Work Text:
Poppy notices Emu is positively joyful today, more than usual.
Than Nico notices.
Than Kiriya.
Than Taiga.
Than Hiiro.
And finally, Parad.
Thing is,
nobody knows why.
Except for maybe Kiriya and Parad.
Now, if only they would stop interrupting Emu!
[CR BREAK ROOM]
"You look really happy today Emu! Anything planned? Oh, oh! Or anything special that happened?" Poppy skipped towards Emu cheerfully and nudged his shoulder with her hand in a simarly playful manor.
"Hm? Sorry, what was that Poppy?" Emu, was smiling dopily with his cheeks tinted just the slightest red. While daydreaming just a second ago, was brought out of his funk when Poppy surprised him with her question.
"Oh, I was just asked if anything happened! You look real happy after all, more than usual!"
Emu blinked a couple times, processing his colleague's question.
"Ah, yeah so-"
"What's got you smiling like an idiot?"
Just a small interruption, no harm in that.
Emu almost jumped out of his seat in suprise, while Poppy stepped back from the latter to look up at their surprised guest.
"Hey Nico! You don't usually come here without Parad, anything going on with Taiga's work?"
"Nah, just felt like coming in. Parad's busy doing whatever bugsters do anyway. I was thinking about challenging Emu on my way here, but what's he smiling about?"
"Am I not allowed to be happy?" Emu jokingly said, elating a small giggle from Poppy.
"Not in my vicinity."
Nico's over three year old grudge and it's impact on her view on him, a special little running gag, really.
"Oh."
Emu still can't tell if her frown is one of genuine displeasure or sarcastic.
"Nevermind that. You still look like you run the secret society of unicorns and rainbows! What's up with that?"
"Well since you asked so nicely-" Emu started up again,
"Nice day you're having, Ace? You seem awfully cheery today." Kiriya walzted in, shuffling through his files. Taking a seat opposite of Emu.
Another interruption, but that's okay, he's a patient person.
"I know right? That smile could probably kill if the sun decided to reflect off of it..." Nico grumbled to herself, shifting her gaze away from the others.
"Hello Kiriya! We actually were asking Emu about that just now!" Poppy spun around to talk to Kiriya, and twirled back around to face Emu.
Kiriya looked up from his files and observed Emu's face for a bit, seemingly coming to a conclusion from the small smirk on his face.
"Well, now you've got me curious."
"Kiriya, I see that smile on your face. Whatever you're thinking, please let it be reasonable..!"
"Uh-huh..sure Ace," Kiriya nodded his head slowly while transitioning back to reading his papers. He had to force a laugh down when he saw the poorly hidden grimace on Emu's face.
"So are you going to tell us or not?" Nico sat down in one of the chairs, resting her head in her hands.
"I will! Sorry, so like I was saying-"
"Hi, Taiga!"
"Hello, Poppy."
Emu is beginning to think perhaps he's not quite the patient person afterall.
Nico brightened up at the mention of Taiga's name,
"Emu's being weird today, weirder than usual!" She gestured with her hands for Taiga to come over to her.
"I'm busy right now."
"Then why are you here?"
"..."
With that, Taiga witheld a sigh and walked over to Nico in defeat.
"Look at the idiots face! It's way too happy..well, I mean it's always too happy. But it's especially happy today!"
"Hey!"
"I mean, you aren't wrong."
"Exactly!"
Nico triumphed in her victory while Emu slumped back in his seat, sulking.
Taiga looked like his interest was peaked just a tad bit, raising an eyebrow at Emu.
"I'm going to guess that means, 'Why do you look so happy? How dare you think you can even be happy in my presence.'" Emu who was joking once again, elated another small laugh out of Poppy.
"Just the last part."
And because Emu is Emu, he can never catch a break.
"Oh, ok. Actually i'm-"
"Hey, Hiiro! Look at your intern! He looks way too bubbly today, right?!"
"Refer to me as Kagami, Saiba."
Now Emu isn't a violent person, but he is very tempted to hit the next person that walks into this room.
"I'm not an intern anymore..." Emu mumbles while pouting.
Can't be very violent at the moment if your busy sulking.
"It's okay Emu! You'll always be a licensed Pediatrician in my heart!"
"Poppy, I am-!"
"What's all this about intern looking too happy today?"
"But- you know what I won't even fight it anymore.."
