Tim the Printer Guy sat in his car—a hot, steamy cocoon—and watched the young Adonises as they passed by. One by one, they entered the office supply store just across the parking lot. Beads of sweat riddled his thinning scalp as he traced his fingers over the mouth of Cage Yam—a picture that Tim would occasionally look at on his old, 5th generation smartphone. He then touched his own mouth, still greasy and wet from a quesadilla, and thought to himself, "What if it doesn't work?"

For weeks, Tim the Printer Guy had been staking out the PaperClips Office Supply, hoping to catch Cage on his shift; it had been a while since he had seen the young man. He was eager to see if Cage could perform the new assignments Tim had been tasked to administer last night. It was finally time Cage was trained properly in the art of selling printers, and who better than Tim the Printer Guy to tame the new stallion. He was hoping that this bronco would turn into a stud.

Tim looked into the mirror of his dirty, powder-blue Ford Focus, just to see his face. Though the sun was ablaze, Tim the Printer Guy still had the pale, dry skin of the winter. His cheeks were plump but not appetizing, and his red beard grew in patches. He felt the top of his head—still balding—then pushed at his doughy gut, which hung over his belt. Tim knew he was no prize, and by his own terms would be deemed a “gremlin”. There was always the issue of whether he could ever prove himself to those wondrous men, as their striking beauty gave Tim an escape from the mundane existence around him.

He broke from the isolation and got out of the car. He turned off his phone screen and, while getting to his feet, pulled up his pants a bit and wiped his hand over what was left of his hair, using the sweat to gel it down. He then walked into the store with his tattered laptop case over his shoulder and a pocket full of incentives—gift cards to fast food restaurants and some to online stores. His heart was running with excitement at the many possible interactions he would have with the Adonises of PaperClips.

Suddenly, his whole mood sullied as he was met face to face with Adem, a very wicked sort.

Tim composed himself and said, "Hey, just thought I'd stop in and give a little refresh. I heard Cage is going to be selling printers now, so I got to teach him the ropes."

Adem stared back at Tim the Printer Guy with his sunken, black eyes. "I'll see if he is around..." He walked away, whispered something into his headset, then disappeared into a shadowy room. Tim walked over to the printer aisle and decided he just had to wait, but saw Cage on the other side of the store. Normally, Tim would need Cage to be near the printers to train, but this was a chance. Cage was away from Adem, thus away from his dirty influence.

Tim ran over to the young man. "Soooooooo, I heard that you are training in tech?"

Cage gave little to no emotion, exhibiting the kind of dryness that Tim the Printer Guy loved. He hesitated before saying,"... Yeah."

"We need to get you going on the ProSales app!" Tim said while resting his arm over a shelf—relaxed and in control.

"I don't know if I have time to finish that," said Cage. He was so timid; Tim liked that.

"Well, if you do, you can count on me buying you a drink from the cooler." Tim got a little excited. "What kind of drink do you usually get?" he asked.

Cage just continued to look straight ahead, trying to focus on stocking the shelves. "...I just get an energy drink, typically."

Tim quickly pointed at Cage and snapped his fingers, awkwardly gesturing that he had that choice memorized. "Energy... That is something I can do."

Just as Tim the Printer Guy was getting comfortable, Cage got a call from the radio. It was probably that damn Adem, calling Cage away to do mindless tasks!

"Excuse me," Cage said in a polite but stern way before walking off.

Tim just had to compose himself while he stirred in defeat, left out to dry. Adem was a true monster and did not understand that Cage indeed loved Tim's attention—it was perfectly clear, at least to Tim.

"Well just let me know when you get that training done, or if you just want to talk..." Tim called out as Cage was leaving.

The young Cage was a beautiful specimen. He was barely five feet, seven inches tall, yet he exuded a massive amount of swagger. Fine blond-ish hairs graced his square jawline, giving him a thin but commanding beard. He sported stylish, black, thick-rimmed glasses that enticed Tim the Printer Guy. To those who gazed upon Cage’s face, they saw the all-American boy: tough, reserved, intelligent, and perhaps a little naive. Cage, being as nubile as he was, needed to be protected from the monstrosity that was Adem. There was a fear that he would be swayed by the inept grayness of the corporate world and turn into someone like Adem—that lazy slug who stole inspiration from the others, vampirically draining them of their luster.

