Page 12 of Under Construction

His hands curl into fists.

"No."

"Excuse me?"

"I said no." Dennis stands up. "I'm not signing. Fire me if you want, but I won't quit."

His father's face darkens, eyebrows diagonal enough that a younger Dennis might have flinched. "You're being childish."

"Maybe,” Dennis declares, a bit louder than he had intended to. “But I'd rather be childish than beyou."

He stands up, then stalks out to the sound of his father muttering about how he never should have let his mother overindulge him to the point of Dennis acting like he knows what’s best for himself.

Dennis shuts the door a little too hard, cutting the words off mid-sentence.

Finally. Reprieve from judgment.

He somehow keeps walking until he reaches the elevator. Until he's in the lobby. Until he's outside in air that doesn't feel like it's crushing his lungs.

06Apologies

Dennis finds Chris in the break room later, holding an ice pack to his jaw. The bruise beginning to bloom a faint purple against his tan skin sends a thrill of satisfaction through Dennis’s chest.

"Here to admire your handiwork?" Chris drawls, wincing as he shifts the ice.

"I'm supposed to apologize," Dennis says stiffly. "So.” He looks to the side. Clears his throat. Looks back, eyes not following the turn of his head. “Sorry.”

"You call that an apology?" Chris's eyebrow rises. "Might need to punch me again—that one didn't quite convince me."

"Don't tempt me."

"Aww, princess. If you wanted to touch me that badly, you could've just asked."

Dennis takes a deep breath. He kills the sigh before it can escape his lungs.FuckChris if he thinks he’s going to get to himagain.

Dennis turns to leave, but Chris's voice stops him:

"You know what the best part is? For the next week, every time someone sees this bruise, they'll think of you. Can't buy that kind of publicity."

"Go to hell."

"Only if you lead the way, your highness."

Dennis stalks off, regretting the apology already. Ungracious dick!Zeroclass and a smug asswipe to boot. Sorry his ass.Chrisshould be sorry for being such an annoying piece of shit.

His phone buzzes.

Unknown number.

Dennis frowns. He taps on the message.

Nice right hook princess. Didn't think you had it in you.

Dennis almost laughs. He'd blocked Chris's personal number after the dick pic, but this one's different—probably Chris's work phone. Or maybe a spare because he keeps getting blocked for inappropriate behavior. That prick probably has a collection of them, one for each person he's harassed.

Another message pops up.

For real tho, sorry about the pic. Dick move. No pun intended.

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