cup.
"Want some? Nabs offered it, she said she was off with Impa until lunch, and they'd get something drinkable instead."
Link shook his head.
"I'm not adding coffee breath to my already full record."
Malon shrugged and took a sip, getting back to work. Link sighed, glancing back at the shut door, considering on knocking again. He didn't need to.
"Come in."
He took a deep breath and twisted the doorknob gently, entering the room and closing the door behind him quietly.
She was working again at her desk, her soft blonde hair tied into a messy but business-like bun, a few strands having already fallen out and tumbling in front of her soft blue eyes. Her skin shone in the bright sunlight that came unfiltered from the window, flawless. Her dress pants-clad legs were crossed under her desk, her dainty feet wearing classic high heels. Her jacket had been placed on the executive chair's back, revealing a cream colored blouse, comfortable for a business outfit.
Link's hands were clammy as he approached the busy young woman. He silently took in a shuddering breath. She didn't look up once. He waited in silence.
Finally, her voice rose above the quiet hum of the ventilation system.
"Mr. Kokirin, I expect you're here for the same reason as always?"
Link cleared his throat and grunted in response.
"Actually, Miss Harkinian, it's all about medias of transportation... You see, I was up on time for once, and all set to go when I realized my car had a flat."
The young woman looked up, eyebrow raised in mild surprise. Link smiled nervously and continued on.
"I'm not one to forget about the urgency of our current contract, so I knew I'd have to get to work through other means. I chose to take the city bus. But, as you must have guessed, there was a lot of traffic on the highway, so I... Well... I got late."
Zelda Harkinian threw him a sympathetic glance, before frowning.
"And I suppose the disheveled look, the wild hair and the grumbling stomach are due to...?"
Link coughed nervously.
"Um... An encounter with a wild dog?"
His stomach grumbled, and he smiled faintly, remembering that he hadn't had time to eat that morning.
"Yes," Zelda Harkinian agreed severely, "I suppose things like that happen to the best of us."
Link looked at his feet, as though they were suddenly very interesting.
"May I ask why you haven't mentioned the dog incident in your tale?"
Link grinned without assurance, rubbing the back of his neck uncomfortably.
"I guess you can say it's just a small annoyance in your day... I didn't think you'd care..." He looked up suddenly. "But I've been doing work anyway!" He took out a stack of papers and showed them to her. "Dogs, buses, they won't keep me from working! Miss Harkinian, please, forgive my tardiness, I—"
But she wasn't listening, instead scanning the workload he'd managed to finish, impressed by the quantity of work Link had managed to take down on his own.
"Miss Harkinian?"
She looked up suddenly. Link was gazing at her curiously. She smiled faintly.
"This is most impressive," she suddenly declared, surprising Link. His eyebrows rose to his hairline, and she laughed at his shock from the praise. "This is the equivalent of a month's work for a team of three."
Link said nothing, gulping slowly, hoping it would be enough to keep him onboard.
"However," her voice was serious again, and he stiffened, "this does not explain your tardiness. I do not believe your tale. Sit, Mr. Kokirin."
Link complied, scared now that she would put into motion the threat of firing him. He sat up straight in the office chair, gazing at the table surface blindly. Zelda Harkinian stood, contoured the desk and came to sit in front of him, atop her office table, her legs crossed right in front of him. Link gulped down again, trying desperately to avert his eyes, but realizing with a certain horror that he couldn't avoid the delicious sight.
"Mr. Kokirin," his boss' purring voice resounded in his ears, and he tore his eyes away from her legs to gaze at her. She was fiddling with a blouse button, unbuttoning it and re-buttoning it over and over again. He felt himself flush, but said nothing. "I understand you were warned more than once before about your late arrivals in office, and I'm curious as to the true reason of this phenomenon before taking a final decision."
Link felt, horrified, that his mouth had gone dry. Did she really have to be so sexy?
"Uh...I... Well... I-I..." He paused, breathed, tried to block out the tempting sight of his boss in front of him, and formulated something slightly more coherent. "Well, Miss Harkinian—"
"Zelda. Today, right now, call me Zelda. I'll see later whether it shall return to Miss Harkinian afterwards."
Link nodded, speechless. He gathered his wits and finally blurted out the whole thing. How he'd kept the huge project, due to laziness, for work until last night, when he'd remembered he had to finish it for that very morning. How he'd stayed up until two in the morning in order to finish the gigantic amount of workload that currently sat beside her. How he'd fallen asleep around then, and had awoken later, at seven, and how it took him an hour to get to the office, what with the rush hour. He even admitted to not having taken the time to eat, in his hurry.
Zelda nodded, apparently satisfied with the honest explanation.
"Miss Har— Uh, Zelda, please, don't fire me! I'm willing to sleep in the office, clean your desk completely, do twice the amount of work I usually do— I'll do anything!"
Zelda kept quiet, standing, and Link followed her lovely legs for a short moment, before getting back in line. His boss came to stand behind him, and he didn't dare turn around.
Her voice was a whisper in his ear, sending delightful shivers down his spine, which he tried to control, considering that now was not the time to feel attracted to his boss.