Just as Cage walked away, Tim's eyes locked with those of Adem, who moved like a zombie throughout the store. The very thought of talking to him made Tim gag, yet it was imperative that he do so, for his boss required that he talk to everyone in the store, no matter the repulsiveness. This gremlin frustrated Tim the Printer Guy beyond belief. Adem would constantly avoid Tim and whisper evil things behind his back, which Tim the Printer Guy could hear. He also took the lovely Adonises away from Tim during their training. The rest of the PaperClips crew would be asking questions or completing short quizzes, learning so much about the printers, and Adem would seethe in jealousy. He would pull the others away, calling for their assistance yet Tim would find that Adem had brought them to the back of the store just to “hang out” or talk. At first, Tim the Printer Guy worked hard to find a way to melt Adem’s villainous heart, but eventually saw the inevitability of his actions.

“How are you doing there, Adem?” Tim called out.

Adem nodded but walked right on by Tim the Printer Guy, as if he was in a rush to do something else. That inconsiderate jerk!

“You are overdue for some training!” Tim said loudly to Adem who had stopped, still with his back turned.

“I have some other work that I have to get done, I will get to it later,” Adem said with a nasally grain, still not bothering to turn and face Tim.

“You never seem to have any time for training," said Tim slowly and sternly. “I do not think you even have one course done in the ProSales app.”

Adem finally turned and looked into Tim’s eyes. “Why do we even have to do the training with you anyway? Christian already trains us enough, and it's not like the store requires some sort of big test about it,” Adem said with the aura of a jester, mocking Tim. “Why don’t you just tell your boss or whoever that I got them done? Then you don’t have to sit around watching me watch printer videos.”

Tim just stood there in silence, when tears began to trickle out.

“You know” —Tim rubbed his eyes— “sorry, I have some allergies.” He stood straight and moved closer to Adem. “If you feel that way, I can just mark off that your training is complete each time I see you, and I’ll never have to talk to you about it again,” Tim the Printer Guy said, wavering in anger. “Christian is your GM, but my instructions come from something above his pay grade. PaperClips pays my company to come out and do training because they feel that the store managers don’t have time, and it always helps to have someone who stays up to date on all the new models of printers. I just make sure the associates such as yourself are comfortable with selling this type of product. If you think that you do not need me, then you don’t have to mention anything to Christian or anyone. You’re good.”

Adem stepped back. He seemed surprised and all the while relieved.“Uh… thanks,” he said, breaking away from Tim and returning to whatever he called “work”.

Tim felt proud, but how would he tell his boss about Adem? He might get upset at Tim for not training the swine, and that might lead to more punishment. Tim the Printer Guy’s boss was a different sort of awful that rotted in the putrid, stench ridden, alleyways of corporate America. “Skeeter” Skeeterson spent his life as a stray dog, begging under the teats of a selfish and destructive mother. There was no passion in his corporate aspirations—only the desperation to feel as though he fit in with “the go-getters” he cavorted with. Many hours at the office were filled with threats and harsh words, which Tim hated. At this moment though, Tim the Printer Guy saw his golden oasis; his only escape was the beauty of the Adonises that strutted through the calming, steady ambience of the office supply store.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

Tim the Printer Guy opened his old and used smartphone, provided by his work and had only one application on it—the ProSales Admin app. Tim the Printer Guy scrolled through the names to find Adem. He then marked off “complete” for all of Adem’s old courses, as well as all the new ones. Now Skeeter would just think he talked to him, and Tim was free to spend time with those who deserved his attention.

“Hey… so what do I have to do?” said a voice in Tim’s ear.

Turning, feeling the wind whirl around him, Tim the Printer Guy was met with Cage yet again.

“Do I need to watch some sort of training video or something?” Cage asked with adorable curiosity.

“You just need to open your ProSales app and watch the first video that comes up on there,” Tim said, eagerly.

