shatteredservice | Deal with the Devil?

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Deal with the Devil?

It is still very early, though the reason that Dia is already up is not because he can't sleep, but because he knows it will be better to get his call to The Mage's Association done and over with by the time Set wakes up. That way if he does end up upset, he will hopefully have time to bleed off the stress before either Set or The Beast can pick up on it. The last thing Dia wants is to have to deal with bringing The Beast down after having had a stressful talk with The Association.

Because he knows this isn't going to go well. He knows the kind of shit they are going to tell him and he knows they are probably not going to buy the geis story one bit. It would be great if they did, but he isn't very confident they will. It would mean showing some common sense and decency--two things he's pretty sure they don't have.

Dia turns the phone over in his hands for a few minutes working up the nerve to dial the number. It is silly, really. He's charged into armies in the past with no worries; he fought off Caster's monster without blinking, but this simple phone call is giving him pause.

Dia sighs and sets the phone down to take one last sip of tea from the mug sitting on the bar. He runs his hand through his hair nervously, and then picks the phone back up dialing the number before he can find another reason to delay.

The phone rings for a few moments before there is a click on the line that Dia knows means he's being transferred. When the Association let everyone go out to live their lives, they were all given a number that would directly connect them to those within The Association who dealt with servant affairs.

Of course, that doesn't mean that he still doesn't have to talk to a secretary before he is put through to someone who can actually do something for him. Dia can't help but cringe at the fake cheer in her voice.

"Good morning, Cu Chulainn. What can we do for you?"

Dia isn't surprised that she knows what house is calling. He's always suspected that the number not only was a direct line, but also identified who they were. He's also not surprised that they assume that it's Set calling. After all, Set always said that they weren't going to talk to him if he could help it.

"Actually, this is Diarmuid. Diarmuid Ua Duibhne. He and I live together," Dia corrects her.

"Oh, Diarmuid, my apologies. We were told that you wouldn't be talking with us so I just assumed..."

Dia waves off her concern. It's just as fake as everything else, "It's fine and this is a different circumstance. Could I talk to someone in Affairs, please?"

"Has something happened?" Her voice is suddenly too eager. "You are fully aware of the details of your arrangement. If we need to arrange a detain..."

"You do not," All the politeness evaperates from Dia's voice and is replaced with just a hint of anger. "I just want to speak with someone in Servant Affairs."

"I would not advise trying to hide an incident, Diarmuid. It could easily lead to a violation of your contract. I'm sure you don't want that."

"I'm not hiding anything," Dia's voice is low and just a little dangerous, not that the secretary seems to notice. "I merely wish to talk with someone in Servant Affairs. Transfer me."

"Please understand, Diarmuid that there are many things The Association wants to talk to you about and haven't been able to since Cu Chulainn has insisted that we not talk to you."

"And you are not qualified to talk to me about any of them," Dia points out. "Now do your job and transfer me."

The secretary starts to say something else, but seems to decide against it. A moment later, Dia is relieved to hear a buzz as he is finally put through to Servant Affairs.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"I spend a good enough amount of time with her. So much that she makes these phone calls even on days I have work."

Who is he to tell her how to care for the child?

Dia smiles a little sadly, though again, it's something she can't see. She might, however, notice a slight change in his voice, "Some children just need their parents more than others, I guess. I know that is how my youngest was. They just don't like to be alone.

"Would it work to set up a few times during the day for her to call so that she doesn't call so randomly and interrupt your work?"

"That is actually a good suggestion, if she is willing to listen."

She stops and pulls the phone away from her ear. She stares at it with a surprised expression. She had just taken advice for a Servant. It is perhaps the oddest thing that has ever happened to her with the exception of having that child given to her.

Dia can't help but smile a little. He's actually rather happy that she is willing try. Of all the things he had been known for in his first life, being a father was one of his favorites and it isn't often he gets to think let alone talk about it.

