James POV
As I drove to work I had a mini gay panic. Keith had kissed me. Keith had KISSED ME! I know he had done it last night, but we were both half drunk, and I barely remembered it. But this one, this one I would remember. I pulled into the back of the Best Buy and went inside. "Ho ho ho. James, where'd you get the marks?" Rolo asked, smirking. "Shut up." I muttered. Rolo was the last person to be talking about my hickeys. Back when they were dating. Nyma gave him plenty. "I'm just saying, it's nice to see you're finally getting some action. Maybe now you'll be less uptight." I rolled my eyes and checked my time card. "Who's getting some action?" Nyma asked, walking in to the breakroom. She gasped when she saw me. "James Griffin! Are those hickeys?" "No, they're mosquito bites." I deadpanned, and they chuckled. "That's one big ass mosquito." "Where's the mosquito?" Another one of my coworkers, Crutis, asked. "We don't know, but it really likes Griffin." Rolo said with a smirk.
Crutis raised an eyebrow, then gave me a once over, and, like all the others, his eyes widened when they saw my neck. "James! What were you thinking? We're meeting the new manager today!" He hissed. "Couldn't you at least TRY to cover it up?" "In my defense, I have a hangover and just woke up three hours ago." "Only three hours? Must've been a pretty good lay if you slept that long." Nyma said with a smirk, and I rolled my eyes. "I didn't get laid. Now can you guys stop? I already got an earful from my friends." "Alright, we will. For now." Crutis sighed and massaged his temples. "Guys, please. It's bad enough that James had the hickeys, we don't need to draw more attention to them by talking about them." "Oh, there's bite marks too. What kinda animal were you with last night?" Rolo asked. "A hot one. If I feel like it, I'll tell you later." "Enough!" Crutis snapped. "Enough hickey talk. You" He said, pointing to Rolo "Will be out there today. You" He said, pointing to me "Will be in the back restocking the shelves and waiting to see if there's anyone who needs customer service. Nyma, handle the register please. And no more flirting with the customers. Now, the new manager will be here in 5 minutes. You will all be on your best behavior today. Do you understand?" He asked, using a mom voice. We all nodded, suppressing the urge to roll our eyes. "Good." His phone pinged, and he sighed. "Alright, they're here. Best behavior, all of you. Now go."
We headed out, and were greeted by our boss, Iverson, and a short, brown haired girl Boy? i couldn't tell. "And here they are! Meet Nyma, Rolo, Crutis, and James." Iverson said, pointing to each of us in turn. "Guys, this is Katie Holt, our new manager." "But call me Pidge. It's nice to meet all of you." She said, waving. "So this is it? I thought stores this big had a lot more people." "Well, this is just the group for this shift. You'll meet the rest when they come in for their shifts." She nodded, and Iverson left. She examined all of us, eyes resting on me with a smirk. "So who'd you bang last night?" I felt my face heat up, and Nyma and Rolo laughed. "I like her." Nyma said. "I'm serious. I need to know if you guys have lives, that way I can make the schedules. If its Fuck Friday or Threesome Thursday, I need to know." Rolo and Nyma were cackling now. "I really like her." "Pidge, can you not? We're trying to draw attention away from the marks. We'll have James in the back today." Crutis said, and Pidge smiled and shook her head. "No, have him working the floor. Besides, most of our customers will probably be teens looking for a new game or system. If they see someone who has a life, they'll be more open to advice from them, then he can convince them to buy it." Crutis raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure about that? James's friends have been known to come bug him during his shift. If they see those..." Pidge waved him off. "Let them. Gives him a lesson. Don't come to work with hickeys. Now go, I wanna check out the displays." I sighed and headed to the front, to the help desk. No one was even in the store yet, and my coworkers wouldn't snitch, so I pulled out my phone and texted Keith.