Cage took out his phone and looked deep into the screen. Soon, he was watching short videos and answering questions about the printers being sold at the store.

“Wait! Let me get a picture to show my boss,” Tim said while also pulling out his phone.

Cage stood still, looking a bit awkward but still as lovely as ever. He adjusted his glasses, making Tim tense up.

“Has anyone ever told you that you could act in movies?” asked Tim, snapping a few pictures as proof of his work, but taking many more for himself.

Cage, who was noticeably uncomfortable said, “Well I never thought of myself in that way… Maybe as a background character who doesn’t speak or move.”

Tim laughed loudly—perhaps a bit too loud. He was catching a few glances from customers around the store, as well as Adem and a few other employees. Cage also looked up at him, partly confused and afraid.

“Pardon me,” Tim said, a little embarrassed.

Cage just shrugged off that moment with a shudder and went back to what he was doing in silence. Tim the Printer Guy had come very close to scaring him away with his damned awkwardness just now. There was no question that Tim the Printer Guy struggled while interacting with his beloveds. They could sense his over-eagerness, and Tim could sense their hesitation. A childhood memory fluttered into his mind as Cage continued with his training.

Being an unusual man meant that Tim had to come from an unusual background. He had always felt odd, as he knew he was quite different from the rest of the boys. He had been adopted by a Japanese family, who emigrated to America just after World War II. Always a chubby boy and quite pale, Tim was bullied by his other schoolmates, who had constantly ridiculed him. Weight was an issue, but the true source of his early childhood pain was the fact that he was adopted and the confusion that came with it. He was never of his father and mother’s blood, and Tim had to prove himself more because of that. Tim’s father was also a slave to the sake, and a victim of his own pent-up rage. He never gave Tim the Printer Guy much love or affection and it seemed, looking back, that he had been dealing with his own demons.

Not a lot of memories registered positively to Tim, but there was one moment that brought him some sort of solace…

Tim was crying, running home after facing some abuse on the schoolyard. One of the older boys had taken his taketombo—a small, bamboo propeller that gave young Tim the Printer Guy an escape from the troubles that surrounded him. The thief had called Tim “marshmallow boy”, a moniker that always sent young Tim the Printer Guy spiraling down a pit of depression and eventually into tears. “Marshmallow boy” was a fine way of making Tim cry, as he always thought he was too puffy and fat, but the theft of his precious taketombo was enough to plague young Tim the Printer Guy with murderous thoughts. Tim’s father saw his son come running home, cursing into the wind, and trying desperately to find some sort of weapon.

“Foolish boy!” exclaimed Tim’s father, while taking another swig from his jug. “What is troubling you now?”

“Those boys are the foolish ones!” shouted young Tim the Printer Guy, pointing in the direction of his jeering classmates, who were now running down the street. “Soon they will know my true power.”

“You have no power, gaijin!” yelled Tim’s father.

Tim the Printer Guy began to cry more.

“No more tears, boy!” Tim’s father started to walk over to him. His breath was foul, and he was clearly in a state of drunkenness. “Come over here, to the koi pond.”

Tim was in shock. He was never allowed around his father’s koi pond, yet his father placed him right on the edge.

“Look at all the koi, see how they swim around,” said Tim’s father.

“They are so beautiful,” Tim said, rubbing his eyes.

“Aho!” Tim’s father struck him with the back of his sinewy, right hand. “They may look attractive, but don’t let their beauty be the first thing that distracts you.”

Tim sat there in silence.

His father continued. “I see that you admire the beauty of the koi. It’s fluid motions and vibrant colors. The way the lips pucker as they swim around the pond—beautiful indeed. I was once like you; a voyeur, an optimistic on-looker who never fit in. People would pass me by on the streets, in the schools and, believe me, it was full of pain. Are you filled with pain boy?”

“Yes. I am full of so much pain,” Tim said, further wiping away his tears.

“What do they call you?”

“What?” Young Tim the Printer Guy was confused.

“What is that name they keep calling you, that makes you feel so bad?” Tim’s father demanded. “The name, boy! What is the name?!”

“Marshmallow boy!” Tim shouted.

