Radial: [Untitled] - There's Always An Explanation

Rating: 15
Word Count: 616
Summary: Tay doesn't get along with their department supervisor and, luckily for him, he's dating someone who knows just how to press every button going...

It didn’t take a genius to guess, from the shade of violent crimson Marrok’s face had turned—Tay’s favourite colour—and the way his eyes kept darting over as he hissed something at Stella, that the man was unhappy with him.  Again.

It didn’t take a genius to guess, from the shade of violent crimson Marrok’s face had turned—Tay’s favourite colour—and the way his eyes kept darting over as he hissed something at Stella, that the man was unhappy with him.  Again.

Stella sighed and nodded and remained in her seat even as Marrok spun on his heel and stalked from the door.  Only when he’d left did she press her thumb and forefinger to the bridge of her nose and let out the kind of long-suffering sigh that heralded trouble just as loudly as Marrok’s temper.  “Tay.  A word, please?”

Her desk was right beside his.  There was barely enough room for him to pass between them, and she still wanted him to stand in front of her like a naughty kid?  He debated rising, just for an easy life, then leaned back in his seat instead, angling himself to face her.  “What?”

Her eyes narrowed; he could see her own internal debate, whether to demand he do as he was told knowing that arguing just made him more stubborn, or give in and get whatever it was over with.  She struggled with it longer than he’d expected.  “Marrok says there’s been a complaint.”

For all that she was the de facto leader of their tiny team, she preferred the easy life too.  Tay barely suppressed his smile, both at that and her words.  “Has there?”

“Yes.”  Her gaze flicked across his face like she was scanning a book.  “There has.”  And before he could keep her going round in circles, she added, “and I’ll be speaking to Scott separately too.  I swear, I preferred the time you didn’t get along…”

This time, Tay let his smirk spread across his lips.  “I don’t.  What is this complaint?”

“You know full well what it is,” Stella sighed.  “Look, Tay, I’m happy that you and Scott are—are—whatever it is you are now, but can you please not piss off the other staff members?  The last thing we need is for people significantly more powerful than Marrok to hear about the kinds of things you two get up to in the toilets.”

“It was his idea, not mine.”  Tay shrugged.  “And they won’t hear.”

“Someone clearly did.”

“Ah, well, that I can explain—”

She held her hand up with a speed that startled and impressed him.  “No.  No explanations.  There is no explanation you can give that will justify what you did.”

“There’s always an explanation,” he protested.

“You can explain away a complaint from someone in another office over you and Scott having sex in the toilets?”  Stella snorted.  “No, Tay, it doesn’t work like that.”

He tipped his seat onto its back legs, folding his arms behind his head, and grinned broadly at her.  “It wasn’t a complaint from someone who works in this building.”

She stared at him like he had taken leave of his senses.  “But Marrok said—”

“He would.”  Tay laughed.  “The complaint came from him.  We made sure no one else was there, just him.  We even picked the next cubicle along just to be sure he’d hear.”

Stella stared at him, her lips twitching.  She was clearly torn between wanting to laugh and scolding him for his irresponsible behaviour and couldn’t decide which of the two would amuse her more.  Finally she turned back to her desk, shuffling papers rather than meet his gaze and give into the urge for the former.  “Just…  Just consider yourself reprimanded.”
​
“Oh I do, I do.”  Tay smirked.  “It won’t happen again, I promise,” and, before she could open her mouth to thank him, added with a massive grin, “at least,  this week.”