The Mate He Needs

Helping Hand

"Did you want some help?" Ariel offered coming over by Malachi. He looked like he was going to throw something through a window. He really needed to take a step back or go on vacation. She gave a slight smile at the thought. Ever since the other day his mood didn't seem to improve. Natasha really hadn't come to help or learn anything either. Not to mention the stress of everything else. Ariel took pity on him. His hair was slightly in disarray from his hands moving through it. Even with the ruffled hair and half tucked shirt he looked good.

"I want a large bottle of alcohol and a sedative." Ariel gave a half laugh before she could contain it. That was not what she expected to come out of his mouth. Working in here as she was with him or Vento she'd gotten very used to them. It was easier to talk around them. To not feel so much like she had to keep her gaze down and her mouth closed. Their main office was now also her office.

They would ask her things, and answer her questions. Though she still was very quiet when she spoke to them. Sometimes she would just suffer through whatever she couldn't figure out because she was to nervous to bother them. However whenever she had the chance she helped them. Especially Malachi, he'd been in here a lot with her working. So if he helped her, then she would help him. Only fair.

"Can't be that bad." She commented moving to look at the book that was open with the sharp neat writing. He looked at her. His gaze clearly saying she had to be joking. She looked at the numbers written and then the screen. They weren't adding up like they were supposed to and it was off by a lot.

"Oh." She said seeing the projections and what it should be. Which was an excellent number to have, but on the computer it wasn't showing what was made out by hand.

"Yeah. You're finished already?" She gave a shrug staring at his screen and not meeting his gaze.

"I've been up since five, to get it done so that I don't have to do anything for the rest of the day or tomorrow. You know pretending like I have a life." Malachi nearly smiled. Ariel had a hidden sense of humor that he liked. Working with her here so closely the past few months he was learning little things about her.

"That would be nice." He said half mumbling. She pointed at the screen and then to the book.

"Here, that needs to be fixed. I think you've just been staring at it all for far too long." She said and glanced at him. "I can check through it if you want. I know your father won't be back until tomorrow with the meetings he has." Ariel couldn't believe just how much work they actually did. A lot more than her parents.

At least three days a week Malachi was in here for nearly eight hours working. The other three his father was the one doing things. They were constantly called for orders from the newer settlements that were working farming land. Then there were the two cities that they controlled as well. Constantly being asked for donations or to help with other various things. Even if they took a day off they still had a phone glued to them. Before now she hadn't really realized just what the Ventos did for their communities.

"That would be nice." He simply said looking at her. "You don't have to though, not like you're being paid for it."

"Well since it's really your home my sister offered to me, I guess it kind of is." Ariel said with a smile and pulled over a chair and sat down. He slid over to a different set of papers and she started checking what he'd entered and done. They were sitting close and only really the sound of her clicking or him scribbling from time to time was heard. There was an ease to it that was nice for them both.

Malachi twirled a pen in his hand just reading the requests. Did people think that this shit was free? Didn't they realize how far some of the materials had to be shipped? Like the South Vale community center, they just got a ton from them. Now wanted more steel and had a bid, but not enough to have it shipped from earth. There had to be a better way.