Flawed By Design

Wandering over to the monster's side, he happily took the files from the clearly flustered worker with an encouraging smile. Another positive to Dante was his ability to stay cool while others panicked. Setting the papers down, he took a seat and skimmed the paperwork and photos. Sure, he clearly had some feelings for Xavier but work was far more important.

"They're the store that uses their own models, right? That's going to be a pain," he admitted as he cracked his back wearily. "Oh, uh, I'm sorry,. This is Xavier, he's going to be our first human model," he explained casually, his many eyes still on the paperwork.
 
The flustered girl gave Xavier more than just a glance once hearing who he was, stepping back to examine him properly. among her many duties in the business was to care for the models, dealing with any issues they might have that weren't serious enough to trouble Dante with. She didn't really like humans too much, but if Dante trusted this one, so did she.

"Oh, he is cute, you've chosen well," she casually remarked, sitting herself down in a chair and, in a move that made Xavier want to laugh in genuine amazement, managed to close the door with the tip of her tail. "So, Milan's kicking up a fuss about this model situation. I've told them that we'd prefer our own models to sell the line, but they won't listen-- and with you coming out as a monster, they're one argument away from pulling the deal. I'd totally talk to Sara about this but she hates me and I told you, we don't get on, so I refuse to work with her."
 
"I didn't need your opinion, Makayla, but thank you," he replied, closing the folder warily before slipping his laptop over, the cute stickers decorating it diminishing the serious environment that Dante gave off. His smile seemed to change it's tone, it becoming thin-lipped.

"Makayla, this is your job. You need to put away petty feelings for the sake of the company. I'll talk to Sara if I need to but you need to be a bigger person so the company works smoothly. Do you think I like this store? No. They're causing me unnecessary stress but here I am, trying to work something out so we're both happy, it's called compromising."
 
"I don't think I'm being petty," the monster muttered with a petulant pout, which hardly helped the mature stance she was trying to display. In fact, the pout, combined with the mumbles under her breath, didn't help her whatsoever, but it was typical of the girl to be childish. To Sara's credit, Makayla only got like this when she bickered and argued with those she genuinely cared about.

"I've been nothing but nice to her. I forgot to meet up with her for lunch in the canteen once and she loses her mind. I can be professional-- I am professional--"

"Sara's your friend, right?" Piped up Xavier quietly as he glanced towards the designer. "...She wasn't very friendly to me either, to be honest. Not that I'm trying to get involved or anything, I'm sure she's lovely, but..."
 
"She doesn't like you because you're human, Xavier," he explained with a sigh, his lips pursing together tight. "Not to sound mean but that's just how it goes. She's biased, you know? I know it isn't healthy but she's an adult and I can't tell her to stop doing that. Now, in Makayla's case, I'm pretty sure you're just reading her wrong? You know she's... bossy, I'll be honest. Look, I'll talk to her if it'll make you feel better, okay?" He offered warily, though it was clear that the whole conversation was more than a little irritating. He cared about Makayla as much as he did with any of the other employees but Sara was his friend, it wasn't surprising that he would have a bit of a bias.
 
"It doesn't affect me personally, I don't like the woman. I'm just mature enough to know that getting on with her would be good for the business-- and I'd rather have her on my side if we're going to have to argue with Milan about this model situation," she sighed, physically rolling her eyes at Dante's response. Everyone knew that he had a special relationship with Sara and would defend her position in arguments over others'. It did suck a lot, especially when Sara was openly opposed to the new model, yet Makayla had greeted him with a smile and complimented him.

And yet she still didn't get Dante's full attention. How was that fair?

"...Yes, well, I suppose I shouldn't trouble you with it. I already know whose side you've chosen," she bitterly muttered, unable to help herself from making a bitchy remark as she gathered up her folders, before purposely smiling to Xavier. "I can show you around if you'd like? Maybe I can take you to lunch? There's a real neat sandwich shop around the corner that's monster-friendly, a few of us go -the makeup artists and the models, mostly-- you could totally come, if that's alright with Dante?"
 
"No, Xavier and I have some paperwork to do," he replied quickly as he wrapped the shawl he had resting on the coat hanger for warmth. "Secondly, I don't appreciate you assuming I can't separate business from personal. Sara is my assistant and your boss, Makayla. I really don't want to have this conversation right now, okay? I'll have Sara call Milan and she can schedule a meeting, how does that sound? You won't have to say a single word to you. You're an amazing worker, it's just things like this that irk me."

