Contrary to all of Renato's worries, nothing really happened in the next few days of being stuck in Nikolai's story pre-apocalypse.
Nikolai told a few coworkers off. Malic laughed at how much of a bastard he was about it, and when people wondered who he was siding with that he'd laugh so much, he'd always just say that it was with the person in the right.
Some fools dared to imagine that meant he sided with them. Nikolai, the insecure bastard, often looked pained as if believing Malic hadn't meant it when he said that he'd rather talk with someone more his level.
Of course, he had to clarify before anyone got any more wrong ideas.
"I'm siding with HR on this one, fool," he said bluntly, glare clear in his eyes as he turned his chair around from his desk to face the involved parties. Some idiot in Sales who believed he had the right to choose how to dress regardless of the office policies on business attire; and Nikolai, the poor fool who had to deal with people who couldn't even follow basic rules.
Nikolai, for all that he was shorter in height, still somehow managed to act like he was the bigger person when he kept his stance. Even with his shaking hands that he hid into clenched fists, he still forced himself to act like he wouldn't waver when he squinted up at the bastard from the Sales department.
It was no wonder that this person could argue against him, even during the apocalypse. He'd been brave even before the end of the world began.
"You're not here to run a marathon, you're here to do office work," Malic told his coworker. "He's letting you off with a verbal warning, yet you're acting like his words are a joke."
"Oh, come on, you can't be this serious, man…"
"Change your damn shoes or I'll slice your feet off."
The bastard laughed at first. Of course he would; it wasn't the apocalypse in this place, and he didn't know just how easily Malic could chop an appendage off given enough of an incentive.
He stopped laughing when he realized that Malic wasn't laughing with him.
"...man, you're a little scary, Malic."
He raised a brow. "Good."
The man shook his head, then gave a weary look over at Nikolai. "Fine, fine, I'll change my shoes tomorrow. I told you, I was just in a rush to get to work…"
Nikolai didn't soften up, for all that the man was trying to give his excuses. "Do this again, and it won't just be a verbal warning." Then he smiled, making Malic turn his chair around so he could hide the amusement that was sure to show on his face. "Perhaps I should give you a wake-up call every morning so you won't be late? I won't mind if you need some assistance."
"That's going too far, Canlas."
"I'm just trying to be helpful."
"Yeah? Because it just sounds like you're trying to get my number," the idiot scoffed, squinting at him. "I don't swing that way, unfortunately."
Nikolai's smile dropped. "And I have better taste than to even consider you, so please don't misunderstand."
That got the rest of the Sales team laughing, even at the expense of their own member's pride. They were all fools, but they were the type to be easily swayed by humor; even if the fool who was on the receiving end of Nikolai's tongue-lashing was offended, he was easily swayed enough by the mood that he just gave a whine of complaint.
"Hey."
Nikolai didn't hear him at first. He seemed focused on watching the others, an expression of what looked like relief on his face as his gaze rested upon the bantering fools as they poked and prodded at their arrogant coworker.
"Canlas."
That got Nikolai's attention, making him look over at Malic's cubicle with a curious gaze.
With a hand to the wall of his cubicle, he said, "Next time, you can ask for my help."
Those tired eyes blinked wide open, before returning to their usual size. It was as if he hadn't considered the possibility of being helped at all; like it was only expected that he'd bear the burden of dealing with idiots on his own. "Really? It's not like it's your job…"
He shook his head. "They're the fools on my team. I may as well keep them in line if I don't want to get involved with any trouble."
"...then, I'd appreciate it."
He flicked a finger out to point it in Nikolai's direction. Now, to get to his main point. "In return, I want you to eat lunch with me."
"Eh?"
That was how he got Nikolai in contact with the others. Ji-yeong, as they'd predicted, had been found in Security. Kira, on the other hand, had been given the setting of being a child of an executive, someone who was set to follow in their guardian's footsteps that they'd bring her along to work daily.
It was convenient for them, even if it was a burdensome setup for someone so young.
"You've got an odd collection of friends," Nikolai said bluntly once, making Rhiannon snort on a laugh.
"Trust me, we know," she said dryly. "It's not like they're my first choice as friends too. But given the little options I have…"
"Aha." Nikolai smiled then. He was clearly more relaxed here, though it wasn't a surprise; everyone in this group was blunt in their own way, and could deal with similar bluntness being thrown their way. "I can see the similarity now. Agcaoili insisted on getting my number with the same idea in mind."
"Oh yeah? Do tell."
"It made me wonder what kind of crazy bastard would insist that much on getting my number from out of nowhere...you'd think he was flirting with me from the way he did it." Then he laughed. "Though, I know that's not possible."
"Why not?" Ji-yeong asked, smiling innocently. "You might just be his type."
Nikolai laughed again, and Malic rolled his eyes. "Laugh it up," he said, before taking a drink from his bottle of water. "I don't flirt, anyway."
"My memory of the past begs to differ," Rhiannon piped in.
Malic gritted his teeth, hand squeezing tight against his bottle. Sometimes, he regretted that some of his companions were people who knew him better than most others. "And I told you, it's not flirting to dance with another person. It's a job, and there are themes."
"Right," Rhiannon drawled. "No flirting whatsoever. No bedroom eyes, even."
An intrigued light entered Nikolai's eyes. Damn it. "You dance? Is it a hobby?"
It was his actual occupation, but the setting didn't allow for that to be the case here. He said, "Something like that."
"Huh. Is that why you're so fit?"
"I work out. You don't get this fit just from dancing."
"Ah, I see…"
He frowned at the fidgeting Nikolai was doing in his seat. "I don't have any videos, if that's what you want to ask."
Nikolai sighed, head hanging in seeming disappointment. "That's too bad. I would've liked to see how good you are at dancing."
"You can just ask him to dance, Nikolai-san," Kira said, blinking big eyes up at the man. "Maybe not at the office, but once he's off work?"
"..."
Nikolai coughed into his hand, as did Renato and the rest. Malic rolled his eyes at the obvious laugh they were failing to hide. These childish bastards would really find entertainment in a child's innocent words? "What kind of HR staff are you, laughing at a kid's words like that?"
The man shook his head, mirth clear in his smiling eyes. "The idea of you giving me a personal show just sounded funny, is all."
"I could report you for harassment."
"To who? HR?"
Malic squinted at him. "Yes."
"I'd like to see you try."
"Please don't flirt in front of the food," Rhiannon said, sighing. She didn't mind the glare he threw her way when she fed herself a mouthful of rice and meat. "It's disrespectful."
"I will kill you."
"HR, he's bullying me."
"Death threats are—"
"Shut up and keep eating. You have ten minutes left after chatting that much."
"Oh, shi—"
Their days went on like that. Things were so normal, so average, that Malic found himself irritated at his own confusion on the mission. Nikolai, whenever they'd been together, hadn't ever acted like he was so troubled that he'd need anyone saving him—
So what was the mission for? Were they just waiting for an event outside of Nikolai himself to happen? What was it that they had to prevent that an entire Story Revision mission had to be built up for him?
What could Nikolai even need help with, when he'd seemed well enough at handling himself so far?
There was no one to give him such answers. Even the rest of his companions were just as confused as him despite their daily meet-ups to discuss the day's events. Renato, sensitive soul as he was, could only hazard a guess that it had something to do with Nikolai's emotions; Rhiannon, on the other hand, opined that it might be an external event that they had to save him from. Ji-yeong and Kira could only agree on the possibility of both options, confused as they were on what other possibilities there might be.
They could only wait, and that?
That was the worst kind of mission, and exactly the kind Malic hated.