The Name's Datta

Benoit Datta strode through the doors, an air of importance about him. He stopped at the front desk and shot the receptionist a brief, polite smile; she smiled back shyly.

"Agent 643, what brings you to this level?"

He slipped her the card he had recieved earlier.

"I'm to be assigned my new partner today, I'm just checking in. Where should I go to meet him?"

She pointed, placing the card in a paper-shredder.

"Down the hall, third door to the left."

"Thank you."

He briskly made his way to the room, where only a two sofas and a glass table awaited; he sat down and stared at his watch patiently.

A few minutes later, a pale man with very curly hair entered the room. He was dressed entirely in white, and he looked as if he owned the place.

However, that aura disappeared the second after he said, "Oh, hi! I'm Charlie!"

Benoit stared at him.

"...Who are you, and what are you doing in here? I'm Agent 643, awaiting my new partner--I suspect you have the wrong room."

"Oh, I know!" He smiled, folding his hands. "I'm your partner. Charlie."

He frowned.

"They paired me with a rookie? I'm the youngest agent in the advanced ranks, and I expect a partner of my skill--I was expecting someone much older than you."

"Oh, I'm not a rookie! At least, they told me I'm not. I'm a prodigy!" He looked pleased with himself, despite the fact that he also seemed to have no confidence in his words.

His face went blank; he stared at Charlie in disbelief.

"...How old are you? I'm 28, and I was 23 when I achieved this rank--you're older than that, aren't you?"

He shook his head.

"I'm seventeen! Wait." He held up a finger, thinking for a second. "I think I'm seventeen. Maybe they said I was twenty...Hm. Oh well, I know I'm younger than twenty-three!"

Benoit stood up, walked calmly to the door, and exited the room. No way.

Charlie followed him, like a puppy.

"Agent 643!" He called loudly. "Wait, we're partners now, we have to do everything together! Everything!"

"I refuse," he said coolly, quickening his pace; the sooner he ditched this punk, the better.

Charlie hurried after him.

"Don't be like that! We're partners! Partners! You're all I have now!"

"Go home to your mother," he replied indifferently.

"I don't have one." He said casually. "They told me I'm an orphan, so all I have is you, now! We should bond!"

"Go find someone else," he insisted. "I don't want you for a partner."

"Wow, you really do whine a lot!" He said loudly, still smiling.

"And you won't get out of my hair," he retorted levelly. "Seriously--get lost."

"But I know where I am." He said, slightly confused.

"Then stay here," he said simply, heading for the elevator.

"But I want come with you!" Charlie insisted, not backing down at all.

"You're not allowed to," he said, stepping inside of the elevator and pressing the "close door" button.

Except, Charlie stopped it with his hands, forced it open and stepped inside.

"I'm not?" He asked, once inside.

Benoit did his best to resist Sparta-kicking Charlie out of the elevator.

"I'm asking politely--please leave me alone."

He shook his head.

"Why should I? I don't have anything better to be doing."

"Because I would appreciate it if you would respect my space," he replied quietly.