The sign on the door said "Stay away! Crying in process" and for a moment Tim was forced to bite back a laugh at Gareth's ability to try so hard to be serious and yet fail at the same time.
He paused before he then knocked lightly on the door.
"Go 'way…" Gareth mumbled from inside.
"Gareth…" Tim sighed, pressing his forehead against the door and shutting his eyes. "Open the door, Gareth!"
There was a brief moment of silence before Tim then heard a soft click of the lock being undone and he opened the door slowly, and he found himself looking at a wreck of a man.
Gareth's eyes had a haunted look in them again and tears were still streaming down his narrow cheeks, making small stains on his suit.
"Gareth…"
His face suddenly crinkled up and for a moment Tim remembered when he had gone to his grandfather's funeral and how his father's face had crinkled up the same way when the man had fought hard not to cry aloud.
Sounds came from Gareth's throat then and Tim couldn't help but stare at him in slight horror before he then shook himself out of it.
"Gareth, relax." He urged him gently, hugging onto him and rubbing his back. He winced at the sounds coming from Gareth's throat and he vaguely thought that if he ever saw a cat being strangled that it would sound exactly like Gareth right now.
The sound soon started to sound strangled and Gareth suddenly started to choke and cough badly.
"Breathe!" Tim shouted at him suddenly. "Breathe, damn it!"
Gareth slowly sat up straight and he closed his eyes and tilted his head back a bit, his nostrils flaring as he took in a shuddering breath.
"Are you ok?"
"Yes…"
"Good." Tim patted his arm and he gave him a small smile. "I don't suppose that I can talk you into leaving?"
"I…I have to work." Gareth said softly. "I need this job and the money."
"Well I just quit so I won't be able to stay with you today."
For a moment Tim thought that he actually saw a sad look on Gareth's face when he was told this, but the man was quick to hide it again behind a mask.
"I…I think I'll be all right." He said, staring down at the ground.
"You sure?"
"Yeah…"
Tim nodded and he then smiled as he lightly brushed away some of the tears still on Gareth's suit before he then smiled up at the man, wiping away his tears with a thumb.
"Bender…" Gareth muttered, pulling his face away. This time however, he was smiling as he said it.
"When you get home just give me a ring, yeah?" Tim said. "I'll take you out for dinner."
Gareth frowned at this, cocking an eyebrow.
"Why would you take me out to dinner?" he asked. "I'm not a bender and I swear to God…"
"Gareth…" Tim sighed and he decided to just let it drop for now. It really was odd how the man insisted on proclaiming that he was not under any circumstances a homosexual.
"I'm just taking you to a local sushi bar." He explained. "Just as a friend who wants to help another friend out, aye?"
Gareth looked away as he thought about this and he then smiled and nodded.
"All right." He agreed.
"You just need to promise me one thing." Gareth frowned warily at this.
"What's that?" he asked.
"If Finch tries to mess with you again…kick his arse, yeah?"
Gareth laughed and Tim felt comfortably leaving him alone at the office, leading the man back to his desk with his arm around his shoulders.
"Mr. Canterbury! What's this I hear of you quitting?" David suddenly demanded as he walked out of his office.
"Go feck yourself." Tim suddenly snapped and before David could fully register what had happened Tim gave Gareth a reassuring smile before he then took his suitcase and left.
Gareth smiled slightly as he watched him go and he ignored David's confused protests at being cursed at as he sat back down and went back to work.