At least as far as fights went, Mallory was half-assing this one. He hated the idea of working with Eiji just as much as he hated the idea of the little brat making changes to what was essentially his territory, but any arguments he made now would just be yet another mark against him. He did tell Peony that his aim was to be a little 'nicer', whether he actually liked it or not. So fine. He would deal with this.
(How could you do this to him, Icarus...)
He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms, his lip curling a little at the tone in Eiji's voice, but he kept his relatively flat.
"Do whatever you want. Just leave my desk alone and keep these files in alphabetical order." Because it was a pain to fix them all without proper filing cabinets. "Anything else I should know before tomorrow?"
Mallory's desk still got a scrutinizing glare from Eiji though, no matter how off limits it supposedly was. If it was still this dusty by the end of the week, he was going to wipe it down, despite the threats.
Ignoring the snarl creeping onto the boxer's expression, Eiji walked up him and stated, "Only that this doesn't have to be as painful as you're probably making it out to be." The box he was carrying was presented to Mallory: not donuts, but confectionery chocolates. Not cheap candy either - well priced for their quality, in a decorated box clearly aimed as a gift.
"I'd like this to be a cooperative working relationship." Even if he didn't expect that feeling to be returned right away, it'd be useful if Mallory could see the benefits like he did.
A cooperative working relationship. God. It was hardly an unfamiliar phrase to Mallory, though the man who came to mind was someone he'd be much more overjoyed to get chocolates from. Not that he was going to reject these ones! They looked pretty fancy, and probably wouldn't have the weird effects of the ones the workers crafted before Valentine's Day...? It was a risk he was willing to take. Later that night he would lay on the bathroom floor crying into the scale.
He accepted the box, hefting it in his hand slowly and deliberately. Those sure were some good, solid chocolates in there. Nice, nice. He tilted his head in an appreciative nod.
"I guess as far as potential assistants go, you're one of the better options." It wasn't just the gift making him say that. He knew Eiji was willing to work hard and keep to himself and do whatever made his own life easier, which in turn made it a lot easier for Mal than... mmmost of Koriko at this point. And if he was going to keep the whole place tidy, great. "Welcome aboard."
Eiji casually put his hands in his pockets and took a step back, his red gaze steady and probing. Spoken with the air of an impending correction, he began,"Actually..."
This part Mallory was sure not to like. Tough beans. "I'll be starting as your... 'partner.'" You could practically hear the quotations around the word. Partner in name perhaps, but his mere presence was there to survey the older man's performance. Not to mention, if Eiji had it his way, he wasn't content on staying equals. If there was a chance for him to make a grab for a higher position, he was doing it.
WELL ACTUALLY was the worst thing to hear. Even if Eiji had the courtesy to only say half of it, it was still evident in his tone, and Mallory braced himself. Yep. There it was.
"Of course." Why the hell couldn't this brat have just waltzed in the next morning so he wouldn't have to spend his last evening as a free man grumbling over it? He scrunched his entire face up, sighed in resignation, and reminded himself that there was still chocolate.
"Listen. I'm only saying this once. I've got no choice but to acknowledge we're equals as far as this job goes, but I'm not calling you my partner." That was far too friendly a word for a man who preferred to do things either alone or with a team of weary underlings. Only certain people deserved that kind of camaraderie from him. "Coworker is as good as it gets. Got it?"
Whether Mallory spent the rest of his evening in resigned acceptance or miserable rage, Eiji did not care. This heads up was given out of an obligagory sense of courtesy, but also so the boxer had time to get that initial pissy reaction out of his system. Sleep on it, Mallory. Maybe you'll feel better in the morning (unlikely).
"That's fine by me." Eiji had no great investment in being considered the man's partner anyway - not like he felt any camaraderie towards him, no matter how many days they spent in the woods together. As long as Mallory understood what was going on here, Eiji could live with it.
"Well then..." He paused for a second, gathering up a pleasant facade to recite the empty niceties that this situation called for. "I look forward to working with you, as coworkers."
If Eiji's words were hollow, then Mallory's formed their own black hole. He waved his bad arm in a dismissive gesture, turning his attention back to the papers on his desk. Sounded like they were done here to him. There were only a few minutes left for him to stick around, anyway.
The second Eiji was out of here he was going to angrily shove all of the chocolates RIGHT INTO HIS MOUTH. And sulk for the rest of the evening.
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(How could you do this to him, Icarus...)
He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms, his lip curling a little at the tone in Eiji's voice, but he kept his relatively flat.
"Do whatever you want. Just leave my desk alone and keep these files in alphabetical order." Because it was a pain to fix them all without proper filing cabinets. "Anything else I should know before tomorrow?"
no subject
Ignoring the snarl creeping onto the boxer's expression, Eiji walked up him and stated, "Only that this doesn't have to be as painful as you're probably making it out to be." The box he was carrying was presented to Mallory: not donuts, but confectionery chocolates. Not cheap candy either - well priced for their quality, in a decorated box clearly aimed as a gift.
"I'd like this to be a cooperative working relationship." Even if he didn't expect that feeling to be returned right away, it'd be useful if Mallory could see the benefits like he did.
no subject
Later that night he would lay on the bathroom floor crying into the scale.He accepted the box, hefting it in his hand slowly and deliberately. Those sure were some good, solid chocolates in there. Nice, nice. He tilted his head in an appreciative nod.
"I guess as far as potential assistants go, you're one of the better options." It wasn't just the gift making him say that. He knew Eiji was willing to work hard and keep to himself and do whatever made his own life easier, which in turn made it a lot easier for Mal than... mmmost of Koriko at this point. And if he was going to keep the whole place tidy, great. "Welcome aboard."
no subject
This part Mallory was sure not to like. Tough beans. "I'll be starting as your... 'partner.'" You could practically hear the quotations around the word. Partner in name perhaps, but his mere presence was there to survey the older man's performance. Not to mention, if Eiji had it his way, he wasn't content on staying equals. If there was a chance for him to make a grab for a higher position, he was doing it.
no subject
"Of course." Why the hell couldn't this brat have just waltzed in the next morning so he wouldn't have to spend his last evening as a free man grumbling over it? He scrunched his entire face up, sighed in resignation, and reminded himself that there was still chocolate.
"Listen. I'm only saying this once. I've got no choice but to acknowledge we're equals as far as this job goes, but I'm not calling you my partner." That was far too friendly a word for a man who preferred to do things either alone or with a team of weary underlings. Only certain people deserved that kind of camaraderie from him. "Coworker is as good as it gets. Got it?"
no subject
"That's fine by me." Eiji had no great investment in being considered the man's partner anyway - not like he felt any camaraderie towards him, no matter how many days they spent in the woods together. As long as Mallory understood what was going on here, Eiji could live with it.
"Well then..." He paused for a second, gathering up a pleasant facade to recite the empty niceties that this situation called for. "I look forward to working with you, as coworkers."
no subject
If Eiji's words were hollow, then Mallory's formed their own black hole. He waved his bad arm in a dismissive gesture, turning his attention back to the papers on his desk. Sounded like they were done here to him. There were only a few minutes left for him to stick around, anyway.
The second Eiji was out of here he was going to angrily shove all of the chocolates RIGHT INTO HIS MOUTH. And sulk for the rest of the evening.