HOME | DD

Description
It hadn't even been a full month since you started working for Lloyd and things had already gone downhill. At first, he kept you busy, doing what he called missions. These missions were really nothing more than you spying on other departments or people, but somehow, they seemed terribly important to him. About a week and a half ago, however, all missions had abruptly stopped. The situation was far too familiar for you to simply let it go, but for a while, you tried. Today, however was the breaking point. You had sat idle long enough. Needing answers, you barged into his office announced, slamming the door behind you after you walked in. “What gives?”

Unaffected by your demanding tone, Lloyd responded in a calmly. “Displeased about something, are we?”

“Obviously.” Crossing your arms firmly over your chest, you glared down at him.

Eyes still focused on the pages of a thick notebook he kept on his desk, he inquired in the most uninterested voice imaginable. “And what might that something be, hmm?”

“Don't play dumb with me.” Quickly realizing that he wasn't going to make this easy on you, you took a seat in the cold metal chair on the opposite side of his desk. Maybe if you were at eye level, he'd actually bother to look at you. “You already know what I'm upset about.”

Looking away from his notebook, Lloyd reached into the top drawer of his desk and retrieved a fresh carton of cigarettes. His actions made it clear that he was in no mood to listen to your complaints or answer any of your questions. “If I knew, do you think I would be asking?”

“Actually, yes.” Before he had a chance to grab one of the cigarettes from its carton, you swiped it from the desk and placed it on your lap. It was already hard enough to get Lloyd to listen to you, so you weren't going to let him have anything that might distract him. “Knowing you, this is all part of some stupid experiment of yours. You probably want to see how I react to no longer being needed.”

Visibly annoyed by your actions, his seemingly permanent smile faltered slightly. “Ah, so that's what this is all about.”

“Then you admit it.” Clutching the carton so tightly the cardboard container began to groan, you narrowed your eyes at him.

Lloyd only shook his head. “On the contrary, I haven't admitted to anything.”

“Look, I'm not playing this game of yours. Either you tell me what's going on, or I walk out.” In an attempt to prove just how serious you were about this, you rose from your seat, more than ready to march out if need be.

“Have you forgotten, yet again, that you work for me?” Not worried, not even the slightest little bit, Lloyd actually chuckled at your threat. “If you keep making demands, I may have no choice but to punish you.”

“Go ahead.” You scoffed, daring him to make his words a reality. Lloyd could threaten you all he wanted. You knew he'd never actually act on his threats. “What are you going to do, fire me? Yeah right.”

His smile growing more wicked by the second, Lloyd's appearance actually caused the hairs on the back of your neck to stand on end. “No, firing you would be too easy.” Elbows now on his desk, he laced his fingers under his chin and looked up at you from behind the thick frames of his glasses. “Besides, if you weren't around anymore, things would be terribly dreadful.”

“Then you do still want me around.” Honestly, you weren't sure if you were actually relieved to know that or not. “Fine. Tell me what's going on or I quit.”

“Again, you're over simplifying things.” Releasing a quiet sigh, Lloyd scolded you. “I'm not going to simply let you quit. You belong to me for the time being. You signed a contract, remember?”

Until he'd mentioned it, you had forgotten all about that horrible contract. Why had you ever even agreed to sign it? No one in there right mind would have signed on to be his personal guinea pig for a whole year, especially not when the punishment for breaking the contract was more of the same, but without any pay. Cursing inwardly, you found yourself at a loss. Since the very beginning, Lloyd had always been one step ahead of you. No matter what you did, he was always prepared. Seeing no way out of this, you hissed out your answer. “Yes, I remember.”

“Good.” With a nod, he quickly reclaimed his pack of cigarettes and shooed you away. “Then I suggest you go back to work.”

“I would love to go back to work, but I have no work to go back to.” Terribly frustrated with him at this point, you pressed your fingertips to your temples and tried to calm your nerves. No matter what the situation, talking to Lloyd almost always ended with you getting a headache. “That's why I'm here.”

“Oh, that's right.” As if he had somehow managed to forget, Lloyd nodded. After this, however, he returned all of his attention back to his work. A few seconds later, he looked up at you and raised a questioning brow. “Was there something else you needed? I am a very busy man you know.”