"Yes, if she will listen. It always hinges on how willing the child is to listen. Well, that and their age. Sometimes they are just too young to understand. How old is your daughter if I may ask?"

"Anywhere from nine to twelve, I guess."

She doesn't correct him on calling the child her daughter. After all, a moment of discomfort is better than revealing too much information.

His brow furrows in confusion. How can a mother not know the age of her daughter? Unless she just doesn't want to tell him, which is probably exactly the reason now that Dia thinks about it. Even if they are both parents, he is still a servant and she a mage.

"That should be old enough to understand. Hopefully, she will listen to you and you will be able to work something out that will give her the closeness she needs while also giving you space to work."

Dia pauses for a moment, refocusing himself, "And I'm sure you are tired of me telling you how to parent. Shall we return to the previous topic before you daughter calls again?"

"Thank you. I'll talk to her about it if she calls again."

She also has to take a moment to focus.

"I will suggest scaling back the Enforcers for the time being, but if any incidents occur, the number of Enforcers might increase."

Dia sighs. It's a vague promise, but more than she was willing to offer just a few moments before so he decides to accept it, "There won't be any incidents. This will help calm him, not make him more uncontrollable. They both are tired of having to patch me up. My continued good heath seems to be a great motivator to them. It's something you in the Association know all too well.

"Now, your secretary mentioned that there were things that the Association wanted to ask me, but had not been able to because Set refused to let you speak with me. Would you like to ask me those things now? I can't say when I will be able to talk to you again. He didn't want to let me make this call, but somehow I didn't think having you talk to him about this would be a good idea."

It is a good will gesture since she seems a little more willing to work with him now. He just hopes he doesn't regret making the offer.

Edited 2012-12-13 04:47 (UTC)

"I would like to know a little about your exact relationship with the Beast, then. It's obvious you're special to him, but how would you consider your task? Is it too much of a burden?"

Edited 2012-12-13 05:31 (UTC)

"Understand this: They will never ever be a burden to me so any offers you might have of taking the burden off my hands you can forget right now," Dia's voice is stern, leaving no room for argument. "They are my responsibility and it is a responsibility I will never regret taking."

Once he gets that off his chest, though, Dia's voice softens considerably, "How The Beast sees me is complicated. He has called me his mate from even before Set and I got together and yet he obviously doesn't see me as an equal like Set does. To him I am something fragile that needs protecting. A little baby bird that could very easily be crushed by the world.

"And yet he enjoys fighting with me. Pushing me to my limits and then some. Often when he hurts me the worst, he is actually trying in his own way to protect me. That is why I will sometimes let him lightly injure or restrain me. More than once that is all it has taken for him to calm down. A few cuts or scratches is nothing really when you consider how much damage he could do if he were to get free."

Well, honestly it was actually more like a few broken bones and concussions, but she didn't need to know that.

"What an interesting relationship. But now it seems he can't do it anymore. Not with the geis."

She is almost inclined to feel sorry for the Beast.

Dia shakes his head, "The geis doesn't specifically forbid fighting. It merely keeps him from hurting me during a fight. I'm guessing accidental injury wouldn't trigger it either. Only purposeful injury. The kind that happens when he gets overly worked up.

"And it's not like he doesn't have other ways of showing his affection. He likes to hold me, for example. That kind of thing isn't targeted by the geis." Dia pauses and his next words are mostly to himself though they can clearly be heard over the phone, "Hmmm...I wonder if some of his dominance actions would be considered injurious as defined by the geis, though. I might want to ask the caster about that. They would probably scare most people, but I know he means no harm by them even when blood is drawn."

"Just because he does not mean to do it does not mean it will not result in injury. Why do you think the Association imposes such harsh disciplines on Heroic Spirits?"

Dia rolls his eyes, the distaste in his voice barely restrained, "Don't lie to me. You do it so you have as many opportunities as possible to drag servants in for your experiments. It has nothing to do with keeping others from getting hurt because if that were the case, I don't think your agents would have made the deal they did with me.