James: Hey thanks for the hickeys
My coworkers love them
Keith❤: No problem ;)
James: And my new boss is making me work the help desk, so anyone who comes in is gonna see them
Keith❤: haha I like them
James: They're EVIL
Small, but EVIL
Like a gremlin
Keith❤: I'm sure they're not THAT bad
James: she is
Snapped at my boss for calling her Katie, said call her Pidge
Keith❤: idgjhffgk
James: Keith? You good?
Keith❤: PIDGE? eihwfrf
James: Yeah
You good?
Keith❤: James stop texting your boyfriend we r trying to watch a movie
And Pidge is that tech genius friend
So Kinkade had stolen his phone
James: what
Keith❤: U r an idiot sometimes fub3rk
idk what Keith sees in u
He already put hearts next 2 your name
Keith, Lance, Hunk, Pidge, Shiro all 1 friends group ehwjhrhghfjhdgk
Pidge is the smart one who hacks
Hunk's a chef and super nice
U know the others
James: Ok, got it
Now give Keith his phone back
Keith❤: no
gjfjfhhjfshsfwifhrfhieg
So him and Keith were fighting for the phone again
Keith❤: Got it
but yeah
That's our Pidge
ima tell her I did it
James: Keith plz no
I stared at the screen, silently willing it to show a new message
Keith❤: 2 late, already done
James: fuck u
Keith❤: not yet, I still want my date
"So, Keith?" Someone said behind me, and I nearly jumped, and almost dropped my phone. "Wh-what?" I stuttered, face heating up. "The hickeys. those are from Keith?" Pidge said, pointing to them. Fuck, he had really told her. "Uh, yeah. Is that a problem?" I said, raising an eyebrow. She shook her head. "Nope. About time he got back out there. So, was it a one-night stand or something serious?" "Um, we didn't fuck, if that's what you're asking." I said nervously. I knew that Keith's friends were really protective, and I didn't want her to get the wrong idea. Her phone buzzed and she sighed. "Well, look who's calling." And showed me the screen. It had a picture of Keith smiling, and the name "Gay Disaster 2". She answered the call. "Hello."
Pidge POV
So Keith and my new worker were fucking, Interesting. Time to find out what his intentions are. I'm about to ask another question when Keith decides to call. "Hello." I answer. "Pidge, don't try and grill James." "Why the fuck do you think I'd do that?" I could practically hear him rolling his eyes. "It's you Pidge." "Okay, so maybe I am. What's the problem with that? I'm just looking out for you." "But I don't need you too! James is really sweet, and he already knows you guys are super protective." I glanced at James, who was staring at his phone screen, where he kept getting messages.
MFES
Rizavi: James, do u really have hickeys
Ina: Ryan texted us
Ryan: sorry, I had to
James: Fuck you
Rizavi: I thought that was Keith's job
James: I will hurt u if u continue
Ryan: no u won't
Ina: yeah, u never follow through w your threats
James: maybe I will this time
Rizavi: u won't
Ryan: he won't
James: yeah probably not
But seriously, stfu Im at work
Ina: should we visit u
James: NO
Ryan: YES
James: No no No nO NO
Rizavi: indeed we shall
James: guys plz no
Ina: 2 late, she's already got the keys
Rizavi: be there in 20, Ina u coming
Ina: why not? I've got nothing better to do
James groaned and covered his face with his hand. "Pidge? Pidge! Are you even listening?" Keith asked. I turned away from James, and put the phone back to my ear. "Hmm? Oh no." Keith sighed. "Leave James alone. Don't give him the interrogation you gave Lance." I laughed, remembering that. Me and Shiro had sat him down and grilled him. "I won't give him the interrogation I gave Lance." "Promise?" "Promise." "Good. Cause he is hot and nice, and if you mess with him I will hurt you." "Keith, I promise I won't do anything. I have to go." "Alright, Later Pidgeon." "Later gay." I said, and hung up. I turned back to James, who was texting furiously.
James: Ryan I am going to kill u
Ryan: No u won't
U love me
James: I'm willing to sacrifice my best friend for my possible relationship with Keith
And to stop him from telling the girls about us
Ryan: Oh, speaking of girls, I forgot 2 tell Veronica and Axca
They're gonna love this
James: Oh god, plz no
Ryan: its been done
James: Why
Ryan: Because
His phone started vibrating again and he sighed, opening another chat
Veronica: So.....