“You feel small and weak by that name?”

“Yes.” Tim the Printer Guy looked down.

“Why don’t you look at the koi again, swimming around. Where are they?” Tim’s father pointed at them.

“They are in the pond?”

“You foolish boy!” Tim’s father slapped the ground. “They are beneath you! They are beautiful and strong, yet they are small and have nowhere to go but the pond.” Tim’s father walked over to a sack he had sitting by the pond. “Come over here,” he said.

“What is this?” young Tim asked.

“Aho!” Tim’s father slapped him again. “These are pellets—food for the koi.” Tim’s father took a handful out and sprinkled it into the pond. “Look how they rush to feed on it. They love to be fed, and I am the one who has what they need.”

Young Tim the Printer Guy listened intently.

“And these koi will eat anything.” He threw some moss and worms into the pond, which the koi ate up. “You don’t have to give them much. The confinement of a pond forces them to eat anything, no matter the quality. I don’t have much, but here I am the master. I decide when and how they get satisfaction, and they will look at me as if I am Amaterasu—- the sun. One day, you will find yourself a pond of your own full of little koi, trapped by the confinements of their space. They will call you master, and maybe when that day comes, you will have power and find peace.”

Tim looked at Cage, whose eyes were incessantly scanning the phone screen, hungry for pellets of knowledge.

“So, if you complete those courses, you can definitely earn a prize,” Tim the Printer Guy said, “And you will still get an energy drink, I haven’t forgotten about that.”

Cage looked up and furrowed his brow in a concerned manner. “That’s fine, you don’t have to—”

“Well, my boss gives me a little money to throw around and treat you guys, so you might as well take advantage. It may not be much, but I like to give everyone I train with a bit of satisfaction…”

Cage’s eyes darted back to the screen to avoid Tim's increasingly heavy gaze. As Cage was just about to finish the printer quiz at the end of his training course, Tim could hear a voice over Cage's radio. It was Jamir, Cage’s supervisor, who, it seemed, was calling Cage over to the tech bench, possibly to have him help with an elderly customer. Jamir was frowning and eyeing them both.

“Excuse me, I guess I am needed over there,” Cage said, starting to walk off.

Tim stopped him. “Hey, you are almost done with your quiz!”

“Sorry, I’ll finish it when I’m done helping that customer.”

Tim was growing a bit angry, but tried to keep his composure as old wounds from his father were starting to surface. “Cage, how about you let Adem go and help that guy out? He doesn’t seem to have much to do.”

Cage was confused. “Yeah but Jamir called me, and I don’t see Adem around—”

“Cage, you don’t want to be a stray koi, floundering around with no direction,” said Tim, cutting him off.

“I’m sorry, what did you say?” Cage said, maintaining his confusion.

“Look, you are not like the others, I can see that,” said Tim. “I mean, look at how they treat you.” He got in really close to a seemingly petrified Cage. “You are new to the department and don’t want to be treated like the weakest link. If you study your printers, then you will be the one ordering them around,” Tim said.

Cage relaxed a bit, understanding his point.

Tim continued. “You are a smart man. I know that one day you could be running this place, if you put your mind to it.”

Cage looked back over at Jamir, who was still waiting for a response. His mouth hung open, as he was bewildered by Cage’s defiance.

“I am sure he will be fine for a bit,” said Tim. “I have been in his position before. It’s not that demanding.”

Just then, Jamir went on the radio. “Hey Adem, are you free to help this customer out?”

The elderly man’s dumb, tired eyes languidly gazed over at Adem walking up toward the two of them. Cage, still staring at Jamir, remarked, “Oh, I guess he was free all along…”

“See, they are fine. You don’t need to go over there now,” said Tim the Printer Guy, ushering Cage back to his tasks. “If you do these tests and take these training courses, pretty soon you will be ordering them around.”

Cage smirked. “Yeah, I guess.”

Tim looked over at Adem, who, again, was staring back intently. It was clear that this customer was the last thing he needed today. His tired, apparent frustration signaled a victory for Tim the Printer Guy, who was master of this koi pond.

Tim gave a smile and a wave.