Between the Office Blocks
Welp its currently 2:58 am and I just wrote this lil thing for y’all! :) I promise I’m going to get back to my multi chaps and stuff! This probably has a few mistakes, but have mercy I only work when I’m close to utter exhaustion and when it’s past midnight hahaha!
If I made a list to tag people in everything I write (including asks, mini fics, multi chap, etc) would people be interested?
The day starts as a usual Monday morning in the Prythian Industries office. My colleagues arrive at their desk half-awake, clutching a coffee as they try not to fall asleep in front of their screens; the air conditioning ceasing to work and leaving the block to slowly cook as the summer sun glares in through the windows. The office is never too lively at this time, but not even the boss can bring himself to care about the lack of productivity.
Fighting to keep my head from hitting the desk, I manage to send a few emails to my half-dead colleagues. Too many late nights spent painting the starry sky have taken their toll. Office jobs are the one thing I vowed to myself I would never do, but an aspiring artist with no money to keep herself afloat in the first place would never survive in this city. I feel like my brain is processing everything a minute after it happens. I sigh, and look around. The rest of the people in the office still look half-dead, so I don’t think I’ll be told off if I let myself relax for a little bit. That’s what I tell myself as my head turns the other way to look out of the window, at least.
I’ve always had a fascination with the sky and its colours, but the haze blurring the rest of the city on my left and right doesn’t inspire me today. Still, I just want to get out of this Cauldron-damned office. I watch the cars pass by below me, checking my boss doesn’t pass by every few minutes. Maybe I could just walk out and grab one of those cars, and drive somewhere nice… nobody here would notice. The only thing holding me back is the lack of money when I would get back. Or maybe I could sit in a field and forget about everything. I close my eyes, imagining the soft wind through my hair....
I jerk awake when someone behind me drops one of their folders, the clatter ringing through the office. How long was I out? I know that I should I probably get back to work and emails and planning, but my brain still won’t bring itself to do any of it. Instead, I continue to stare out of the window.
There is another office block in front of me, the same ugly colour and uniformity as ours. Most of the time, I detest looking at the Mountain Inc. building. The people sitting next to the windows look closer to death than half the people around me. Every single one I see look devoid of any emotion, hunched over their computers, continuously typing. I scan over all of them, looking for any signs of life anywhere. And that’s when I see him. The office blocks are so close together I can see him perfectly, directly across from me.
The man is dressed in a black suit, and he is staring out into the sun, seemingly daydreaming. The light reflecting from the window illuminates all of the features on his face. The chiseled jaw, the dark blue eyes that look almost purple in the light, the inky black hair framing his tanned face. The dreamy look he has on his face suggests that he’s feeling similar to me from a few minutes ago. The large window perfectly frames his body, and my fingers itch for a paintbrush, to hope to capture some aspect of this man. And then I realise I’ve been staring for too long. And the man is now staring at me, an unreadable smile crossing his face.
My cheeks instantly heat, and without thinking, I wave. Did I actually just do that? I quickly look behind me to check that nobody is watching, and find him offering a small wave back. His smile widens to a grin, as he holds up his hand in a gesture to wait. Slightly confused, I watch as he turns back to his desk, then faces me again a moment later, pressing four sticky notes to the window.
H i ! The notes said, followed by a smiley face. I can’t help but laugh. It’s his turn to wait as I grab a piece of paper to write my response.
This day is going by too slowly! He reads, as I then grab a sticky note. Name? I ask followed by a smiley face to match his.
Same over here, Darling! He replies. The name he gives me makes my cheeks turn red again. I’m Rhys.
I’m Feyre! I’d much rather be out of this office, everyone’s a zombie.
Can we be office buddies, Feyre Darling? It’s much too boring over here too. We’re the only ones left alive, it seems.
Yes, please.This is so much more fun than trying to talk to Bron at this hour.
I see Rhys laugh, shoulders shaking slightly. I’ve not even met him properly, so how can I already find him so attractive? You’re always welcome to… what is this? Talking? Messaging?
I have just enough time to read what the note says, before a panicked look crosses his face and he crumples it.
A second later, a woman with red hair appears at Rhys’ desk. She seems to be angry, and Rhys’ head hangs a little bit. I cringe, thinking about how I’ve just gotten him into trouble. The woman must have seen what we were doing because she walks to the window and spots me staring at them. Her face goes stony, and I watch as she drops the blind. That’s ended our conversation, then.
An hour passes by, and I do next to nothing on the computer. I can’t help but look over to the black blinds opposite to me every couple of minutes. By the second hour of staring at the screen, I look over to Rhys’ window again, completely giving up on any sort of work. And then, I see a flash of yellow peek through the blinds as tanned fingers press a note on the window. My heart does an involuntary leap.
Immediately, I scramble for a pen and sticky note, writing my phone number down. I stick the note on the window and wait, watching for any movement on the opposite block.
A couple of minutes later, I see two fingers part the blinds, and the pair of blue eyes stare back at me. I offer back a shy smile, and his eyes wrinkle in what must be a grin. The eyes disappear, and I search through my bag for my phone. Even though I’ve been clearly putting sticky notes on the window all morning, I decide to hide my phone under a folder, just in case I’m spotted. Not 30 seconds later, my phone buzzes.
Unknown number: Is this Feyre Darling? It’s Rhys! Sorry about that! My boss decided I wasn’t doing enough work, not like I’m going to let that stop me from talking to you :)
I actually giggle. Like a schoolgirl. The effort this man is going to, to talk to me makes me blush for the third time today.
This is Feyre! Your boss gave me the worst side eye, and I don’t even work for her! I’d die if I had to work there.
She’s like that all the time, it doesn’t matter who to. Oh well, it’s money!
That’s the only reason I’m here, otherwise I’d be painting.
A minute or two passes, and I start to worry that I’ve gotten him into trouble again, or maybe that he has simply lost interest in the conversation. However, the reply I receive isn’t quite what I was expecting.
This may be a little bit forward, but perhaps you would like to meet after work for a coffee, and you could tell me about your painting? Only if you want to, of course, but I would love to talk to you!
Is this actually happening?
Yeah, that sounds great! What time do you get out of work? I’m out at 4pm :)
I’ll be out for 3:30pm, but I’ll wait outside if you would like? Or we can meet at the coffee shop on the corner? :)
I’m not opposed to walking down with you ;) see you at 4pm!
See you then, Feyre Darling ;)
The last few hours in the office seem to pass by even slower than usual, but at least they feel brighter. It finally comes to 4pm, and I dash out of the office and down the stairs, out onto the street. I look around, trying to spot inky black hair in the bustling crowd. Then a deep voice comes from behind me.
“There you are, I’ve been looking for you.”