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The Office [Closed to Apollo and Stiles]

It's become his new routine to show up at work at least a quarter of an hour ahead of schedule and he's been tempted to query Apollo about getting a spare key made for that reason... but somehow the older man always beats him here, waiting to let him in just before the office itself is opened to the general public. The first hour is pretty much a wash anyway, generally spent listening to the morning shower outside and brewing the first pot of coffee, double-checking notes from the day before, making sure all the pencils are--

Ah, but now the door's opening. A first client already?

...

"No." That's all he has to say when he sees Stiles, an instinctive reaction. No. "Whatever you've done this isn't the right place to search for representation."

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His first workday happens to come on the heels of the Litha feast. Barely functioning after a night of revelry and schmoozing with the fae, he drags himself to Hounslow grudgingly. It’s tempting to text Apollo and beg a day off, but he already knows how that conversation will go. Damn that short, pun-hating, punch-happy—

“Huh?” is the only intelligent response he has to offer Sasuke upon seeing the other boy. Blinking owlishly, he stares at the brunet, takes a step back, and slowly closes the door. Then he opens it again. “This isn’t the hardware store.”

A brilliant observation. Stiles doesn't seem to have even registered the insinuation behind Sasuke's words.

Apollo's at his desk, scribbling out notes for a case that started tomorrow, but he pauses when he hears conversation outside. His door's open, it usually was when he wasn't deep in thought over something, so he stands up and peeks around the door.

Well, there's Sasuke doing work. And there's Stiles, coming in for work. He takes a brief look up to the clock on the wall. A few minutes late, no less.

"Hey, Stiles." He waves, to signal that Stiles is definitely in the right place. "You're a little late. Hopefully you'll be on time tomorrow?"

It definitely wasn't a question. He steps into the lobby, already assuming that the two knew each other. "You brought what I asked for, right?"

This is not a connection he understands and he's not sure he wants to, still completely unaware of Stiles's ties to the Underground so all he can assume is that he is in genuine need of a lawyer. That, or he's in debt to Apollo and is being forced to bring him breakfast or drugs or please let it be one of those. But the word 'tomorrow' does not inspire confidence.

"Why is he here?"

Despite the confirmation that this is indeed the correct location, Stiles continues to stare at Sasuke. London must have over sixteen times the population that Beacon Hills does, and yet he can’t seem to escape this kid. He’s never even seen the mailman back home this much. It takes him a moment to snap out of his muddled reverie and process Apollo’s question.

“Yeah.” Shooting Sasuke another uncertain look, he digs out both his passport and dual citizenship certificate. These are offered to Apollo. “And yeah, I will be.”

He doesn’t feel any particular guilt or responsibility about arriving late today, but this is the first real job he’s had in a long time—he’d like to be able to make his old man proud about this experience.

“Do you just strong-arm poor teenagers into working for you?” he asks blandly. “Oh hey, coffee.”

Yeah sorry, that fresh pot of caffeine is going straight into his gullet. Thank you, Sasuke. How considerate of you.

"One question at a time." Apollo crosses his arms as he watches Stiles go for the gold, but doesn't say anything. Not that big of a deal, at least.

"Sasuke came in for an interview not too long ago since I was hiring. He chose to work here. And as for Stiles..." He turns his head to Sasuke for this one.

"He's going to work with us for a few months to pay off damage fees. I would've told you earlier, but it was a fast deal."

There's a certain blankness to his expression that can be credited to the mental gymnastics he's currently doing, sweeping through bills in his head and trying to trot up how long he can survive if he quits right at this exact moment. His new tomato plant is definitely not going to produce enough food to keep him alive. Damn it.

"Damage fees." Color him not at all surprised but still no better a sport about the whole thing. London is a huge city and whose property would he manage to damage? Apollo's. Of course. He clicks his tongue after Stiles claims the coffee pot for himself, moodily sipping at his own mug as he watches them both.

"... where will you have him work? There isn't another desk."

The explanation elicits a scrunched up nose and pursed mouth combo from Stiles, because damage fees sounds so incriminatory. He supposes that he should be grateful Apollo even bothered to offer him this much instead of just filing a claim against him, or worse. Even though the guy seems to seesaw between laidback and high-strung at the drop of a hat, he’s pretty cool. Well, maybe cool is a strong word.