His frown seemed to take on another role upon remembering Xavier was in the room, his cheeks flushing. To show someone he liked how serious he was felt a little off putting.
 
"Well, you can't, can you? If... If I acted like she was acting to me, I'd be fired on the spot. In any other business, I'd be reprimanded if I acted like her. She refuses to tell me the correct figures so I look like an idiot. She's so rude and bitchy and... she's your best friend so she's protected. We all get that-- a lot of us understand that she gets privileges," the monster grunted, growing more irked by the fact Dante was stopping the new model from hanging out. It wasn't like she wanted to keep him for herself, however cute he was. She was usually the one to welcome new models and take them out for coffee to ease them up a little. She'd done it with the last 15 models that had joined the business-- so not having the chance to do that with this one was mildly irritating.

"I, uh... we could grab dinner later, if you'd like?" Xavier politely suggested. He had hoped to spend the night with the designer again... but he did feel sorry for the girl and, given most the monsters in the building had glared at him, befriending one who wasn't Dante seemed like a smart move. "I mean, I... do you like Italian--"

"Pizza and stuff? My Dad owns a pizza place! I mean, that sounds great~! That's not conflicting with your plans is it, Dante? Or can I, y'know, hang out with the new guy by myself without you?"
 
It didn't take a facial expression to show just how pissed the designer was. Call it childish but Xavier had found an interest in him, after all, not Makayla. Tapping his sharp nails on his shoulder in faux contemplation, he slowly offered a thin-lipped smile, his attention seemingly now focused on his work.

"Go ahead. I mean, you always greet the new models, right? Who am I to stop you?" He replied casually as he returned to his seat, his nails now tapping on the desk instead. "I guess you're the official welcoming committee, then? No one told me but... sure. I'll have to work late anyway."
 
"No need to be a drama queen about it. I always welcome the models. I spend most the time dressing them ad preparing them for shoots, I think it's important to build a bond," she mumbled with a less than subtle roll of her eyes, scribbling her number down for Xavier and, after waving bye to him with another flustered grin, rushed out with the stack of new files in her arms.

"...I'm allowed to make friends, right? Everyone hates me here. It's kinda... strange to have a monster be welcome to take me out for dinner," he began awkwardly, feeling horrid for offering Makayla a chance to get to know one another... even if he'd done nothing wrong at all. If trying to make friends was looked down on, that was ridiculous.
 
"... she's incredibly disrespectful," he decided once the door closed behind her, his legs folding. "This is a company and, while I fully support positive interactions, this is a workplace. Sara helped motivate me to become a serious designer and, if it weren't for the fact that she doesn't want to do it, she's be the co-creator. She... is mean, yes, but she isn't supposed to be nice, she's supposed to be efficient."

Letting out a heavy sigh in annoyance, he took a sip of his coffee before tossing Xavier's out. He wasn't going to drink it, right? Not to mention it was cold. It was more than annoying.

"I told you I'd talk to her, though. She needs an attitude adjustment, I'm aware of that..." he murmured, his eyes closing.
 
"If you had to talk to everyone who gave me attitude, you'd be here for hours. I don't really care what Sara thinks of me. She's not the one I have a crush on," he pointed out with a flirty smile, hoping the rare flirtatiousness would ease the tense atmosphere. He didn't want to add more tension by admitting that he thought Dante was too harsh on Makayla, particularly when he just saw a snippet of their working relationship. For all he knew, Makayla was constantly moaning and whining about something, which made Dante's mild nonchalance completely understandable, should that be the case.

"Why don't you come out for pizza later?" He suddenly blurted. "You can make it up with that girl, we can have pizza and it'll be like another date or whatever, just with... a third wheel."
 
"I didn't say anything that should be taken as offensive," he defended stubbornly as he typed away at his laptop... though the human's attempt at flirting did bring a small smile to his lips. "I don't know how it works at the car shop but there are hundreds of people here, I can't be friends with all of them. To be honest, I don't want you going anywhere near her, she's... too friendly, if you know what I mean. Plus, I do have to work late. Milan is based in Australia so I can only call them later tonight."

Running his hand through his bangs, he glanced over at the other shyly before letting his smile grow just a tad. If the other could flirt, why couldn't Dante?

"To be honest, a dream date of mine is to just drink by the fireplace, pop open some róse and just talk. Loud environments aren't my think, obviously."
 
