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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"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.