Chapter Text
Sounds, noises, people rushing, whatever. It was all loud and annoying, even more so today than any other day.
[PROTAG] sat in his gray cubicle, his head pounding. He felt dizzy, and staring at his run-down computer screen didn't help. Were people always this loud? It seemed everyone had a place to be or a place they were coming from.
He broke into a coughing fit, and it hurt his scratchy throat. He calmed down, groaning quietly to himself. He needed to get work done, not wallow in self pity. Yet every time he moved his head he felt like his brain might explode. Was that dramatic?
“Hey~ How's work going’?”
His annoying co-worker walked up to him, his blonde hair perfectly in place like always. [PROTAG] couldn't find it in him to respond, only scoff. Of course he would show up. He always seemed to. Not to mention the guy's voice felt ten times louder at the moment.
“Helloooo! You gonna answer me, newbie?”
“Go away…” He was usually more polite than this, but not right now.
“Hey! That's no way to talk to your higher-up, now is it?”
[COWORKER] smirked, walking up closer to him and ruffling his hair. He put his hands back in his pockets and leaned against the cubicle wall. His increase in volume made the intern wanna punch him in the throat. He sighed.
“I just… don't feel good right now…” He hated having to admit that, but it was true. He ran a hand through his hair and tried to fix it back down. It didn't work, of course, and he gave up.
“Yeah, that much is obvious. You look terrible. The bags under your eyes are more prominent.” Even though his co-worker wasn't intentionally trying to offend him, it definitely worked. He could feel his self-consciousness rising.
“C-can you go…? Y'know, so I can work?” He needed this man out.
[COWORKER] thought for a second. He could simply leave the guy alone, and go back to his lavish office. But he didn't want to do that. He does what he wants! He wants to talk to him, maybe pick on him a bit if he gets bored. The newbie doesn't look good, though… very sickly and kinda pale.
“Are you sick?” He asks, raising an eyebrow.
That would make sense, actually. The work place felt fifteen times louder, and he felt like he was a second away from coughing up his lungs. Still, he didn't want to admit that. He'd be fine. He needed to get work done, anyway. Being sick could wait.
“No, I'm fine.” He lied.
His co-worker looked him over again, as if assessing him. He didn't really believe that. The newbie always looked terrible, and right now he looked even worse. Well, not ‘terrible’ like that, but- we'll unpack that later.
“Fine, huh?” He smirked a bit, stepping closer to get a better look. “You look like you've just died.”
[PROTAG] never wants to hear that sentence ever again. Too many flashbacks… “I said I'm fine…”
As if on cue, the intern begins to cough a bit. Within seconds he broke out into a coughing fit. His co-worker watches with mild disgust and takes a step back. It takes about ten seconds for it to subside. The man sniffles as he says ‘ow’ quietly to himself. His head hurts worse now. So much for being okay…
“You're fine?”
“Fine, I'm sick. Happy now?” He groans in annoyance. He sounds stuffy and a bit hoarse after all that coughing.
The man gives him a mildly annoyed look back. He doesn't like germs, nor does he like the attitude he's being given. “I can tell that much, newbie. You're practically hacking up a lung. Why are you at work?”
That was actually a really good question. He hadn't felt too good this morning either, but he figured he could push through. Now that he was here, pushing through felt like torture. But he didn't know he was sick earlier, either. Now he knows, but he can't leave.
“I need to get work done… I still have a lot left. It's not even lunch yet.” [PROTAG] picks up a pen again, writing something on a document real quick.
“Work?” [COWORKER] scoffed at him like that was the most ridiculous thing he had ever heard. “You can't work!”
The intern looked at him confused, “What do you mean…?”
“Newbie, you're practically dying.” A bit dramatic, but okay. “You can't work like that! You need medicine and rest.”
“Don't you think that's a bit dramatic?” He coughed a bit in between his words, before looking back up at him with tired and irritated eyes.
“Psft, please. Me, dramatic? You must be really sick if you think that.” [COWORKER] crossed his arms, leaning back against the bland cubicle wall once more. Employees continued to walk all around, loud yet not lively.
The intern resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Besides, it would hurt his head if he did. “I'm not dying… I'm just a bit sick. I'll be fine.”
“C'mon! You're practically as pale as a ghost! Tell ya what, I'll drive you to my house and make you some soup. Doesn't that sound tempting~?”
[PROTAG] couldn't help but give him a look. His co-worker, take care of him? He's never heard that one before. And why did he phrase it like that? What was that tone? This made zero sense, especially coming from this man. There had to be some sort of catch.
“What's the catch…?” He asked, a bit nervous.
[COWORKER] smirked, looking like he did have a catch. Of course he did…
“There's no catch… I just want you to have dinner with me after. Then I'll drive you home. I'll even make sure that the boss knows you're leaving early.”
That's all? Eat dinner with him? That sounds too easy. Almost suspiciously too easy. Was he gonna get kidnapped? There's no way all he wants is dinner! But as the intern looked at his face, he was dead serious. Nothing to hide, and no other catches. All he wanted was dinner.
“Seriously?” The intern couldn’t believe it.
“Seriously.” He smiled just a tad wider, looking somewhat eager.
This had to be a trap, or some kind of trick. But alas, all it seemed he wanted was dinner. That was it. “Y-you’ll call out work for me…? I can… rest…?” He couldn't believe it.
“Yep~ All for the low low price of eating with me. What do you say, newbie?” His co-worker smirked a bit more, basically smiling now.
This was literally a free stay at what would probably be a huge and luxurious house. [COWORKER] was rich, right? So wouldn't he have a mansion or something? This was tempting. Too tempting. [PROTAG] couldn't pass this up! He'd have free food and be able to skip work, and he wouldn't even have to do anything! All he had to do was have dinner, and that's not so bad…
“O-okay…!” He sounded a tad excited, but he couldn't help it. He's never gotten an opportunity like this before. What kind of opportunity even was this?
His co-worker smiled, and he seemed to be happy with his answer. Or maybe that was just the newbie's imagination. “Good. Pack up your stuff, and don't get germs in my car.” He shivered in disgust.
He nodded, smiling just a bit. This wouldn't be so bad… so he hoped. He coughed a bit, beginning to pack up his stuff. His head still hurt, and he still felt sick, but at least he wouldn't be working. Speaking of working, he should probably do some of that at his co-worker's house… well, he'll think about that later. He just needed some medicine for now. [PROTAG] still felt a bit stressed, (especially since he would be missing almost a full day of work) but maybe some soup would fix that.
He finished packing up his stuff and walked outside with his co-worker.