What a Day

Title: What a Day
Fandom: J-Decker
Rating: K
Genre: Romance, fluff
Characters: Ayako, Dumpson, cameo of Yuuta
Warnings: None
Summary: A forgotten date causes a lovers' argument.

--

He should have realized today was somehow different. Ayako, who always was happy when they arranged a date, had sounded even a little more so two days ago over the telephone.

He saw her, clad in a beautiful green sun-dress with white hem, wristlets glittering in the sun when she waved at him when he reached the park. Still they dimmed against the sparkle in her green eyes as they greeted each other and it warmed Dumpson he was the cause of it.

Unfortunately, the sparkle didn't last. The conversation went on and from one point on Ayako's elation dimmed – only little that he didn't notice it at first. He tried his best to cheer her up again, complimented her, but it didn't work.

Her face instead morphed even faster into one of disbelief, then into disappointment the same speed his anxiety grew proportionally with it.

It caused him to stammer – she grew silent. Dumpson wished that she would say anything, even a scathing retort better than this and well-deserved for his foolishness, although it would still hurt to hear it. He scolded himself that he had thought Ayako would dress up like this just for him. So what was he missing, what important detail of today he had forgotten?

But no matter what, it only counted that he had upset her so she had every right to reprimand him. And hopefully she would tell him what he had done so he could apologize to her properly.

She took a different course, however.

"Ayako-san? Ayako-san, please wait! Ayako-san!"

Dumbfounded Dumpson stared after her. She had briskly turned around without a word as he finally asked if she was alright, neither did she react to his calls as she stalked away.

A hole opened in his abdomen at the idea he had maybe caused a rift between them. But did it matter what he felt about the situation? What mattered was that he had upset her and he had to make it right.

Shaking himself out of his stupor, he noticed to his trepidation that Ayako's red hair vanished behind a corner just this moment. He began running, wondering how badly he had messed things up.

--

Ayako brushed strands of her hair away that the wind blew into her face as she rushed past other strollers, the little annoyance nagging her irritation on. The reporter couldn't believe he had forgotten!

Neither presents nor birthday cards mattered much to her, even if prestigious persons sent them. A heartfelt greeting or congratulations from her friends, as well as spending the time with them brightened her day and meant more than some generic gift out of courtesy or business.

It was that's why had looked forward so much to her date with Dumpson today – that and he was her special someone.

And he had forgotten about it although she had only told him again a few days ago. He had uttered not one word of congratulation, not even given her a kiss and a 'Happy Birthday'. People, dates, friends had forgotten about her birthday before, yet with Dumpson doing it frustrated and hurt in a way unfamiliar to her.

"Ayako-san!"

Speak of the devil. Her skin crawled in imitation of an angry cat but she refused to look back. The sounds of steps, heavy and with a metallic ring, became louder as well as the calls of her name which she tried to ignore. This repeated itself four times before Ayako's patience snapped. She whirled around and stomped with her foot on the asphalt.

"WHAT?!"

Dumpson instantly froze. Luckily they were in an area where few other visitors were but they had still the attention of these present. They felt uncomfortable at watching what was likely to become a public argument, however, and quickly left the area too.

Dumpson cringed as she snapped at him, face twisting in apology and hurt he thought he could hide better. Despite his muscular built, he seemed to shrink to half his size under her glare while he stammered for words – had Ayako been in a better mood, she would have found this sight adorable.

"I-I wanted to apologize." Red shoulders tightened. "I've done something wrong and hurt you. While I can't take that back, at least I wanted to do this." Oh heavens, he wanted to vanish into a hole as she just stood there with her arms crossed, eyes narrowed dangerously.

"That is good and all but are you being serious? Are you saying you have no idea what is going on? How could you forget!" Ayako hadn't wanted to yell the last part out. Still she took the grim satisfaction of his wince and ashamed face, even if she was being unfair.

"But I came to our date like planned, even ten minutes earlier to make sure I wouldn't miss you!"

"That is not the point! I can't believe you have really forgotten it." Not caring how loud she was or how open she gestured, she cut with her arm through the air before fisting her hands at her sides.

"Have you any idea how much I looked forward to today? But you didn't say anything about it, not one word of congratulation. I thought it would matter to you." Tears shone now in her eyes and she hugged herself

Dumpson was lost. He had understood now today was a special date but which he couldn't determine for his life. He had every official and unofficial holiday in memory, pre-fed into his Super-A.I. Valentine and White's Day were far away however, and his agitation at himself grew at he failed to find anything similar.