Slurping the coffee, he tunes out the conversation to take a look at the office itself. Apollo’s room gets a curious, narrowed look, though he doesn’t try to brush by his new boss to investigate. That can come later… Maybe Apollo leaves the office early? Who knows. But Stiles intends to find out. Find out everything.

"Actually, there is. There's a reason why I rented a car." Apollo's expression brightens, hands clasping together.

"I got the office a fridge and second desk. I saved up enough to get that squared away." If he was going to go through with getting into the Night Council after summer classes were over, he'd definitely need more than one assistant. Although, he was pretty sure these two wouldn't stick around. Which... would suck, but—

"We move yours around a little bit and everything will fit comfortable enough. And also..." He turns to Stiles again, holding up the arm with his bracelet. "Don't try lying to me. You understand?"

Edited 2015-06-26 05:00 (UTC)

Sasuke's eyes go from his own desk to Apollo's bracelet to the miscreant in the corner acting as if he's entitled to coffee after starting the day doing absolutely nothing. Everything in life tests his patience but this will test it more so.

"... Fine, I get it." And he stands, slim fingers gripping two corners of the desk he'd been sitting at before looking back to his employer expectantly. "Where do you want them placed?" Focus on work. That's the key. Fighting Apollo and making himself look bad isn't necessarily required when he knows already that he's good at getting under Stiles's skin.

Maybe he can just convince him to quit instead and find a way other than indentured servitude to pay off his debt.

Frowning, he returns his attention to Apollo when addressed. The arm is given a dubious, uncomprehending look before his eyes fix on the bracelet. Then it too is given the same dubious, uncomprehending look. Stiles definitely does not understand what is being implied here, since he’s made the erroneous assumption that Apollo is as human as he is. Sliding out of the way when Sasuke makes as if to move the existing desk (and not offering to help), he shoots Apollo a wide, lopsided grin.

“Lying? Who, me? C’mon dude, that’s slander. Don’t embarrass me in front of my new coworker on my first day!”

"Yeah right, liar. And Sasuke, just move your desk more to the left. Stiles, help him out. I'll start building the desk in my office. In the meantime, show Stiles the ropes, okay?"

Apollo ~~exits the scene~~ walks back into his office offering a peace sign, true to his word and getting started on this dumb desk.

Luckily it will only be a couple of months, he was dead set on this, but he has a feeling this is going to come back and bite him in the ass later.

"This place is already full of embarrassments," he mutters under his breath, sparing Apollo the need to lecture him for overheard rudeness. His hands just tighten their grip on the desk almost possessively, forcefully shoving it into place without allowing for help despite its weight.

"Fine, I'll show him." And how ominous those words sound with the almost emotionless look he pins Stiles with. "Sit down and I'll direct you in how to start entering your time." Sasuke slowly pulls out the chair for him before stepping away from the desk altogether, starting to refill the coffee machine with more water and fresh grounds. What an unsubtle hint.

Stiles watches Apollo retreat with the alarmed look of an animal aware of its impending doom. How could that traitorous bastard just leave him with Sasuke like this!? That’s unprofessional. And potentially a health hazard, if the other boy’s glare is anything to go by. Yikes. Brows refusing to return from their impromptu climb into his hairline, he watches as the desk is moved. Suddenly, he’s left to wonder if Apollo gave him this job to pay off the debt monetarily or emotionally. Probably both.

“Oh my god, dude, it’s too early for you to be such a tool, come on,” he complains loudly, yet does as he is told, sitting down heavily in the chair. The height of it doesn’t really suit him, so he fiddles with it to adjust it. “And is there any sugar? This coffee is kind of bland…”

Read: This Coffee Is Not Saturated In Enough Diabetic-Coma-Inducing Carbohydrates And Therefore It Is Unacceptable, Designated Coffee-Boy.

Oh my god, Apollo, come back already.

"I'm not being a tool. I offered to show you how to use this software which is considerably more than you've done for me. Ever." Other than streaming The Matrix but we don't talk about that.

"If you need sweetener or flavoring for the coffee that's too full-bodied for your sensitive palette, you should speak to Apollo. I don't keep anything out here but I believe he has some available in his office." Here he leans over to access the computer, making sure that Stiles can see as he maneuvers between programs and creates a temporary ID for him to use. "Go in here and set a password. You can use this then in the future each time you want to clock your hours."

