Unfortunately, Angus jinxed it, thinking the day couldn't possibly get any worse…
And then, it did.
"Angus?" Mrs Cosie calls him when he's up to his elbows in suds. "Leave that for now. You get yourself off home."
"But I've another half hour, forty minutes or so-?" Angus frowned and gestured at the pile of dirty dishes, "and these."
"You don't. Clock out early. And don't worry about those, I'll see to that. You have that beach thing, anyway, don't you? the one you were supposed to be off for in the first place."
"I guess… I mean, yes, Mrs Cosie."
Her mouth set in a firm line but as he pulled off the marigold gloves, she pressed a takeaway cup of some form of herbal tea into his hand. And again, shooed him into the staff room.
"I'd like to talk with you. Tomorrow." She said quietly once he'd gathered his things. "Now, I know today wasn't your fault, lad. But you come back into tomorrow you have that smart head of yours screwed back on. Or…"
"Or?" Angus asks.
"Well, I was going to say or don't come in at all." She sighs.
Angus feels his stomach drop into his shoes.
"If you don't feel like it, I mean!" Mrs Cosie amends. "That? All that was, a lot, dearie."
"Oh. Right. Thanks Mrs Cosie."
"Hmm. If you want to take tomorrow off rather than today if you don't feel up to it that's fine. Give me a ring on the stone and we'll sort something out that way instead. even if you need a few days' break."
Angus goes to say he'll pay for the damage. But Mrs C Patted him on the arm. Quite insistently. "Never mind that now. We'll talk tomorrow. Now go on. Off home. To your thing or what have you."
It wasn't a "you're fired". But it was a far cry from the way she said to him "you're hired."
Angus nodded, staring at the floor. He wished her a good afternoon as politely as he could. Then took his bicycle with his bag and hot drink in the basket, wheeling around the front of the building to the road. He was very aware that Dale, Ruby, a pissed off Brenda (Twinkle still couldn't be roused) and customers watching him from the windows. But he refused to look up, focusing on the road ahead and the tale tale signs that dusk was on its way. And took off on his bike down the road much faster than strictly necessary. Only stopping at the crossroads some two minutes later.
For a moment Angus almost turned left. He could ride up to Taako's place- a good few miles away from the town walls- to give the elf a piece of his mind. But gripping his handlebars tight, Angus turned his usual route and cycled toward the university dorms buildings. Angus isn't sure how he got there, nor would he have been able to describe the journey if asked. He just got there.
Angus ditched his bicycle in the campus bike shed. And chained it up. With not just a padlock. But the nastiest warding spell he could muster. He didn't say good evening to the bursar, only grumbled it. He stormed back to his halls, scattering first-year's; even those much larger and older than him. Flo called a hello out to him. Angus barely acknowledged her, bar a raise of his hand. On Angus went. Slamming every door, swearing under his breath with worse words with every floor, no in the mood to wait for the Miller branded elevator up.
The exercise didn't improve his mood. If anything, the stairs made it worse. Angus reached his floor. then reached his hallway. then reached his little bedsit dorm room, sweating and foul.
He paused before he went in. then took out his wand and Cast dispel magic just in case there was another portal and intervention on the other side. Then felt bad because he remembered he'd hit Taako in the face with the same spell not even two hours ago. Which then made him cross again. Angus unlocked his door and went in. then triple Locked it behind him. Angus dumped his things rather than hang or set them neat, slammed his keys across the room rather than on the hook, and threw himself on his bed. Not even pausing to take off his shoes.
And then cried like he hadn't needed to in a long, long time.
Not just tears either but punching his pillow and stifled yelling sort of crying. He cried and cried Until Exhausted Angus Curled up on himself.
He wanted to call someone and talk. But he didn't want to remember today at all, either. Angus Wanted one of Magnus's big hugs. Or one of Merle's reassuring hip pats. He wished His fleet of aunties to kiss him on the forehead. For Kravitz or Barry to say something and keep him grounded. His friends to console him. A call from the Captain just to say it'd be alright. For someone to Hoist him up like he weighed nothing and tuck him into bed like they had like when he was ten. He wanted Taako to- no. no he didn't. He never wanted to see Taako again.
He felt guilty about snapping at Taako, the guy who'd been his mentor and one of father figures in his life. He'd looked up to him. Even when Taako had been err kind of a shit person for a small boy to be around. Angus was embarrassed for yelling at him. For losing his temper. But he was Upset that Taako had blatantly ignored his wishes. that almost everything that had gone wrong today had been Taako's fault in some form.
In short Angus felt sick.
Even sicker when he looked at the time.