Then he saw her tears and his Super-A.I. nearly crashed under the painful sparks. These emotions he was experiencing were new and too strong and his current lack of experience made it impossible for him to deal with them or to grasp logical thought. He could just waver under the current, legs beginning to tremble.

The train of thought that followed was anything but logical. That's why it gained speed just the faster, going in circles that his emotions enforced on him all in one idea: This was his fault.

Because he had been careless, he had hurt the woman he loved. That he didn't even know about the event she was upset about only made it worse because he could have prevented this situation if he had been less careless.

She was the most wonderful woman he knew: caring, strong, brave and intelligent. He moron, on the other hand, couldn't give her what she deserved. He didn't deserve her.

Dumpson sank to his knees and bowed to the ground. "I'm so sorry, Ayako-san, I'm so sorry!"

"Du-Dumpson!" He heard her gasp.

"Please tell me what I have done wrong, please tell me!" His voice was close to cracking as he begged. As much as he meant it to ask forgiveness, he also bowed so she couldn't see his face.

He would have never acted like this with his friends when he had done something wrong but what he shared with Ayako was so different to what he felt for his comrades in the BP or for Yuuta.

With her as her first girl-friend ever, he had no experience about what to expect in such a situation. Would she break up with him? Tell him he was a horrid individual who didn't deserve affection? Or only tell him to leave her alone? Unconsciously he dug his fingers into the concrete, cracks forming under them.

Ayako was overwhelmed by the turn of events. She had seen him flustered, meek or embarrassed around her yet always holding himself up, wanting them to be equals. He was proud of whom he was and this strength was a part about him she admired and loved.

The sight of him bowing to the concrete, submitting himself to such a vulnerable position to anyone – to her – and pleading for forgiveness filled her with dread and shame. It was wrong. It was wrong because this was Dumpson.

Her throat tightened. Yet here and now, he was exactly doing that that for Ayako's sake. The errant thought, He's only doing that because he hopes you will forgive him easier, she mercilessly quenched.

This was Dumpson, she repeated. The mech who would often double-check every action he did, every word he muttered around her.

Who was able to panic about the littlest mistakes he made because he didn't want to disappoint her, this will to do always his best he also showed at his work as police man. Dumpson simply didn't go the easy way.

He was genuinely upset he had hurt her. So upset that he performed the most apologetic and submissive gesture possible, in a public place, opening him to her judgment, shaking in anxiety.

They had had arguments with each other before, but for him to react like that he had to be feeling completely helpless and desperate and overwhelmed.

Which he was. She had to remind herself while he acted like an adult man, he had only lived for a few months in real time to collect life experience – to experience certain emotions or feelings at all and how to deal with them.

No forgotten birthday was worth him suffering like this.

She stepped towards him and knelt to touch his hand.

"Stand up, please. I'm upset but you don't have to do this." He froze at the touch, trembling stopping for a few seconds before it resumed. Only slowly he lifted his head, just as slow as he tilted his head until their eyes met. The look on his face made Ayako smile in fond exasperation.

"I won't bite you if that is what you are worried about. Now come up, your shins have to be hurting right now."

"I-" He stopped and shook his head. "I'm sorry. I'm making such a fool of myself because I don't know what to do and-"

"Dumpson, calm down." Ayako cupped his face in her hands, his optics widening almost comically at the touch but the important reaction was that he had stopped shaking.

Good. She had derailed his thoughts from his guilt and had him focusing on her.

"Come on, stand up. You don't need to bow to me to forgive you." She removed one hand from his face and tugged on his arm; luckily he followed her this time. He didn't know what to say so he stayed silent at first.

They stumbled a bit as the mech still seemed to be a bit unsteady on his legs so she supported him as much as she could. Once they were both standing, Ayako sagged a bit and leant into him.

"You know, it should be me who says 'sorry'." Dumpson made a confused noise and she chuckled without mirth.

"It's true. I lost it about such a petty thing like a birthday and distressed you to the point you bowed to me. Bow. What girlfriend am I?"

What an idiot she had been. She should slap herself.

He rubbed the back of his head, embarrassment heating his face. "I guess I was overreacting, too." He could just be glad that nobody seemed to have watched their argument. Gosh, he felt so silly all of the sudden now that he looked back.

"We two are really a pair." Ayako chuckled, grinning at her boyfriend who grinned back. "Well, at least you know now I got so riled up because you forgot my birthday."

"Your birthday?" This reaction was so surprising that she forgot to think closer of it at first, instinctively replying.