Axca: Keith...
Veronica: And u....
James: stfu
Axca: I demand to know what u r going 2 do w my brother
James: Keith is your brother?
I thought it was just him and Shiro
Plz don't kill me
Veronica: babe, calm down
Now James, answer the question
James: take him on a date and see what happens
Axca: elaborate
James: I can't
U can't plan what someone is going to do
And I've literally only dated 1 person before, and that was back in hs
Veronica: So what's your plan?
James: I have no plan.
Ima take him out and see what happens from there
Axca: Solid plan
U have my permission to procede attempting to date him
Just as soon as me and Ronny get there 2 see the hickeys
James: Fuck no
Do not come to my work
Axca: 2 late
Veronica: we r on our way
"So.. your friends are coming?" I asked, James almost jumped, and looked over his shoulder at me. "Why are you- yeah. Is that a problem?" I shrugged, "Not unless they keep you from working." "Then they're going to be a problem." "Can't you just tell them not to come?" He raised an eyebrow. "Did You not see me try?" "Yeah. The McClains are pretty stubborn." He nodded. "Yeah they-wait. You know Veronica?" I nodded again. "Oh yeah. Since forever. She helped me and Shiro finally get Keith and Lance together. It was a very elaborate plan. Speaking of which, do you really not have one?" James shook his head. "Honestly, no. And I really don't wanna mess this up. I don't want to hurt Keith." I took a seat next to him. "Well, then there's your plan. Take him on a date and don't hurt him. Simple."
The door opened, and two girls came in the store, and made a beeline for us. One had light brown skin, and dark purple hair, while the other was white with lots of freckles and a short blond bob. "Wow James, Ryan wasn't kidding. Keith really got you." James's face flushed. "What do you want Nadia?" And the purple haired one smirked. "Oh, using the serious names today, are we? Well, Griffin, are you gonna tell us how?" "Nadia, please, not right now. I'm at work." Nadia looked aver at me. "Is she the new manager?" I smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I'm Pidge. And Keith says they went drinking and ended up on Shiro and Adam's couch." The blond one gasped. "Really? his brothers house? You fucked there?" James covered his now beet red face with his hands. "No! Oh my god you guys are such pains in the ass." "I think you'd be that for Keith." I muttered, and the two girls stared at me with wide eyes. "I like her." The blond one said. "Ina, she's perfect. Do you think you can tell us when James has work so we can bug him?" "Pidge please no!" James pleaded, dropping his hands.
Then another duo walked in, Veronica with some girl I didn't recognize. I assumed she was Axca. She had blue hair, and tan skin. "James Griffin! What are those?" Veronica asked, pointing at his neck. "You know what they are Ronny. You also know who they're from." I said with a smirk. "Pidge! Oh god, are you his new boss?" I nodded, and she started laughing. "Oh my god, James you are so screwed!" "I know! I kinda figured that out once Kinkade told you guys. And when you all decided to come to my work just to bug me." He said annoyidly. "But seriously, if you hurt Keith I will kill you." Axca said, pointing a finger at him menacingly. "Uh James, you good bro?" Rolo asked with a raised eyebrow. I tried to imagine what it looked like. Two Best Buy employees, one girl and one boy, are surrounded by four other girls and the guy is blushing and has hickeys. "Yeah Rolo, I'm good." He still didn't look convinced. "Don't worry, we're just grilling him about the fact that he wants to date our friend." Rizavi said, waving him off. "Oh, the one who gave him those? Alright then, carry on." He said, heading down a row of video games. "Can we please do this later? Technically I'm still working." James asked, and we relented. "Alright. You're telling us everything later, or we'll get it from Keith." Veronica said, pointing at James, who nodded. "Great! Now, who want's coffee?" Rizavi asked, and the other girls agreed. They left, and I turned to James. "I can see why you didn't want them here." "I know right?"