Work Text:
Life in the offices of the Broker Holding offices was a dull affair.
It would have been quite unbearable, if it hadn't been for 1. the state of the art coffeemaker(imported from Italy no less) that adorned the break room and 2. the big glass windows with the panorama view into the offices next door. Small mercies.
It was a rainy, grey Tuesday morning. The office was quiet except for the occasional ringing of a phone and the constant low hum of quiet voices and the tapping of keys.
Erica Reyes sat, typing away at her computer. She had been working at Broker Holding for two years. She had gotten used to the same old same old that the day to day business provided. She kept trying to convinve herself that she found filing exciting. It didn't really work. Erica was spooked out of her near-catatonic state by an excited shout from the direction of the windows.
'They're at it again!'
Erica looked over to see Alicia, the intern, waving excitedly, then the words sank in and the rushed over to the windows, along with the rest of her colleagues. This meant a cluster of some 36 people shuffling about for the best view.
True to Alicia's words they could make out two familiar figures through the window of what appeared to be the break room of the office across. (There were the beige coloured walls of break rooms everywhere, a couple of sad potted plants on the window sill, a small table and a few uncomfortable looking chairs plus a little sink with a coffeemaker on the side, it was either the break room, or the worlds most boring torture chamber). The figures in question were a dark haired man with full dark eyebrows that accented a handsome, if always put-out-looking face and another man with cropped brown hair that only served to make the face beneath it look more juvenile.
Crop Head was waving his arms at Broody, wide lips pulled into a frown that looked out of place on his face, but was a familiar sight to the spectators. Broody was sitting at the table, drinking from a mug, seemingly pretending that Crop Head didn't exist. This went on for an indeterminable amount of time, until Crop Head grew frustrated with the lack of response and started talking.
There was a collective 'Uh oh' as Broody smashed his mug the cup down on the table with enough force to break off the handle, splashing coffee everywhere. Paying no heed to the damage done, he jumped up and was across the room in a flash.
He was up in Crop Head's personal space, shouting at the top of his lungs, if the way Croppy flinched back was any indication.
'Finally snapped, didn't he? can't say I'm surprised.' came a voice to Erica's left. Erica nodded. The two of them had been at it for weeks. First there had just been varying degrees of flailing from Crop Head, with increasingly broody/murderous looks from Broody, then had come the entertaining times. These days, they never went without at least flinging spoons at each other. There had also been flying saucers(Erica appreciated the mild irony in that), staring matches, and on one memorable occasion there had been a waterfight. The ladies and several of the men in the office had approved heartily, for Broody had taken off his soaking wet shirt afterwards and oh had he been a sight for sore eyes.
'I do hope they won't fight' came a voice from the right. The voice sounded like she really did hope for that fight. Erica privately thought, that she might just get their wish granted, for Crop Head had recovered from the initial shock and not only had his mouth open, which was presumably the begin of an epic shouting match, he went so far as to bodily push at Broody's shoulders, making Broody tumble back.
They saw Broody's fist clench and more than one gasp could be heard.
Just as things seemed like they might really go down, the two men tensed and turned to where the door to the break room had to be. The cause of their surprise made itselft known, when a short, impeccably dressed woman with flawless red hair came in sight.
Crop Head slunk away from his opponent, while Broody hunched his shoulders, as if trying to appear smaller. It didn't work.
The woman stopped in from of them, put her hands on her hips and glared. Compared to her, 'Broody' was positively cuddly. Her bright red lips parted and let out a stream of words. The two men stood meekly before her, like children being chastised for stealing cookies.
The watchers winced in sympathy.
After several minutes of this, the woman shut her mouth abruptly. Stabbing a finger in the direction of the table she gave them one last glare, twirled around and stalked off.
The two immediately turned back towards each other, arms crossed over their chests, glaring. It was quite dramatic.
Somebody sneezed. Everybody turned to glare at him. He muttered a quick 'sorry'.
Meanwhile the men had colled the pieces of the broken mug and started wiping the table dry with presumably napkins, all the while glaring at each other.
'He's gonna do something!' Alicia exclaimed and a general murmur of agreement arose. They knew Crop Head's face pretty well by now and this was definitely his 'I'm about to do something and you're not going to like it'-face. As Broody turned to the sink, carrying the remnants of the mug, Croppy balled up the soggy napkins. He waited until Broody had disposed of the mug by the sink and turned around to face him, and then he sent the ball flying. It hit Broody square in the face to the unheard soundtrack of two dozen people going 'oooooohh'.
The ball plopped down to the floor and Crop Head dissolved in a fit of giggles.
Broody...just stared, completely dumbstruck.
Crop Head was bent over, looking like he was quite literally dying of laughter, unable to breathe.
Broody...was moving, forward, over to Croppy, rightening him up and pressing him back, back further, until Crop's back hit the edge of the table. Crop Head's shoulders were still trembling with laughter, but his eyes were wide wide with terror or maybe confusion, it was hard to tell. Then Broody caged Crop's body against the table with his arms , leaned forward and kissed the mouth that was still breathless from laughing.
Erica let out an 'Oh.' that was met with a round of answering 'Oh.'s.
Across, things were heating up. Croppy was kissing back, grappling at Broody's shoulders for purchase. Broody lifted Crop Head up and sat him down on the edge of the table, pushing his legs apart and pressing his body between them.
'This is so much better than a fight!' came a breathless voice from the left. Erica couldn't help but agree.
***
It was the next day.
Erica was as enthusiastic as ever about work. Well, maybe slightly less.
She kept a close watch on the clock, which seemed to be moving even slower than usual. Finally it neared 10 o'clock.
'GUYS! it's nearly time!' came Marshall's excited voice from over by he window. The office workers gave up any pretense of productivity and joined him, using their ellbows more freely than they would have usually done, to ensure a good view.
There was movement in the building across.
Broody and Crop Head entered the break room, followed by Alicia, carrying a box. She gestured for them to sit down and they complied, exchanging wary looks. Alicia placed the box on the table and pushed it over to them, prompting them to open it.
Crop Head hesitantly lifted the lid and they looked inside the box. Then they looked at each other. Then Alicia. Then the box.
Alicia, bless her, started laughing and pointed behind the men, right at where her colleagues were standing.
They of course had no time to hide, so Croppy and Broody were treated to some 35 people staring at them like a herd of deer caught in the headlights, then scrambling away as quick as humanly possible.
Alicia later told them that Broody had buried his face in his hands and that Croppy had nearly died laughing. She also said the cake was delicious(they had insisted she at least try it) and Croppy said he really appreciated that the icing was rainbow-coloured.
Even Broody had to admit, that it was the best cake saying 'congrats on the sex' he'd ever seen.