"Or maybe they would have. I'm just another future experimental subject to you after all. It doesn't even really matter what shape I'm in when you get me. Just that I'm alive."

"You have already been given more leniency than was accorded to others, Diarmuid. You even had the opportunity to gain an ally. Yet, all you seem to do is argue."

The threat is not openly stated, but it is still there.

"As far as experimentation goes, we wish to find a humane way to detain Servants. It is to your benefit as well."

"We were awarded the chance to live a normal life," His eyes narrow angrily. "That includes making friends and allies as you insist on terming them. And it also includes privacy." Dia's voice suddenly gains a bit of dark humor, "Unless you all have decided you're just a bunch of voyeurs. In that case, say so. I'm sure Set will have no problem taking me in front of you. Or if you would rather it a little rougher, I suppose I could see if The Beast would be willing.

"Of course, that is assuming you all don't already have an agent parked at our bedroom window..."

"No. We will not require that."

She holds the phone away from her ear. He had just given her a very disturbing image.

"And sight is not the only form of surveillance. You would do well to remember that."

"No. Really?" If an eye roll could be audible, Dia's would have been. "Please, tell me something I don't already know. I'm sure all phone calls are being recorded and there are probably bugs in several places in our home. And those would just be the mundane ways to snoop. There are probably also several magical ways in place. You guys are usually pretty thorough. Heaven forbid you miss any chance to get information that could be used to your advantage."

Dia's being rude now and he knows it, but he can't bring himself to care. There is something stirring around inside of him. Something that is dark, angry, and tired of being jerked around.

Something that if he thought about it, might feel scarily familiar. It's probably a good thing he doesn't.

"I wouldn't be surprised if it was you guys who are screwing around with my journal as well. The freedom you've given us is a shame after all."

"Journal?"

This piques her interest.

"Do you mean a written journal? Or your internet activities? I don't think we have anyone monitoring internet activity yet."

"Forgive me if I don't believe you. I don't know who else would have the power to cause something inanimate like a computer to record and post things by itself," Dia pauses when a pair of arms wrap themselves around his waist.

"Little Bird, there is something dark stirring around in you. What's wrong?" The Beast's voice is a low growl into Dia's ear, though it is loud enough to be picked up by the phone. "Who do I need to kill?"

Dia leans back against The Beast, that dark thing in him seemingly comforted by his mate's presence, "It's okay, My Wild One. I'm just making that call to the Association we talked about."

"Ah. Can I kill them all then?"

"I too would like to know about the magus who could do that. Those are not our ways, and if they were, do you think such material would be in a place where you could access it?"

She strains her ears to listen to the other voice.

"Is that Cu Chulainn?"

"Honestly? I really wouldn't put anything past you people," Dia answers quickly. Before he can say more, though, The Beast drops his head to Dia's shoulder with a smirk to answer her question.

"He's not in right now. There is just me and my Little Bird. Be nice or I won't let you talk to him anymore," The Beast's hands wander restlessly across Dia's chest for a moment before settling. "You are waking something that needs to stay asleep. That must stay asleep."

She frowns. The Beast sounds so calm. The geis really did have a big effect on him.

"Greetings, Beast. We're discussing something right now. You can be assured I mean him no offense."

The Beast tilts his head, pulling Dia closer to him so that he can get his head nearer to the phone, "The dark would not be stirring if you meant no offense. And yet it does. You people--you don't know how not to offend."

"My Wild One what do you mean the dark is stirring?" Dia shifts to try and get a look at The Beast's face, but with his mate wrapped around him as tightly as he is, the best he can do is get an eyeful of dark hair. "I don't understand."

"It is not something we will talk about in such company, Little Bird," The Beast settles his head in the crook of Dia's neck like a child and hums softly. "We will talk when you are done with her."

"WHat are you talking about, the dark? Diarmuid, do you have a Berserker attribute?"

If that was the case, then perhaps even more Enforcers would need to be sent.

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