You're Going to be a Pain (Request to Join; Duke & Duchess - E)

Marc raised a brow, slinging it around before shifting back, "Your ball and chain, now, crackpot." He lowered, eyes focused heavily on the door. "Three..."

Bentley was like stone, his muscles tight like piano strings and bristling with a faint thrum of energy. His focus condensed into a singular point, the sole of the foot he would kick off from. Two, he mouthed inaudibly to himself.

"Two..." he said, lowering, eyes narrowing further, "ONE!" He shouted, kicking off with his back foot and darting forward.

Bentley kicked forward, hands and feet quickly settling into a symphony of sweeps and steps as he raced down the hall. Breath came in flared bursts as he sank into a faint lean, glancing for a peripheral view of Marc.

Marc had largely kept low to the ground, paying little mind to much else around him as he sped along, fairly close behind his new meister.

Bentley's stomach lurched slightly as he ran, indicative of the after-effects of the pairing crystal. He gritted his teeth, fists tight as he pushed himself harder. Come on, B. You can do this. COME ON!

Marc smirked just the slightest bit, expecting the boy to trip again --- a reaction incited only by his obviously competitive nature. Regardless, he found himself the butt of his own karma, misstepping just the slightest bit, enough to force his knee into giving out, sending him stumbling and nearly crashing to the ground before he returned upright.

Bentley's stride had lengthened to its limit, each step clearing several feet at a time. Noting an absence in his peripheral view, he slowed to see Marc staggered and regaining his balance. He loosened his bag as he returned to the weapon hastily. "You okay, allstar? I'd feel quite awful if I got my partner injured in a schoolyard foot race."

"Nothing I haven't done before," he said, breath a little off-pace but a laugh to his tone, "Let's count that as a win for you, yes? I try to do that again too soon and I might break my nose." Though his tone seemed light, still serious as ever, the pain and embaressment of the situation was evident enough.

Bentley clapped him on the arm with one hand, squeezing lightly. "You're still as competent an athlete as I've seen thus far," he reassured him. "If we can put our best foot forward instead of our heads to the floor, I think we'll do just fine."

He offered a snort in response, smirk half-hazardly as he nodded, "That seems like a plan."

Bentley brushed his sweatshirt off lazily, peering around. "Now where is the off-oh...it's right here." His face flushed when he realised the secretaries had likely watched their entire race down the halls.

Marc's eyes flitted over, and her flashed a grin, all pearly whites and confidence, "Ladies," he said calmly, clearly, straightening. Something about him had shifted, the sort of casual, confident and alluring air of a professional radiating off of him.

Bentley raised an eyebrow pointedly as he looked between them. So that's how we're going to do this... He leaned one arm coolly against the counter, shaking his hair loose. "My partner and I were just recently paired and we need to adapt our schedules to an E.A.T. curriculum. I know of at least one class that is at maximum capacity. To that end, we were hoping you might be able to assist us with an, ah...administrative override."

Marc almost didn't conceal the way his lip twitched and smirk widened when the meister caught on.

"We, ah," the first said, a NOT student around their age, "We would need a teacher's signature for-"

"...we could, I mean..."

"No, we can't." The first said, gulping, eyes darting between the casual demeanor of Bentley's and Marc's astonishing eyes. "I mean, we can't just override it without-"

Bentley inclined his head slightly, intensifying his gaze just slightly. "We don't mean to impose, honest. We are just trying to expedite the course processing so that we can get to work training as soon as possible. No shame in diligence, is there? And the sooner we get to work, the sooner we'll be free for any..." He paused, biting his lip with a dismissive wave of his hand. "...extracurricular activities that may spring up."

Marc grinned, leaning back, ruffling his hair up wildly, "Of course, that would be outside of our training times. Who knows? Maybe we could arrange for some swimming... endeavors." He handed the course packet over, smiling devilishly, "Would you be able to help?"

What little colour was left vanished from the women's faces. "I-I-I suppose we could just attribute it to an error with the system." Bentley grinned between Marc and the women. "I'm truly grateful for your help," he crooned. "If there's any way we can repay this, you need only ask."

"You'll know where we'll be, obviously." He smiled, straightening and reaching for one of their hands, bending at the waist to kiss it gently. "Not that we'd mind the intrusion. Such gorgeous ladies as yourselves deserve a little attention. Right, Bentley?"

Bentley quietly took the hand of the other secretary, kissing it and allowing his lip to drag just barely over her skin. "I couldn't agree more. It would be outright insulting not to honour beauty of this caliber with adoration."

It took mere minutes for the girls to complete the task of righting the boys' schedules, all the while being subtly taunted and teased by the pair. Soon after, and after some breathless farewells, the boys were free of the offices and left to their own devices in the hallways once more. With a sparkle in his eyes long before thought to be gone, Marc turned to Bentley and grinned.

"You're a devilish bastard," Bentley said, a rueful smile spreading on his lips. "If you were any more charming, I would have been tempted to take your offer up myself."

He smirked wide, but let the allure return to the shine of his azure depths, cocking a brow at him. "Would you, really? You trying to pull me in as two partners at once, in the same day?" He made a sort of clicking sound with his cheek, winking as he leaned against the lockers. "Of course, that may take some real convincing on your part. That flirting was sub-par." Challenge initiated.

"That was flirting in the same way that ramen is a balanced meal," Bentley retorted with a muffled laugh. "Given today's preoccupations, I haven't had much room to stretch my legs, so speak. Anywho, we have..." He clicked his tongue, cocking his head back towards the office, "...that to deal with as well."

"Well, schedules are sorted." He said, shrugging, rubbing at one of his shoulders absently. "They won't kick into effect until tomorrow, though, which leaves us with open schedules, with lunch and gym being our only non-NOT specific time blocks." His eyes locked back onto him, drilling far more than he intended them to, but searching his face curiously. "What shall we do, partner?"