"Yeah, today is my birthday." Okay… What was with that surprised face all of a sudden?

"Um, I know it is today. This maybe sounds ridiculous from me asking it but what is so special about your birthday?"

She stared. Had she heard him right? Was he really saying, no, indicating what she thought he was?

"Ayako-san…?" His soft question broke her out of her stupor, realizing she must have worried him with her silence.

"Say Dumpson, have you ever celebrated the birthday of a co-worker at the station or someone else's?"

"Well, I've heard about people celebrating their birthdays in the other divisions but frankly, I don't see the point." He shrugged his shoulders. "I mean, it's about a day from years ago the respective person can't even remember, while the guys and I instantly were introduced to our duties. From what I gathered they aren't seen as something special either.

"Besides it happens every year and it sounds inconvenient to- wait, are you telling me you're ought to celebrate that actually each year?"

Ayako nodded, trying to keep her face from twitching. It was a losing battle. "So you think it makes no sense?"

"I see it with the Tenno's birthday because it's an official holiday but otherwise, no."

"And what would you do if yours or the ones of the others came up?"

Now it was his turn to stare and she had to urge him on to answer.

"It would be a normal day. Well, with the difference if I was working or had a free day-"

Ayako was unable to hold it in anymore – she burst out laughing. She moved her palm to cover her mouth but gave up because the laughter was shaking and the gesture was in vain with her volume, anyway.

"This is hilarious," she gasped between breaths. Seeing Dumpson's face twist in slight hurt, she hurried to clarify, forcing her laughter down.

"It's just that I have realized we could have easily avoided this mess if we just had stopped at one point and be more direct and honest to each other.

"And most of all I'm laughing about myself about how serious I took this! Now that I have your point of view, it just seems ridiculous I lost it." It was true – sure, birthdays were nice but in hindsight she had overreacted in a situation she could have cleared up a lot faster if she had stayed and told Dumpson why she was disappointed.

Besides, she had never told him she wanted to celebrate or added any other clear evidence today would be different from their other dates so he couldn't have known.

She took his hand in hers still giggling a bit.

"I accept your apology, Dumpson, and I apologize in turn for me yelling at you." Her heart fluttered in relief as he smiled in return and squeezed her hand.

"To be honest, celebrating birthdays like that isn't very common yet. It's coming along to be celebrated among close friends and family, which I'm used to by now. It's still more a social obligation to acknowledge an acquaintance's than the importance given them in Europe or America, for example."

She shook her head, amused. "I'm Japanese and I still forgot this."

"Well, not everybody can have such an unique mind as you after all, Ayako-san." Was there a teasing glint in his optics? She slapped him slightly on the shoulders.

"Says the guy who loves to flex his muscles and then gets shy around his girlfriend." She laid her head on his shoulder, as usual open about her affections. To her content he froze only shortly before curling an arm around her shoulder.

"Still, I think I should give you a short introduction on what do when birthdays come up."

Stepping a bit away from him, she took again his hand in hers and pulled him along. He followed her with a confused frown.

"I thought you said birthdays aren't important?"

There was a nice café just on the other side of street at the end of the park. The latté macchiato they made there was divine and she had wanted to introduce Dumpson to this delicacy since she had discovered the café.

"These of friends are. If I remember right, Yuuta's is next month and the last time I spoke with him he was really excited to invite not only his school friends but you guys as well. And you wouldn't want to disappoint him, would you?"

"Boss would be disappointed?" The idea seemed so strange to Dumpson but he reconsidered when remembering Ayako's reaction from before. He tried to imagine how Yuuta would likely react if he declined to come to his birthday or not even congratulate him.

He sweat-dropped profusely as his mind instantly provided an image of Yuuta with the biggest teary eyes possible, lower lip trembling and sniffing.

"Uh, maybe it's a good idea. It can't hurt to know more about it, especially since it's so important to you."

Dumpson couldn't see it but she was smiling ecstatically. Any possible jealousy towards Yuuta evaporated under the prospect of teaching her boyfriend something new, and amusement at Dumpson's likely thoughts that caused his change of heart.

Most importantly, she would spend time with him. That was what she had wished for her birthday after all.

"Ayako-san? I know it's a bit late and maybe sounds strange now, but I wish you a Happy Birthday. Um, at least that's what I think you are supposed to say?"

Okay, the day had become a lot better now.

So as answer to him she pecked him fully on the lips before she proceeded to drag him – dazed – behind her with the biggest grin on her face.