Geeks and Gingers
Title: Geeks and Gingers
Author: eclectique_RDF
Genre: Romance/Drama
Rating: PG
Pairings/Characters: Roy/Jen
Disclaimer: I do not own IT crowd
Summary: Roy's perspective changes after his father dies
Chapter 1: The 7th floor
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
Monday.
Roy was geeky, gangly, tall. He pressed his fingers against his coffee cup awkwardly, as the girls on 7th chatted around him. He pulled a nervous smile when one of them brushed eye contact, but it was quickly broken when she was pulled into conversation with the receptionist.
He sighed inwardly, and pretended to study something interesting on the ceiling.
“Roy?”
He perked up, at the blonde pretty looking businesswoman. “Yes, yes that’s me, yes?”
“You’re here to fix my computer, right?”
“Ah yes, yes I was waiting for you.” He bumbled after her as she showed him her station, and then she went off to chat with her friends. He was hoping for a conversation. Roy generally didn’t like people, but he liked women. He liked women a whole lot. He tapped on the keys in sexual frustration. It’d been a long time for him.
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
Jen sauntered into the IT department, balancing three steaming mugs of tea on a tray. She placed one down on Moss’s desk. He peeked at it from his typing, sniffing the cup. “I don’t take sugar with my tea.”
Her face twisted in confusion. “How could you even tell?”
“I could smell it. Doi!” He cackled and shook his head at her stupidity. “I don’t’ want it.”
She threw a hand on her hip. “You said you wanted sugar! And I made it for you, so the least you could do is not be rude and drink it.”
“But I don’t’ want sugar in my tea Jen.” He retorted childishly. “I’m not allowed sugar. If my mum finds out, she’ll kill me!”
“Here.” She slammed the another mug down, exasperated. “If it’ll shut you up, just take mine, It’s black.”
“Thank you.” He sang.
Roy stalked into the department, his limber legs jerking with annoyance. Jen popped her head up. “What’s up Roy? Here, I made you some tea.”
“Oh thanks Jen.” He said absentmindedly. Took his cup, sipped his brew and settled down on his desk. “Oh it’s just all the people on 7th. They’re so rude”
“They’re not that bad.” She reassured.
“Yes they are.” Moss piped up. “They’re mean to us. It’s like we don’t even exist.”
“Exactly.” Roy pointed a finger in agreement in Moss’s direction. “To them, we’re just lowlife losers who work in the basement.” He propped his feet up on the desk and pulled out his X-men comic. “How could they even think such a thing? They don’t even know us.”
Jen rolled her eyes. True she’d had her own preconceptions about computer geeks prior to working the job. It all turned out to be true. But it wasn’t so bad at all.
“And what really gets me,” Roy continued, slamming his comic down “is that they don’t even give us the time of day to get to know us.”
“Well forget about it Roy.” Moss's quick nod of the head. “You don’t need people like them in your life.”
“It’s true.” Jen smiled, harboring her own mug as she balanced on one hip. “You really don’t. You’re both great guys. Don’t ever let anyone tell you otherwise.”
Roy couldn’t help but let a smile tug at his lips. He was grateful for his co-workers. They always made him smile. They kept him going, really.
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