adventchallenge Day One [Yami no Matsuei] "A Month of Incentive

[mtxref_fic]

Fandom: Yami no Matsuei
Title: "A Month of Incentives??"
Author: matrixrefugee
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I do not own "Yami no Matsuei", its characters, concepts or other indicia, which are the intellectual property of Yoko Matsushita, Viz Media, Manga Entertainment, et al.
Summary: Written for "Advent Calender" -- Hisoka finds a holiday incentive for Tsuzuki. Also fits the prompt any, any, countdown to Christmas on fic_promptly


A week before December started, Hisoka had spotted the perfect Christmas incentive for Tsuzuki: an Advent calender with a piece of chocolate behind each door. And while neither of them were Christian, it would be the perfect thing to encourage his partner to stay on top of getting his paperwork done on time. He hated to see his friend and companion getting lectures from Tatsumi, especially at this time of the year.

"Oooh! I've always wanted one of these," Tsuzuki cried, on seeing it on the table they used as a desk, propped against the wall of the common area. "What did I do to deserve this?"

"I got it to give you a little encouragement: Every day that you get your paperwork done, I'll let you have one of the chocolates in it," Hisoka said.

"Just one?"

"Yes, just one," Hisoka said.

Tsuzuki's face fell, his eyes wide with despair. "Let me? Just one??" he demanded. "You're almost as mean and skinflinty as Tatsumi."

"No, not really: I'm just being firm with you," Hisoka said.

Tsuzuki recovered, just as quickly as he had fallen into his momentary sulk. "Well, at least you're rewarding me with chocolate!"

For a few days, Tsuzuki kept to the schedule: his paperwork showed up on Tatsumi's desk on time and, for a welcome change, a bit tidier than usual: fewer chocolate smudges and teacup or coffee cup rings. Hisoka kept the advent calender pinned to the wall with a couple of thumbtacks, the better to keep it a bit out of Tsuzuki's reach, and to make it more like a calender.

It went on like this for over a week, and Hisoka wondered if Tsuzuki had finally gotten over his bad paperwork habits.

On the twelfth day, Hisoka had arrived at the office to find the advent calender rifled and Tsuzuki hunched over his side of the table, his head hung guiltily, a telltale and visible chocolate smudge at the corner of his mouth.

"What happened here?" Hisoka asked, looking from the advent calender to Tsuzuki's guilty face, knowing full well what had happened.

"I couldn't help myself," Tsuzuki blurted out, mortified. "I got a chocolate craving and I couldn't resist it. Please, don't be mad."

Hisoka sighed, and shook his head. "I'm not mad, I'm just a little disappointed."

"I'll make up for it: I'll stay on top of my paperwork for the rest of the month," Tsuzuki replied, brightening up, but still worried.

"Just do the best you can," Hisoka said, touched by that sincerity.