Take My Hand

50 Will Seem Almost Unforgivable

Marcus had been too quiet at work for a few days. I wasn't really sure what I could do to help him though. We texted now when we were not at work, just simple things like 'hey' and what we were doing at the time.

When you don't really know a person, their problems don't usually affect you in any way, but once you get to know a person a little better... well, it can become part of your peripheral and distract you too.

Now that I knew Marcus a little better, I guess I could excuse how he was an asshole to me before. I mean, he had his reasons. It didn't make it right, per se, but it made it understandable. I could live with understandable.

That dude that came by our table on the weekend was a real douchebag. I wouldn't have guessed he was by just looking at the guy. He seemed clean cut and well off, had a pleasant smile on his face, and then spewed such bullshit!

I could tell it shook Marcus up. I was sitting at the desk closer to him this week and tried to help out when he would space or make a mistake. It was wearing off slowly the longer it went without anything else happening. Like, the guy didn't show up at our work or anything, fortunately.

Who did show up though... was Demyan. The guy came in once with drinks for us early in the morning. He even remembered to get Marcus a dark roast with no sugar. Gag me that sounded awful, but it made him smile in a cute awkward way.

This morning he came in with a dog, wearing matching jackets like a weirdo. Marcus' face was priceless when he looked up and saw them like that. I should have taken a picture. Even sour lemons can't make that shit happen.

"Hey Marcus, our little one is here to get his stitches repaired. He has been chewing on the edge of the bandages." Demyan tapped the nose of the dog in his arms and the thing sneezed and pawed at him.

Marcus nodded and brought up the screen to page the on-call vet technician. He keyed in the basic details and the owner information was called up to attach to the message. He was doing really well not to stare at the two of them.

I wasn't doing so well. The guy was wearing a pink leather jacket for heaven's sake! It was so horrifying. Even the black zippers and satin lining couldn't save it. Plus, he matched the dog... I just wanted to barf.

How in god's name did Sasha get mixed up with this guy. No wait, how did I get mixed up with this guy? I think we should pretend we don't know him on the basis of worst taste in clothes, ever.

How the hell does a guy even get a leather jacket like that? I was gay and I didn't have a clue. Though, I wasn't a queen or anything. Maybe he ordered it online from some specialty mega-gay store. Wait, wasn't he bisexual or something though? I was confused.

"Did you want to go out for ice cream after work with me?" Demyan asked Marcus with a wink in my direction. I raised my brows. Whaaa? Was he asking Marcus out?

"There aren't any ice cream shops open at this time in the morning Demyan." Marcus replied with a deadpan look.

"No? Then you will have to follow me to a special place where we can get fantastic ice cream. If you are nervous, we can wait and take Lukas as well, okay?" He glanced over at me and I scrunched my nose at being a third wheel.

"I... I am not really an ice cream person." Marcus hesitated and looked at me.

"It's really good stuff! They have gelato that is not too sweet there. You will really like it. Even Aleksandr will eat it. Actually, I should invite him too or he will be angry with me. What do you say?" Demyan was leaning on the partition a bit and the dog was staring over at Marcus pitifully too.

"I... guess? If Lukas isn't busy later." Marcus looked at me and I wasn't sure if he wanted me to say I was busy or show up. I shrugged internally. I wanted some of that interesting frozen shit.