If only this were a video game; Stiles would be impatiently mashing the A button to move along the tutorial. As it is, he barely manages to avoid dislocating a shoulder when he jerks in surprise from the close proximity. Chancing a quick glance up at Sasuke, he turns his attention back to the monitor only for his eyes to immediately glaze over. It’s the summer; his brain steadily refuses to retain or absorb any uninteresting information. While he’s busy not listening to the explanation, he mulls over Sasuke’s previous words.

“Yeah, right. Don’t think for a second I’m fooled by that stoic look. I’m not happy about this either, okay? And you technically didn’t offer anything. Your boss told you to.”

Huffing, he slumps back in the chair (which consequently rolls backward into Sasuke).

“But let’s get the facts straight. What have I done for you?” Here he holds up a hand, and ticks off his points finger-by-finger. “I didn’t report your shady operation at the hardware store, because no way was that legitimate. I gave—” Stiles cuts himself off abruptly. Along with The Matrix, the fact he gave the guy his number is just something They Don’t Discuss. “I gave you a ride on my bike to a bunch of errands. I hung out with you at the zoo. All you do is verbally abuse me. So appreciate me! God.”

The wheel of the computer chair rolls neatly over his toes and he very narrowly suppresses a violent reaction to the pain that blossoms throughout his foot as a result, not exactly feeling very receptive to the list he then lifts his head to listen to.

"My shady-- I didn't have a shady operation; it wasn't one that I put into place and it was largely legal even besides that. Don't count inactivity as a favor." Ugh. "And it was one errand. And I didn't ask you to stick around with me."

... The more he speaks the more he's becoming distantly aware of Stiles's point, unable to really hold it against him that he's actually willing to voice his grievances instead of leaving Sasuke to guess what exactly he's done to offend someone this time.

"... fine. Then if you're going to lambast me, at least say thank you for the coffee. I bought those grounds and I didn't make it for you, so you're also capable of pulling this shit."

Stiles’ brows have hiked up into his hairline and vanished there. “Largely legal?” he mouths silently to himself in disbelief. Well, that definitely warrants more investigation. Making a mental note to later dig up information on both hardware store and Sasuke, he swivels around in the chair to scowl up at the other boy.

When Sasuke points out what an equally unappreciative asshole he is, Stiles glances down at the coffee mug in his hands. Then, with exaggerated slowness, he raises it to his lips and takes a long, noisy slurp.

“Thanks for the coffee,” he chirps with mock cheer.

...

"I'm sure there's a way that that could've sounded more forced but I don't know what it is. Look, neither of us were expecting this arrangement when we woke up today but now we don't have any choice. Apollo's the one that hired me and then knowingly... ah, tricked you into employment or whatever your arrangement is.

There's not even a point in us being angry at one another." It's just enough pragmatism to get them both through the day, hopefully. "Are you ready to look at this program or do you need the coffee to kick in first?"

“I’m not angry,” comes the low mutter, spoken directly into the mug of coffee. “I’m just being dramatic for effect, dude.”

As honest as Stiles Stilinski will ever get, really. Were it anyone else, he wouldn’t have even admitted as much. Sasuke, however, would probably benefit from people outright explaining the obvious. Such a weird guy. It’s like he was raised by bears or something, for all the subtlety he’s capable of.

A dull throb makes itself known in his left temple. Grimacing, he puts aside the coffee and answers the question with a shake of his head.

“Do your worst.”

"The effect is lost on me." And that's as honest as Sasuke will get, both of them incapable of dealing with one another's regular attitudes in a way that's both irritating and challenging and Sasuke refuses to acknowledge the possibility that Stiles is good for him due to that alone.

"It's like I said, you need to set a password. Minimum character length is eight, one special character, number, and capital required. I'll turn my head away if you think I'm going to malign your hours for a joke." Yeah. RIght.

No kidding, he thinks to himself, squinting blearily at the computer screen. After a moment he reaches forward and adjusts the monitor's brightness without bothering to ask first for permission. Much better.

"Nah."

Stiles will just change his password later, after he's settled in. For now, he slowly types out a temporary password, allowing Sasuke to see it.

H-A-R-V-E-Y-'-S_T-O-O-L_B-O-Y

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The Office [Closed to Apollo and Stiles]

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