Affliction | ✓

iii | him | 2

3 months before NY, 2016

the incessant foot tapping of the chick sitting opposite his cubicle was getting on his nerves. he grit his teeth and tried working despite the tap, tap, tap echoing in his eardrums.

"jesus, could you be any more infuriating?!" he snaps finally after he reaches his breaking point.

ten heads turn to look at him, blinking owlishly at his outburst. he huffs out a quick "sorry, just in a bad mood" and rushes out for a small break to the fire exit.

the fire exit has a large balcony that allows the workers to take a quick smoke break between shifts. he exhales harshly as he lights a cigarette and takes a quick inhale, nicotine instantly lifting his mood...just a little. he hears the heavy metal door clang open but he ignores it. probably some dumbshit wanting a quick fag, he thinks.

"oh." he hears the voice and he cocks his head slightly behind and- oh.

it's her. beautiful, smartly dressed and radiant her.

"you're here." he notes, intelligently.

"clearly." she smiles but it doesn't reach her eyes. he's overwhelmed with the feeling that she should be doing something more violent to him than she is.

"er- why? why are you here?" he fumbles over words and he wants to curse himself or look away or take a long drag of his cigarette but he's frozen to his spot, eyes glued to her.

she fidgets slightly, her fingers curling into fists and he notes how they shake slightly. she's still terrified of me.

"I'm supposed to be working with the financial department for a merger between Knox & Co. and your company." she sighs. "thought I'd take a slight smoke break before I have to meet the team."

"ah." he has nothing else to say. all the best? good luck? what the fuck must he even say? "carry on, don't let me interrupt your smoke break."

she smiles again, the tight-lipped smile, the one that doesn't reach her eyes. despite it being a pleasant warmth on the balcony, he has the urge to shiver at how cold she was.

"i should-" he gestures towards the exit, "I have work."

"you should get back, don't want to hold you up."

"bye," he mumbles as he exits, thankful that he didn't have to spend longer with her.

---

honestly, he should've expected it. knowing his shitty luck and how much fate seemed to be thwarting him, he should've been better prepared. when his name is called to the head office for an urgent meeting, his heart sinks. he knows. he knows what this entails and despite him wanting to scream bloody murder and escape the hell away, he knows he can't.

he's an adult, right? and adults had responsibilities.

he knocks on his boss' door with a polite, "you called me, sir?" he tries to ignore her presence in the room as if it would somewhat dissipate the fact that they might have to be working together.

"ah, come in." his boss, eric chaplin chuckles while she glowered at him. "madam, meet your coworker. head of the data analysing team and one of the co-managers of the financial department."

they shake hands and pretend they haven't met before as they reintroduce themselves. he gave her a polite smile that she returns, eric chaplin looks pleased.