“You still haven't given me any answers.” Trying not to let your anger show, you clenched your fists at your side. “I told you when I agreed to work for you that I couldn't work with someone that wasn't being honest with me.”

“And I told you that you had no right to make any demands.” Despite your best efforts, Lloyd remained firm. “Besides, not divulging information, isn't the same as being dishonest.”

“Fine.” Taking a seat, yet again, you crossed your arms and legs. If he was going to be difficult and uncooperative, you were going to do the same. “Since I have nothing better to do with my time. I'll just sit here and stare at you until you decided you want to talk.”

Shrugging, Lloyd didn't argue. “As you wish.”

Sure he couldn't last forever, you sat in that horribly uncomfortable chair for hours. Neither of you spoke, not even once during that time. And though you did your best to keep yourself focused on Lloyd, he didn't so much as glance at you. It was like to him, you weren't even there. After sitting there far longer than you should have, you reached your boiling point. Unwilling to do this any longer, you rose to your feet, shoved the chair away from you and turned to leave. Just before you reached the door however, Lloyd quietly called out to you. You should have known that he would pull something like this, but it still annoyed you to no end. “What?”

“If you want something to do so much, here.” Turning to face him, you saw that he was holding a small, yellowish slip of paper between his fingers.

“You can't be serious.” Looking down at the paper with disbelief, you groaned. “You want me to go pick up your laundry?”

“First you complain about having nothing to do, and then you complain when I give you a simple task.” Feigning confusion, Lloyd carefully removed his glasses and slowly went to work cleaning them. “There really is no pleasing you, is there.”

Despite your reluctance, you found yourself placing the slip of paper into your pocket. “I didn't just want you to come up with some random task for me. When you first “hired” me, I was doing important things, now I've been reduced to being your errand girl.”

Agreeing without hesitation, he nodded. “Yes, but those important jobs were too dangerous.” Glasses now back in place, he continued. “I'd rather give dangerous jobs to someone more disposable than you are.”

You weren't sure why, but something about that last sentence calmed your anger greatly. Now, you more curious than you were anything else. “Meaning, what, exactly?”

Sighing at your question, he refused to simply state what he was eluding to. “If you're waiting for me to spell things out for you, you're going to die waiting.”

“So, you're saying I'm not disposable?” Even as the words left your lips, you found them hard to believe. Sure Lloyd had always had a strange fascination with you, one that almost bordered on obsession, but you doubted he actually cared at all for your well being. Still, if you didn't know him better, you would have sworn that was what he was trying to hint to. “Do you not think of me as a tool anymore?”

“Of course I do.” Suddenly leaving his seat, Lloyd walked around his desk and gently placed a gloved hand on your cheek. “You're just my favorite tool, and I don't want you getting damaged.”

Though his words hardly passed for kind, you knew it was probably the best you could hope for. That sentence had also cleared up why all of your missions had suddenly stopped. That is, if he wasn't just saying something to appease you. “If you're worried about your favorite tool getting damaged, maybe you should take better care of it. Tools aren't useful if they're never taken out and used.”

Your words caused an almost evil snicker to erupt from his throat. “Calling yourself a tool?” Cupping your face in his hands, Lloyd began slowly stroking your slightly flushed cheeks with his thumbs. “My, how things have changed.”

“No they haven't. I still don't like it any more now than I did the fist time you called me that.” He knew better and you knew it. He was just using this as an excuse to change the subject. You tried to be mad at him, but something inside you wouldn't allow it. After all, him calling you his “favorite tool” was probably the nicest thing he'd ever said to you. You hated that you'd taken something like that as a compliment, but there was nothing you could do about it at this point. Like it or not, being called his favorite anything actually made you happy. Afraid your emotions would show if you stayed any longer, you quickly turned on your heel and started out of his office once more.

Left cupping only the air in his hands, Lloyd attempted to blink back his confusion. “Where are you going?”

Unable to look back at him, you simply held the slip of paper up as you hurriedly walked through the doorway. “To get your laundry, where else?”