"Mr. Kokirin, I think we need to discuss this over a good dinner. At your charge, of course, but I'm sure you'll manage to convince me not to fire you afterwards."
Link said nothing. Zelda went on.
"And if I'm not convinced, I think we'll have to continue eating out together until we get to a certain... deal."
Link couldn't help his grin.
"If I didn't know better, I'd think you're asking me out."
Almost immediately, he felt like slapping himself senseless.
"Uh, I mean—"
"That would also be something I'll consider. Convince me, Mr. Kokirin."
Her devilish smile was too close for comfort, he decided, but honestly, he didn't care. She was asking him for a dinner, and no man in his right mind would have the decency to refuse. At least, not when she was...
Sitting in his lap.
Link gulped uncomfortably, trying to decide what to do now that she was gazing down at him coquettishly.
"Hum... I think I can afford to take you out to dinner... and for supper too, if you wish!" He added hurriedly, his face flushed. She was grinning, and she leaned in close to him, her nose brushing against his. He held his breath.
"Why, that's very kind, Mr. Kokirin."
How did she make his last name sound like an endearment?
"I'm hoping, however, that you will try to avoid being late again." A meaningful look and a smirk. "Else I'd have to use appropriate methods to get you back in line."
In that moment, Link made the decision to be late next week.
::
Malon chewed on her pencil as the door opened behind her, and out came Link, looking positively shocked, but happy. Zelda Harkinian followed, and pushed Link towards the elevators, turning back to her secretary and friend, winking and grinning widely. Malon raised a thumbs-up triumphantly, smirking proudly, and whooping quietly for her friend. Zelda was quietly giggling.
Link took out his wallet, and decided that it was too bad if he went broke today. He was going out with the sexiest, most intelligent woman in the whole building!
Was Zora's Domain open today? He hoped so... It was the best restaurant in the city, and not one bit too fancy for her.
This was a good day, after all.
::
R&R!
Love,
CM
The door to the office slammed open as Link stepped in, his hair in the usual morning mess and tie crooked. He uselessly tried to straighten his jacket, but to no avail. Around him, the others didn't even look up, save for the occasional female. He passed all the desks without even glancing at them, his only thought resting on his tardiness.
He pressed on the elevator button, saw that it was at the last level, sighed impatiently and ran for the stairs.
He arrived on the correct level two minutes later, a bit flushed and his breath shallower than just a few moments before. He hurried down the hallway, coming to a set of two desks, including one that was already occupied. The young woman there glanced up, smiled, pushed a strand of red hair back behind her ear and gazed back at her work. Link waved at her lightly, not stopping at the other desk, instead knocking on the thick wooden door behind the redhead's office chair.
The young woman turned and smirked.
"Late again? She's gonna let you have it."
Link rolled his eyes, sighed, absently ran a hand through his tousled hair and checked his suit.
"You tell me. Malon, how do I look?"
Malon ran him a head to foot glance, shrugged, and went back to her paperwork.
"The usual."
Link scowled desperately.
"That bad?"
She laughed and waved to brush it off, offering him a styrofoam coffee cup.
"Want some? Nabs offered it, she said she was off with Impa until lunch, and they'd get something drinkable instead."
Link shook his head.
"I'm not adding coffee breath to my already full record."
Malon shrugged and took a sip, getting back to work. Link sighed, glancing back at the shut door, considering on knocking again. He didn't need to.
"Come in."
He took a deep breath and twisted the doorknob gently, entering the room and closing the door behind him quietly.
She was working again at her desk, her soft blonde hair tied into a messy but business-like bun, a few strands having already fallen out and tumbling in front of her soft blue eyes. Her skin shone in the bright sunlight that came unfiltered from the window, flawless. Her dress pants-clad legs were crossed under her desk, her dainty feet wearing classic high heels. Her jacket had been placed on the executive chair's back, revealing a cream colored blouse, comfortable for a business outfit.
Link's hands were clammy as he approached the busy young woman. He silently took in a shuddering breath. She didn't look up once. He waited in silence.
Finally, her voice rose above the quiet hum of the ventilation system.
"Mr. Kokirin, I expect you're here for the same reason as always?"
Link cleared his throat and grunted in response.
"Actually, Miss Harkinian, it's all about medias of transportation... You see, I was up on time for once, and all set to go when I realized my car had a flat."
The young woman looked up, eyebrow raised in mild surprise. Link smiled nervously and continued on.
"I'm not one to forget about the urgency of our current contract, so I knew I'd have to get to work through other means. I chose to take the city bus. But, as you must have guessed, there was a lot of traffic on the highway, so I... Well... I got late."
Zelda Harkinian threw him a sympathetic glance, before frowning.
"And I suppose the disheveled look, the wild hair and the grumbling stomach are due to...?"
Link coughed nervously.
"Um... An encounter with a wild dog?"
His stomach grumbled, and he smiled faintly, remembering that he hadn't had time to eat that morning.
"Yes," Zelda Harkinian agreed severely, "I suppose things like that happen to the best of us."