"I mean, we can totally do that one day soon, I just... I think Makayla is kinda sweet? She reminds me of someone I used to know at school, I think she's... nice, actually. I'm not going to go run off into the sunset with her-- besides, she doesn't give me the 'vibe' that she's into me. I mean, she should like me, I'm gorgeous, but not everyone appreciates beauty like you do," he began as seriously as he could, even if he quickly laughed at his own attempt at egotism. He could never be someone who seriously thought himself to be handsome. He didn't think he was unattractive, but he could never go as far as to boast about his own looks.

"Basically, she's not interested in me, really. It's just a dinner with someone I want to be my friend-- don't get so jealous, I'll always like you the most."
 
"How can you be so sure?" He questioned in genuine curiosity. "I've never discussed many personal things with her. To be honest, she usually comes in here just to babble on about drama and I just don't care? I know it's terrible, but... I dunno, I'm not the best at making friends to begin with so it isn't really a surprise that I can't do that with her very well. I don't hate her, but I don't think she knows her place...." he murmured, offering a pout as he held his head.

"Maybe you'll fall for her during dinner. Her scales will seduce you or something, I don't know. She isn't unattractive, right? I bet if I took a picture of her, my posts would be saturated in people coping over her."
 
As the other began to talk, Xavier couldn't help but let his smile droop. This was probably the peril of falling for someone purely based on their appearance. He fell immediately for Dante the moment he saw his picture online, and he assumed that he had a sweet personality to go with it. Thus far, he'd been delighted to find Dante as adorable as he'd hoped - until now, anyway. He was a little taken aback by the bitterness and jealousy, and it was why he awkwardly smiled instead of replying immediately. He didn't know how to respond to it, after all.

"I... she's pretty, sure. Not... my type, but she's cute. I... want to make friends and... I think it's kinda crappy of you to try and put me off. Your best mate Sara has hardly been welcoming, neither has anyone else. That Makayla girl is the only one to... welcome me properly, so I'm going to go for dinner with her. Like... I fancy you, but you're acting like a dick right now."
 
"What is your type?" He asked, his own frown growing, his low self-esteem evident as his leg began to shake and his sharp teeth nibbled on his lip. "I'm... fuck, I'm sorry, Xavier, really. This is all so... foreign to me, you know? I don't mean to sound jealous or needy, that's... pathetic."

Taking a hard sip of his coffee, he crushed it carefully before tossing the cup into the trash. Closing the laptop carefully, he stored it away carefully before attempting a smile.

"I can't tell you what to do, if... you want to spend time with her, you can," he insisted, a few of his eyes darting towards the door. "We can spend time together, alone, right? No one else. I hate being the third wheel."
 
"But you're not the fucking third wheel! I don't fancy her, she doesn't fancy me-- I can tell she has no romantic interest in me. She's just invited me for dinner to try and be nice-- it's more than anyone else here has done. You're different, obviously. But-- But she's just trying to be nice," he quietly attempted to convince, even if he was sure that this wouldn't be the last time he had to convince the other of all this. If he and Makayla did hit it off, he was sure that the jealousy would resurface again - unfortunately.

"It's kinda cute, though. It means you like me, yeah? But... really, I'm not interested in her. After the dinner, I could meet up with you and we could do something? I mean... I want to spend some time with you later. I could bring around some wine or something? And I promise I'll be better with your... pets."
 
"I'll put them in the other room," he reassured quickly, though still didn't really understand the other's nervousness. In his eyes, the dogs were the nicest animals he had ever met, hence why he adopted them. They were big, fluffy, and sweet while also incredibly protective and generally scared off humans, making them wonderful guard dogs. Sadly, that applied to Xavier just as much as it did to other humans.

"Hey, maybe you'll realize that they aren't going to hurt you? I mean, I promise my life on that fact, okay? I wouldn't let them hurt you anyway," he insisted, his cheeks a light pink in frustration. "They aren't wild animals, they're trained normal dogs I adopted at a shelter."
 
"If it helps, I hate all types of dogs. I just... don't like them that much, they always seem to hate me," he admitted weakly, which made it sound like a ridiculous excuse used to spare his feelings, rather than the truth-- which was what it was. He had a hatred of dogs, and they always seemed ready to return that hatred too. Not that he thought Dante would accept that, but it was the truth.

"I... do want to come and see you later, but I just want you to, like, not go on jealously about Makayla and to relax if I sit away from your dogs. Just because you like them doesn't mean I have to, you know?"
 
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