Two is a Crowd
Chapter 7: I don't THINK so!
POV: Thomas
Ding-dong!
I opened the door and saw my favorite redhead standing there. "Hi, Thomas!" she said.
I leaned against the doorframe and grinned at her. "Hey, Scarlett."
She raised an eyebrow, but knew perfectly well I was joking. "Stand aside, foul beast," she ordered.
I heaved a dramatic sigh, then stepped aside and yelled "SNAKES! SCARLETT IS HERE!"
"I'll be there in a second," he called back.
"Where is he?" Scarlett asked, looking at me.
"He's getting out of the shower. Coffee?"
"I've never heard of showering in coffee before. Is it refreshing?" she asked innocently, sitting on the couch.
"Actually, yes. He can't match my tan, so he tries everything. Would you like some coffee to drink?" I asked, flashing a grin.
"As long as it's not the same stuff coming out of the showerhead, yes, thank you."
"You never know," I said as I poured her a cup.
She took a sip, then set it down on the card table and looked around. "Nice place," she commented, "if a tad small."
"A tad? HEY, IAN! SHE THINKS THIS PLACE IS A TAD SMALL," I yelled.
"A TAD!?" he yelled back, appearing in jeans and a T-shirt. He looked incredulously at Scarlett, and sat down next to her, taking her hand and looking at her with a serious expression on his face. "Now, Scarlett, I know that working in the team can be… well, demanding, and sometimes you can get tense, and nervous, and overwrought-"
"Did you just call me overweight?" she demanded.
I hid my urge to chuckle as Snakes shook his head. "No! No, no. I was saying maybe you ought to visit Doc and take a rest leave, because your sense of perception seems to be a bit…"
"Distorted?" I offered.
"Yeah, distorted," Snakes agreed. He looked at Scarlett, whose eyes were twinkling.
"I'd say you could fit one more guy in here," she said, her tone holding mischief.
"Depends on the guy. As long as he's under one foot six, we're good," I said.
"Well, how about five foot nine?"
"Kamakura!?" exclaimed Ian. "Scarlett, we can barely fit ourselves in here. There's no way we can fit one more."
"Are you sure?" asked Scarlett, grinning. I was ready to panic here, and she's GRINNING?
"Yes! Yes, we're sure!" Ian and I practically yelled.
"But-"
"No buts!" I was hyperventilating, for pity's sake! "We can not, repeat, NOT, fit Any. More. People. In. This. Apartment."
"Well, okay," said Scarlett with a sigh. "But he has nowhere to stay!"
"How about the pit?" Ian suggested, as if it was the most logical thing to do – which it was.
"Can't. New recruits," she sighed.
I moaned. "Isn't there anywhere else he could stay?"
"Not really," she said, her tone sadly hopeful.
Ian ran his fingers through his tousled, damp blond hair and sighed. "Okay."
"WHAT!?" I screeched. "Ian, are you MAD? Insane? YOU should go see Doc and take a rest leave, cuz you have – OF YOUR SENSES!!"
They sat, staring at me and wondering what on earth I meant. I clarified. "THERE IS NO WAY WE ARE FITTING ANOTHER PERSON IN HERE!"
"Well, okay. I'd better be getting back – just wanted to see how you guys were holding up," said Scarlett, downing the rest of her coffee and standing. Snakes stood with her. "Thanks, Scarlett, it was nice seeing you after staring at HIS face all day."
I frowned. "It's a wonderful face to stare at," I retorted, crossing my arms.
"Hey, I thought you guys were friends," laughed Scarlett, opening the door. She turned slightly, looking back at us. "I'll send Kamakura over-"
"I think I'm gonna cry," I muttered.
"With Jinx. They made cookies. Honestly, did you really think new recruits would kick Kam out? He's exactly where he's always been." And with that, she walked down the stairs, leaving us standing, staring, and thinking Practical jokes… are definitely her forte.