Link looked at his feet, as though they were suddenly very interesting.
"May I ask why you haven't mentioned the dog incident in your tale?"
Link grinned without assurance, rubbing the back of his neck uncomfortably.
"I guess you can say it's just a small annoyance in your day... I didn't think you'd care..." He looked up suddenly. "But I've been doing work anyway!" He took out a stack of papers and showed them to her. "Dogs, buses, they won't keep me from working! Miss Harkinian, please, forgive my tardiness, I—"
But she wasn't listening, instead scanning the workload he'd managed to finish, impressed by the quantity of work Link had managed to take down on his own.
"Miss Harkinian?"
She looked up suddenly. Link was gazing at her curiously. She smiled faintly.
"This is most impressive," she suddenly declared, surprising Link. His eyebrows rose to his hairline, and she laughed at his shock from the praise. "This is the equivalent of a month's work for a team of three."
Link said nothing, gulping slowly, hoping it would be enough to keep him onboard.
"However," her voice was serious again, and he stiffened, "this does not explain your tardiness. I do not believe your tale. Sit, Mr. Kokirin."
Link complied, scared now that she would put into motion the threat of firing him. He sat up straight in the office chair, gazing at the table surface blindly. Zelda Harkinian stood, contoured the desk and came to sit in front of him, atop her office table, her legs crossed right in front of him. Link gulped down again, trying desperately to avert his eyes, but realizing with a certain horror that he couldn't avoid the delicious sight.
"Mr. Kokirin," his boss' purring voice resounded in his ears, and he tore his eyes away from her legs to gaze at her. She was fiddling with a blouse button, unbuttoning it and re-buttoning it over and over again. He felt himself flush, but said nothing. "I understand you were warned more than once before about your late arrivals in office, and I'm curious as to the true reason of this phenomenon before taking a final decision."
Link felt, horrified, that his mouth had gone dry. Did she really have to be so sexy?
"Uh...I... Well... I-I..." He paused, breathed, tried to block out the tempting sight of his boss in front of him, and formulated something slightly more coherent. "Well, Miss Harkinian—"
"Zelda. Today, right now, call me Zelda. I'll see later whether it shall return to Miss Harkinian afterwards."
Link nodded, speechless. He gathered his wits and finally blurted out the whole thing. How he'd kept the huge project, due to laziness, for work until last night, when he'd remembered he had to finish it for that very morning. How he'd stayed up until two in the morning in order to finish the gigantic amount of workload that currently sat beside her. How he'd fallen asleep around then, and had awoken later, at seven, and how it took him an hour to get to the office, what with the rush hour. He even admitted to not having taken the time to eat, in his hurry.
Zelda nodded, apparently satisfied with the honest explanation.
"Miss Har— Uh, Zelda, please, don't fire me! I'm willing to sleep in the office, clean your desk completely, do twice the amount of work I usually do— I'll do anything!"
Zelda kept quiet, standing, and Link followed her lovely legs for a short moment, before getting back in line. His boss came to stand behind him, and he didn't dare turn around.
Her voice was a whisper in his ear, sending delightful shivers down his spine, which he tried to control, considering that now was not the time to feel attracted to his boss.
"Mr. Kokirin, I think we need to discuss this over a good dinner. At your charge, of course, but I'm sure you'll manage to convince me not to fire you afterwards."
Link said nothing. Zelda went on.
"And if I'm not convinced, I think we'll have to continue eating out together until we get to a certain... deal."
Link couldn't help his grin.
"If I didn't know better, I'd think you're asking me out."
Almost immediately, he felt like slapping himself senseless.
"Uh, I mean—"
"That would also be something I'll consider. Convince me, Mr. Kokirin."
Her devilish smile was too close for comfort, he decided, but honestly, he didn't care. She was asking him for a dinner, and no man in his right mind would have the decency to refuse. At least, not when she was...
Sitting in his lap.
Link gulped uncomfortably, trying to decide what to do now that she was gazing down at him coquettishly.
"Hum... I think I can afford to take you out to dinner... and for supper too, if you wish!" He added hurriedly, his face flushed. She was grinning, and she leaned in close to him, her nose brushing against his. He held his breath.
"Why, that's very kind, Mr. Kokirin."
How did she make his last name sound like an endearment?
"I'm hoping, however, that you will try to avoid being late again." A meaningful look and a smirk. "Else I'd have to use appropriate methods to get you back in line."
In that moment, Link made the decision to be late next week.
::
Malon chewed on her pencil as the door opened behind her, and out came Link, looking positively shocked, but happy. Zelda Harkinian followed, and pushed Link towards the elevators, turning back to her secretary and friend, winking and grinning widely. Malon raised a thumbs-up triumphantly, smirking proudly, and whooping quietly for her friend. Zelda was quietly giggling.
Link took out his wallet, and decided that it was too bad if he went broke today. He was going out with the sexiest, most intelligent woman in the whole building!
Was Zora's Domain open today? He hoped so... It was the best restaurant in the city, and not one bit too fancy for her.
This was a good day, after all.
::
R&R!
Love,
CM