Work Text:
It’s 4:55, five minutes early, when Scott logs out of his work computer. He slides out of his desk, pushing his chair in and slinging his bag over one shoulder. He saunters out of the marketing department, and his early departure hardly raises an eyebrow from his coworkers.
He’s made a habit of this for the last week or so, leaving his desk a few minutes early to make his way to the IT department. He smiles to himself as he rounds the corner to his coworker’s cubicle, rapping his knuckles against the side of the partition before he steps in.
Mumbo turns from his computer, still seeming a little surprised to see Scott.
“Oh! Hi, Scott?”
Scott grins. “Don’t act so surprised to see me.”
Mumbo checks the time on his watch. “Um… IT question?”
“When has it ever been an IT question? I bother Etho with those.”
“Fair point,” Mumbo says with a little laugh. “Then you’re just…?”
“Stopping by again.”
“Right. Stopping by again.” A smile pulls at the corners of Mumbo’s mouth. “Aren’t you going to get in trouble if you keep leaving early?”
“It’s five minutes.”
“Times the four other times you’ve done it this week, so twenty. Are you stealing company time, Scott?”
“I’m sure they can afford it.”
Mumbo shakes his head and smiles. “So um… what’s up with you?”
“Just stopping by.” Scott takes a step further in. Resting a hand on the back of Mumbo’s chair, he leans over to admire the few photos that Mumbo has pinned to the board behind his desktop.
“Yeah, you said that.”
“These yours?” Scott asks, “the photos. You’re into photography, right?”
“Actually, yeah,” Mumbo says, “I’m surprised you remember. No offense.”
“Some taken, actually. I have a pretty good memory when it comes to those things.”
“What things?”
“The interests of men I’m into.”
Mumbo blinks, his cheeks flushing as he just stares at him for a moment. “That’s… awfully blunt,” he says with a nervous laugh. “Are you always that straightforward?”
Scott slides his hand off the back of Mumbo’s chair, brushing a bit of lint off his coworker’s shoulder, before slipping his hand casually into his pocket. “More or less. You got any plans for the weekend? Or tonight?”
“Well, um, nothing special. I’m helping Grian move on Sunday if that counts. And, uh, dinner with my mom that night?”
“Great, so you’re free for me to pick you up at eight tonight.”
“I- I- mean, yeah,” Mumbo stammers. “Yeah, I’m free for you to pick me up…?”
“Free and interested?” Scott inquires. “I won’t twist your arm if you’ve got a better offer.”
Slowly, Mumbo nods. “Yeah, um… I'm interested too. I am both free and interested in you picking me up at eight tonight.”
Scott smiles. “I’m glad to hear it. I’ll take you downtown to that cute little hipster bar on Main. They’ve got live music at nine on Fridays.”
Mumbo doesn’t have time to respond before another knock at the cubicle doorway catches his attention.
“Hey, it’s past five,” says Tango from the doorway. “Past five on a Friday . You two getting out of here?”
“We’re just on our way out,” Scott says. “Enjoy your weekend, Tango.”
“Thanks, you too.” Tango gives them both a wave before heading back out.
Mumbo checks the time again to confirm it’s past five. He quickly logs out, and fumbles a little as he buttons his sport coat back up.
For a moment, Scott admires him and smiles. “Eight tonight,” he confirms, “you have my number.”
“I’ll, uh… yeah, I’ll be ready.”
Scott turns to head out, and waves back over his shoulder. “I’ll see you then!”
“Yeah, see you then,” Mumbo calls back.
And Scott finally departs for the day at 5:05, leaving Mumbo more than a little dumbfounded in his office of the empty IT department.