Business and Pleasure SLASH, MxM

Chapter 3

     A memo was issued the day after "Mr. Blackwell" arrived, putting in place an elaborate but capable plan to get the department back on its feet. Within a week, it was as if everyone had been touched by the holy spirit of good workmanship. It was a shock to see so much done in such a small amount of time.  

     Marshall sat idly at his computer, punching away at the keys. He had been assigned a number of spreadsheets to churn out referencing the last quarter. It had taken him most of the day but he was eager to just get it over and done with. After that, he would just have to pack up, hand the sheets off to Derek and he'd be ready to go. But when he stood up to do just that Derek seemed to be heading out the damn door already, coat on and everything.  

     "Derek!" Marshall called out, causing the man to focus his attention back towards him. Nodding, Derek walked over to him, albeit impatiently. It seemed like someone was really eager to leave. "What?" The lanky man replied agitated. Marshall decided to ignore that tone and simply grimaced, grabbing the spreadsheets of the printer. "I was supposed to give these to you once I finished, right? Take them." He practically shoved the papers forward eager to leave the office himself. But Derek didn't take them. "Ah. Geez. Marshall, can you just take them to Mr. Blackwell's office? I was planning on doing it myself but I really have to go. I have to take Monroe to the vet and then..." 

     There was no way in hell he was gonna buy that little spill about Derek's cat. Whenever Derek left the office early or wanted to get out of something he always brought up something about his cat Monroe being sick. Of course he didn't want to come of like a total jackass to one of the people he actually tolerated at work so he fought the urge to swear and simply nodded. "Alright, alright. I'll do it. Just make sure your cat is ok." 

     Derek gave him a weak smile before darting off without even a thank you. 'Rude,' Marshall thought as he headed towards Mr. Blackwell's office with a frown and an all too familiar feeling churn in his stomach. He began to wonder if it would be beneath him to just slide the papers under the door and head home. 

-- 

     "Ugh. Patrick, for fuck's sake he is married man. Get over him." Michelle, the blond man's curvy and loudmouthed assistant, groaned with a roll of her eyes after seeing her boss lost in thought whilst he sulked for what seemed like an eternity. She was not only his personal assistant but his longtime friend and confidant; however, she didn't want to just sit back and listen as the man sighed repeatedly over some guy he had a one night stand with who knows how long ago. "It's been what, a week? Two?" The young woman added with a shake of her head. "Plus, were you or were you not planning on getting back with that Clarissa bitch?" 

     Patrick knew that it was stupid of him to trust Michelle with any information about his private life seeming as she enjoyed lecturing him about it on a regular. Luckily he left important details like Marshall's name or the fact that he worked right outside his office. Telling her that was possible grounds for her to spontaneously combust. Despite ignoring her coarse language, hearing that made Patrick straighten up completely as a shiver ran down his spine. "It's Claudette, actually. And I didn't say that I was. I told her I would think about it. Honestly I never want to see her again. She's loud, complainative... A fucking bitch honestly." 

     Michelle snorted and raised a perfectly arched eyebrow. "Then what the hell attracted you to her in the first place? She can't have been that bad if you were with her for that damn long. First Anthony, then Shana, now her. Why go out with all these people if you know damn well the shit won't last?" 

     The blond man turned the other way. "If I answered that honestly I would place myself under the extreme risk of sounding like a shallow bastard." Patrick only really went out with Claudette because she was attractive and a nice set of tits. He'd give her that much. Later in the relationship though, she turned out to be a total harpy. Of course, considering the basis of their relationship he shouldn't have been all that surprised. He really needed to stop going by a guy's or gal's looks and maybe learn about that little thing called a "personality".