The investigation of Detective Mark

Chapter 9

The morning light struggled through the heavy curtains, bathing the living room in a dim light. Detective Mark, suffering from a severe hangover, lay stretched out on the sofa. The remnants of the noisy night echoed in the emptiness of the room. Beer cans were scattered on the coffee table, a sure sign of heavy drinking.

Stefan, who was now occupying Mark's room, stumbled into the living room, his dull eyes betraying the consequences of their shared fun. He walked over to the sofa, holding back a chuckle at the sight of Mark's disheveled state. " Mark," Stefan pushed in a low, raspy voice. "It's time for you to wake up. Gregory is on the line and he sounds... furious"

Mark groaned, clutching his throbbing head. "Tell Gregory I'm not at work. I need a day off from the real world"

Stefan hesitated, then sighed. "Mark, I think this is serious. He never gets angry"

Mark waved his hand dismissively, not wanting to face the consequences of a night well spent. " He's probably upset because someone ate the last donut on the lot. I won't deal with this drama today"

The voice communication device on the coffee table came to life, and there was a surprising note of irritation in Gregory's voice. "Mark! I've been trying to call you for an hour now. Get your lazy ass to the station immediately!"

Mark winced at the volume, regretting the decisions he'd made the night before. "OK OK. I'm on my way," he muttered, finally sitting up, albeit with a pained expression on his face.

Fluffy entered the room. With a regal look, Fluffy jumped onto the sofa and landed right on Mark's stomach. What followed could only be described as a symphony of cat burps, each more comical than the last.

Stefan burst out laughing. "Looks like Fluffy has his own awakening technique!"

Mark, coming out of his hangover stupor, looked at Fluffy incredulously. "What the...?"

Before he could react, Fluffy, clearly pleased with his performance, jumped onto Stefan's shoulder, purring contentedly. Stefan couldn't help but laugh as he imagined Fluffy as a cat alarm clock. " Okay, okay," Mark groaned, rubbing his temples. "I understand. I wake up"

Stefan, still chuckling, nodded towards the communication device. "Gregory isn't going to wait forever, and I doubt Fluffy can vouch for your punctuality"

Mark shot Stefan a quizzical look before grabbing the device and answering Gregory's increasingly irritated calls. As Stefan headed for the door, he couldn't help but appreciate the unexpected humor that Fluffy brought to the chaotic morning. Fluffy, sitting proudly on Stefan's shoulder, seemed to enjoy the amusement he had caused, his cat-like eyes sparkling with mischief.

The morning light filtered softly through the curtains, bathing the living room in a soft glow. Detective Mark, suffering from a persistent hangover, wandered into the kitchen in search of a lifeline - coffee. Stefan, leaning against the counter, watched Mark's disheveled morning routine with a mixture of amusement and concern.

Stefan, whose punk clothes stood in stark contrast to Mark's rumpled appearance, raised an eyebrow. " You know, I could make you something to eat. This may help with hangovers"

Mark shook his head with an expression of grim determination. "Coffee. Just coffee"

As Stefan nodded in understanding, Mark fiddled with the coffee maker, muttering to himself about the virtues of caffeine. When the coffee was ready, Mark took a grateful sip, the bitter warmth bringing him some semblance of comfort. Stefan, unfazed by Mark's caffeine-centric priorities, stood by, ready to help in any way he could. As Mark gathered his things and prepared to leave, Stefan followed him to the door. "Okay, Steph, you have the day off. Remember: no wild parties, no experiments in the kitchen, and definitely no opening the door to strangers"