"Ace is having allegations." He-who-shall-not-be-named unhelpfully chimed in.
Kiriya and his way with words.
"Can I even do anything to preserve my dignity..." Emu's face has noticably gradually decreased in happiness.
He can't tell whether or not this is a ploy to rid of his happiness everyone's so blatantly focused on.
"Look at his face!"
"Yes Nico, we've all unfortunately looked at his face when we came in."
"Taiga, shush, I was talking to Hiiro."
"Kagami-"
"Same thing!
"What about Emu's face?" Parado appeared out of nowhere behind them all, causing all of them to startle slightly.
Except Emu, who was still contemplating his life.
Perhaps instead of punching Parad he can punch himself out of existence.
"Okay so- earlier I was trying to find you, cause like I wanted to play the new edition of- that doesn't matter actually. Anyway, I walked into the CR deciding whether or not to challenge Emu, descions, descions. And like, I saw Emu have this fuckass smile, and so-"
"Ace is positively happy and nobody knows why."
"Thanks, Kiriya"
"Hey I wasn't done yet!"
"You were going to finish next year."
"Why you little-!" Parado stepped back giddily as Nico attempted to lunge at the bugster. Being held back by how Taiga was holding her by the scruff of her neck like a mischievous cat.
"Hm..we never actually got an answer on why you look so happy today Emu!" Poppy got into her thinking pose, looking down directly into Emu's eyes.
Momentarily, the banter in the CR came to a stop.
"Did you win a contest and get a free video game?"
"No, Poppy."
"Yeah I'm out of guesses.." Poppy took a seat and slumped against it.
"That's really the only thing you think will make me this happy?"
A chorus of "Yes" was heard throughout the room.
"Oh ok."
Silence filled the room once again.
Then Nico started thrusting her finger accusingly towards Emu, her face contorting from horror to flabbergasted.
"What-"
"Shut it Taiga!"
"Nico are you trying to condemn me-"
"Did you get asked on a date?!"
"Wh-" Emu gaped at her accusation.
"Parad, did he?"
"How would I know?"
"Stop hiding your face from me idiot! I know your smiling! Did he or did he not get asked out?!"
"Why don't you ask Emu?"
"He never answers!"
"Actually I-"
"See!"
Emu watched as Nico tried strangling Parad for answers, while simultaneously having Taiga hold her back by her headphones.
Hiiro tried ignoring the scene as best as he could, dragging his seat furthest from the commotion and opening his newly bought box of cake.
Poppy jumped up from her chair and started cheering on Nico, not sparing Parad a single apologetic glance
Finally, Kiriya set his papers down and turned towards Emu, asking the question they all wanted to know.
"Ace, did you get asked out?"
"Yeah, actually."
And just like earlier, all the roughhousing and banter came to a halt.
Hiiro dropped his knife mid cut, causing the cake to have a diagonal incision.
Poppy stopped cheering, fist mid air, and her cheering turning into a cracked squeak.
Nico looked at Emu in absolute terror, clutching her pearls.
Taiga simply glanced off to the side, whether or not he was surprised, god knows.
Kiriya and Parad didn't look too surprised, aside from the slight eyebrow raised or a moment of sporadic blinking.
"What?" Nico clung onto Taiga like he was her life line.
"Who would even volunteer to go on a date with you, let alone even THINK about it..?" she looked like she was damn near passing out, shaking Taiga to confirm her claim.
"Nico-"
"Shut it Taiga!"
"Wait...you got asked out Emu? That's amazing! Whose the lucky person!" Poppy cheerfully clapped her hands in congratulatory.
"Oh it's-" Emu looked down at his phone, hearing the alarm that was set earlier that day going off.
"Sorry guys, I need to head out now! Parad, make sure to put away the consoles before I get back! Bye guys!" Emu quickly skedaddled from the room, hurrying out into the corridors.
"..."
"You guys know Kaito from team Baron?"
"Wait, pause, Hiiro no.2 but evil-er? That guy? Mr. Mayor of Frown Town? Sinister, spice, and everything horrid combined? Are you serious Parad?"
"If you mean Kumon Kaito, then yeah Nico, you're right."
"Doesn't he kill puppies for a living?"
"Probably."
-
Somewhere, in a not so far and distant land, a man named Kumon Kaito sneezes in cafe Nascita.
"Tissue?"
"I'm fine Emu, don't worry."