Work Text:
Clair was sitting on her computer, keeping track of the company’s financial records. It's so mind-numbingly boring, it's not active either. You're just sitting on your butt and staring at your screen all day. The only reason why she got this job in the first place is because someone’s gotta do it, not because she's passionate about it.
It's really strange that people actually like working like this. People get enjoyment out of the oddest things. Like, those people who are willing to watch shows that look like they came from a weirdo's imagination.
Speaking of weirdos, she started to hear Doug coming into the room; someone who's been her housemate for about a month now.
“Hey Clair, whaddya doin’? Whaddya doin?”
Clair sighs in frustration.
“I am working, thank you very much,” she grumbled.
“You mean typing things down?”
“Well that too, I guess,”
Clair kept working, trying to ignore Doug hoping he’d go away. But Randall, who was preparing to speak out something he wanted to say, was still standing next to her.
“Do you like strawberry shortcake?” he asked.
“Yeah, I think it tastes good,” she answered.
Doug gasps.
“YOU DON'T LIKE STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE!?” he exclaims.
“Did you not hear me right?”
“Of course I did. I just wanted to mess with you,”
“You sure do love messing with me…”
“Does anyone else you know like strawberry shortcake?”
Oh come on… Just when I was about to go back to work… thought Clair.
“Not as far as I’m aware,” she answered, “Do YOU like strawberry shortcake?”
“I like strawberries and cake. I think that counts as liking strawberry shortcake,”
No it doesn't, thought Clair.
“Whatever you think counts,”
Clair goes back to her job again. This time, refusing to listen to Doug. Doug is a chatterbox who likes to talk to even the most socially awkward people. However, she thought if she ignored him enough, he would leave her alone eventually.
“I watched the NFL this morning. I was so delighted when my favorite team won that I wanted to cry!”
No answer.
“I have to ask, do you like basketball?”
Again, no answer.
“Well, it's okay if you don't like it. We all have different opinions,”
Still, no answer. Doug was reminded of something he bought for Clair, so he decides to bring out a marble jar to grab her attention.
“You are trying to show me something.” stated Clair.
“Yes; it's my marble jar,” said Doug, “I had it for a long time. You could say that it's an heirloom,”
“I suppose that's cool,”
Doug looks at Clair with a curious look on his face, he suspects she's only talking to him because she believes he would constantly pester her until she spoke up.
“You don't have to stop working to talk to me, y’know,”
“You make a fair point, but how am I supposed to do both of those when you're showing me something?”
Doug silently stared at her. As if he agreed to disagree.
“Well, I won't do it if you don't want it,” said Doug before storing away his jar.
Clair looked away from him to look at her computer; she does not want Doug to interrupt her work any further.
Doug, I don't hate you, but I wish you were less of a bother, Clair thought while working.
“On an unrelated note, I bought a toaster oven for the both of us!”
These words would catch Clair’s attention. Did he really, seriously buy a toaster oven? Something neither of them needed? And most importantly, when did he have the money to buy one!?
“You bought a toaster oven?”
“Yep! I think It would come in handy when we're cooking dinner. Not to mention we can bring it anywhere we want!”
At least he had a reason why he bought it. However, she's curious about how and where he got it, let alone if he bought it with his own money.
“Where did you buy this?” questioned Clair.
“I bought it online; it’ll arrive in 2 weeks,” answered Doug.
“How much did it cost?”
“It was 90 bucks,”
Clair was relieved. She was worried that he was about to spend 200 or more on something he wouldn't be able to afford, or at least something that would’ve left him with only a dime. In other words, using her money without her consent so he could buy it.
“Thank God…” she sighed.
“I thank Him too,” he said, “but seriously though, why did you sigh like that?”
“I was afraid that you were using my money so you could buy that stupid toaster oven,”
Doug is baffled. He doesn't know what drew Clair to that conclusion. She can't be that paranoid.
“Wha- why? Why would I use your money? That’d be so disingenuous of me! Even if I had to use your money, I would've asked you first!”
How foolish. How foolish of her to assume that he would use her money to buy something he couldn't be able to afford with his own.
When Doug wasn't able to do something, he would rely on Clair to help him and vice versa. Doug never had as much funds as Clair, so she assumed if he couldn't buy something he’d go over to her if he could borrow some money from him. The only thing is that she never assumed he’d ask, just that he would just use said money.
“You're right. I got mad over something I shouldn't have gotten mad about. Sorry," apologized Clair.
“It's okay! It was just a misunderstanding!” said Doug enthusiastically.
Clair felt happy when he accepted her apology. Perhaps he isn't as bad as she perceives him to be, though she still felt weak apologizing not long after she made him upset.
“Saying sorry? After I just made you angry? What am I, my mom?” complained Clair.
“Personally, I think it's a sign you're starting to warm up to me, maybe even getting closer,” said Doug, “and I wasn't mad, just confused by what you thought.”
“That's completely understandable!”
Doug felt surprised, he has never heard her, let alone seen her be this enthusiastic. This made him wonder what else would make her this upbeat.
“As much as I would like to stay, I feel like I should leave you alone.”
“You don't have to.”
Yet, another surprise from Clair.
“Really?”
“Yeah! You can stay here as long as I’m working,”
No words could make Doug happier. Words that would make him happier today. If he and Clair aren't friends yet, they are closer now than they were last week!
He didn't say anything, just gave out a nod and chilled with her, having a casual, low-key conversation for the rest of her shift.