Page 16 of Collin: Episodes 10-12
Damian dropped into the office around five, dressed in a maroon three-piece suit and blue tie. Collin was at his desk in the front office, reviewing his vocabulary for Chinese, maps and printouts for his new position spread out to the side. Damian settled on the edge of Collin’s desk, looking bored.
“You’re all dressed up,” Collin said.
Damian grimaced. “Thought I had a coffee date and a dinner date. Turns out the first was just someone trying to get an inside scoop, and I canceled the dinner date. I’m over it. What’s the point?”
Collin leaned back in his chair. “Over the situation or over dating?”
“Dating.” Damian shrugged. “Feels like I’ve met everyone and they’ve all met me.”
“Do you know what you’re looking for?”
Damian ground a stress ball in his fist. “Not really. Maybe. Yes. But no. Anyway… Enough of that. What are you doing tonight? You’re back early.”
Collin waved at his desk. “New job and making sure I’m ready for class on Monday. I should get food soon.”
Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Ash at the door. The younger man’s eyes were darting between Collin and Damian. Collin turned back to Damian. “Want to come out and get something with me and Ash? I’m trying to get him out of his cave. He hasn’t tried Indian food yet.”
Ash froze at the edge of the door. He glared at Collin.
Oblivious, Damian threw the stress ball up in the air. “I thought he runs when he hears my name.”
“Ash can be brave. What did you do to him anyway?” In the doorway, Ash pulled a face and made hand gestures. They weren’t very articulate, however. Collin looked down at his notes, ignoring him.
“I told him what my da told me about what happens to skinny guys in jail. They weren’t going to keep Ash in juvie once he hit eighteen, not long at least. He needed to know his options.”
“Why do I feel like you explained it in the worst possible way?” Collin dared a look toward the door again. Ash was still there, glaring holes in the back of Damian’s head.
“Because Ash is a good kid. And he did Mr. Reevesworth a good turn, telling us there were foreign actors in our network. Everyone else was being polite and using politically correct terms. No one was talking his language. So I did. And Ash made the right decision. I’m happy for him.”
“Then why is he still scared of you?”
Damian grimaced and rolled the stress ball against the top of the desk. “I may, I’m not saying I did, but I may have implied that I’d like to do things to him, if I could. If I could get away with it.”
“Let me guess, you were graphic and crude.” Collin raised an eyebrow.
Damian shrugged, his eyes not meeting Collin’s again. “Someone had to be the bad guy. I’d never touch him. He’s under age for one and not into guys for two, at least I don’t think so. Consent is attractive, you know.”
“Consent is very attractive.” Collin smiled at Damian and shot a questioning look toward the door. Ash was standing there, fuming, gripping the frame. “So, if I did convince him to come out with us, you think you could try not to be scary? You’re the big bad lawyer dude. I mean, you intimidated me the first time we met.”
Damian drew himself up, eyes wide. “I asked you to bring boba tea! No one who drinks boba tea is scary!”
“Says you.” Collin laughed, standing up and stretching. “You could be drinking a pink latte with your pinkie up and you’d still be scary to some people. You just walk around scary.”
“Is this ’cause I’m Black?”
“Yes, Damian. It’s absolutely only because you’re Black. Jee whiz, dude! It’s because you walk around like you freakin’ know who you are and everybody else better get with the program or get out of your way.” Collin thumped Damian lightly on the shoulder. “You buy your suits from Intimidate Poor Guys ‘R’ Us, and you know it. You taught me about code switching.”
Damian blushed. “Hey! Careful, my suits look good. And a cheap suit never fits.”
“That’s because you’re built like Superman.” Collin rolled his eyes. “The rest of us poor shlubs are stuck trying to look like we tried.”
“It’s sad. I should rescue all of you, teach you to shop.”
Ash stepped into the office, arms crossed. “I don’t need you to teach me to shop. Ellisandre is teaching me to make my own clothes.”
Damian spun around on the desk.
Collin dropped his hand to Damian’s shoulder, keeping the man seated. “Hey, Ash.”
