otherways - Knights of the Holy Order - Part II

[h2_muses]

Interviews completed, operations returned to normal, Michael has more than enough work to do. He still leaves time for fun as well as work, but, for the moment, he's sitting behind his large, heavy desk in the remodeled and redecorated offices - he hated the heavy dark reds; had them replaced with layers of deep blue instead - working on paperwork. He doesn't like the paperwork much either, but it must be done.

Sitting nearby are three very large canines, greyish-tan in color, shaggy haired and quiet. Three Irish Wolfhounds that Michael seems to be keeping as pets lounge around by the desk as long as he is there. They are well-behaved and do as they are told.

For now, Michael's told them to lay down and be quiet. That they are doing. And Michael is still working on paperwork.

He's bored out of his skull.

Comments

[i-read.livejournal.com]

"You should have taken a week in the city before coming in. Don't you agree now?"

[i_vanquish_evil]

He looks up from the desk.

"No. Too much needed to be done."

He is welcoming the distraction, however long it lasts.

[i-read.livejournal.com]

"Yes, well," he says carefully, "I think you're doing a lot of it yourself when you should be delegating, but what do I know?"

[i_vanquish_evil]

"I've delegated quite a lot. More than I wanted to, actually, but there is only so much that I can do. New operatives are being trained as quickly as they can be; there are more research associates on the way in as we speak. What else should I delegate, Stephen? If I give away the paperwork, I never see it again and I know nothing of what is going on. But if you'd like to do it..." He holds out a file to him.

Grumpy? Perhaps. He needs to eat; he needs to sleep; he needs to do a lot of things that have nothing to do with the Order.

[i-read.livejournal.com]

He looks at Michael.

"You can give away all of the paperwork and always know what's going on. The second ink hits paper."

He raises an eyebrow.

"Don't you think I'd call something to your attention if it was important?"

[i_vanquish_evil]

He shakes his head.

"No, you don't understand. That doesn't work for me. I can't wait for just the important things to come to my attention. I need to know what's going on. I don't want briefings. I don't want memos. I want to know as it happens."

[i-read.livejournal.com]

"As you wish."

He isn't going to push anything. He thinks the whole enterprise is unwise, but he's always going to support Michael.

...he is, however, WELL aware which sin got him to fall from Someone's grace.

[i_vanquish_evil]

Should we be glad 'stupidity' isn't a sin?

He drops the file back to the desk.

"I'm not going to do everything myself. I just need to know what's going on. At least until I can trust the Order."

[i-read.livejournal.com]

"I think that if you can't trust me, or my judgement, or Nick's judgement, or even your judgement in the character of others, then you have no business leading them."

[i_vanquish_evil]

"Excuse me?"

He frowns and puts down the pen.

"I trust you. I trust Nick. I trust myself." He gets to his feet. "I trust most of the people who are still here. What I don't trust," he begins as he steps around the desk, perching on the edge of it, "is the Order itself. I can trust all the people I want, but there is something wrong with this organization."

[i-read.livejournal.com]

"The Order is made of people, Michael. There's no phantom being that makes it The Order, that made it horrible. It was people, self-serving and sometimes just overly fanatic. And if they don't feel trusted, they won't give you any reason to trust them."

[i_vanquish_evil]

He shakes his head.

"No. There's something darker. Something - mystical. I can't explain it, but I can feel it. There's something here."

[i-read.livejournal.com]

"It's called 'a grudge', Michael," and his tone is just a bit sharp. "Another word for it would be 'bad memories'."

[i_vanquish_evil]

His face hardens.

"You know there's more than that."

He just looks at Stephen a moment.

"There is something here, something that would make men do what they did."

[i-read.livejournal.com]

Stephen almost looks sad.

"No, Michael. There isn't."

[i_vanquish_evil]

"There has to be."

He doesn't have much faith in anything, but he really wants to believe that there are not people who would knowingly destroy someone's mind to further what they deemed to be "God's agenda".

[i-read.livejournal.com]

He shakes his head.

[i_vanquish_evil]

He closes his eyes, shaking his head.

"No, Stephen."

More head shaking.

"Just - no. There has to be something. It can't have just been them. It can't."

He doesn't want it to be, because if it is - if it was just 'man being man', it means that it could happen again and he wouldn't be able to stop it this time either - and he can't live with that.

[i-read.livejournal.com]

"A leader can't have illusions about what he's doing.

"I'm trying to help, love. You really think I'd lie to you about something like this?"

[i_vanquish_evil]

"Illusions? I have no illusions about what I'm doing. I know what I'm doing."

He knows Stephen wouldn't lie to him, but he's avoiding the actual issue. Bigger distractions may be needed. Especially of the type that get him out of the office and away from the desk.

[i-read.livejournal.com]

He sighs.

"Can I take you out to dinner at least?"

[i_vanquish_evil]

"Dinner?"

He blinks and scratches the head of the dog that pads over.

"You want to take me out on a date?" He's grinning - quite an improvement.

[i-read.livejournal.com]

He laughs, just a little.

"I don't think it's that revolutionary."

[i_vanquish_evil]

"It's not. But it's not something I'm asked all that often."

[i-read.livejournal.com]

"I should hope not," he snorts. "I'm the only one who'd better be asking."

[i_vanquish_evil]

He mock-winces.

"Remind me to have Nick call off that affair we've been planning then."

He grins and tugs Stephen closer, leaning in to nibble at his neck. "So, where're you taking me?"

[i-read.livejournal.com]

"We're doing Italian."

Straight face.

[i_vanquish_evil]

"There's a stretch - finding Italian food in Italy."

He licks the side of Stephen's neck. "Or Italian sex in Italy."

He grins.

[i-read.livejournal.com]

He rolls his eyes.

"Unfortunately, the sex has been imported. You're only allowed New York sex according to your doctor."

[i_vanquish_evil]

"Damn. And I was hoping to add a few toys to the collection."

He draws Stephen closer still. "And what if I offer the idea of skipping dinner?"

[i-read.livejournal.com]

He sighs. Melodramatically.

"I'll have to tell you about the Italian I ordered in for us in our apartment."

[i_vanquish_evil]

"Oh."

He sits back, eyebrow arched.

"And what if I, instead, suggest that I find creative ways to eat such a meal?"

[i-read.livejournal.com]

"That would be why it was ordered in. I have a feeling the most interesting ways would be a little much for a resturant."

[i_vanquish_evil]

"But it might be interesting to try."

He grins, then waves toward the door.

"Shall we go?"

[i-read.livejournal.com]

He holds out his hand.

"I should hope so.