"A sprain?" She looked up at the doctor, frown on her lips.
"Well," the doctor looked down at the clipboard, "It's a little more complicated than that."
"How complicated?" Arturia stood by the doorway of the room she had already ordered for him to rest in. If there was something Arturia ever did wrong, it was exaggerating medical situations.
"He has an inflamed synovium and one of his extensor tendons has somewhat of a tear; nothing too serious, albeit."
She gaped at him, "That sounds very serious to me."
"I can assure you, miss Pendragon. The patient is only in need of rest. He should not be exceeding himself in any way. As long as he rests and does not use his hand for three weeks, he will be fully healed."
She looked back at Diarmuid who was sitting on the bed clearly uncomfortable. She gave the doctor a firm nod before she went to see her model. "How are you feeling?" She asked, tilting her head ever so slightly.
He blinked up at her. "I think… I think it's best we return for the photoshoot."
Arturia frowned, "No. I will not allow that, ever. I would think that it is best for you to stay…at least for the day."
"The doctor said it was a sprain, it should not really affect me."
"He also said that if you do not properly tend to your injury it could turn into something rather serious," she said.
Diarmuid bit his lower lip, "I do not think it will get to that stage."
"Are you planning to attend work tomorrow?" She raised an eyebrow, pulling her phone from her blazer's pocket.
There was a silence that filled the patient's room. The morning sunlight poured into the room, covering the two adults in the sweet warm tones. The look in the woman's eyes was something he had not seen from her. She was expectant; as if on the edge of her seat.
"Of course, I have a duty," he nodded.
She pursed her lips into a straight line. "You must always put your health before work, Diarmuid. It is vital that you are healthy. In fact, I am going to call the shop, tell your boss about the issue." She unlocked her phone and began to dial a number. "I am certain he will allow a three-week leave."
"A leave?" Diarmuid gasped, "Oh, that cannot happen. Look, I understand that I should keep myself healthy, but you must surely understand that I cannot stay at home doing nothing for three entire weeks."
"Nothing?" Arturia tilted her head, green eyes wide as she blinked, "Who said you would be doing nothing?"
"I—"
"I rather think that this is a very important time to spend with friends and family."
Diarmuid had to stop the laugh that threatened to erupt from his mouth, like a volcano. "Miss Pendragon, I am not going to die. Plus, I don't have many friends."
"And family?"
"Only my brother… who is already at home and I really would not want to spend three weeks with him."
"Oh," she frowned, brows furrowing and lip gnawed as she was deep in thought, "then you can spend time with me. Would that be alright with you?"
He felt his cheeks burn and his heart skip half a beat. She looked cute; gnawing her lip like that, eyes downcast, sun warming her up. Wow! That was a dangerous thought!
Her eyebrow rose, and she looked at him expectantly again, phone still held in her hands but she had forgotten to call the auto repair shop.
He cleared his throat, trying to get the heart beat out of it. "I would not want to be a burden to you."
"Oh, please. I do not think that you would be any problem. In fact, I insist. You did fall in my company building after all."
He opened his mouth to speak but she interrupted again.
"Actually," he could have sworn that her cheeks had a very subtle blush dusted on them; but it could have easily been the sun, "would you like to stay with me? Your brother would not bother you and, naturally, I should be the one to care for you, after all."
He coughed, repeatedly as he tried to catch his breath.
"Are you alright?" She rushed to his side, patting his back firmly. "I did not mean to surprise you."
"No, no, it's alright." He coughed a few more times as his lungs settled. "I…"
Arturia nodded, "It will just be until you are properly healed. I am not asking you to move in permanently, I can assure you."
He rubbed his neck, cheeks flushing and sight a little dizzy. He had gotten many comments like such before but for some reason, she was making him flustered and embarrassed. Why did she act so nonchalant when he was a mess?
She was calm, patiently awaiting his answer. To him, albeit, it seemed that she wouldn't take no for an answer.
"If it would make you feel less worried."
She took a breath of relief and sighed, "I am glad." She finally unlocked her phone again. "I will contact your boss right now and make arrangements with him." Excusing herself before stepping out, she managed to say one last thing. "I will pick you up at seven since I should really try to find someone to fill in for today. Rest for the day, please."
Nodding and waving her goodbye, he watched as she left, closing the door behind herself.
Jeanne stood from her desk just as the CEO walked in through the sliding doors. "How is he?" She rounded her desk to meet Arturia, heels clacking against the floor with every step. She had a folder in her hands, prepared to hand it over to her.
Arturia sighed, "What have the Einzberns said?"
Jeanne frowned, "They are upset but I have handled the situation. I sent Gawain in Diarmuid's stead and although he was not what they were expecting, they were pleased."
"Thank you, Jeanne, you are truly a life saver."
Jeanne handed the folder over. She spoke, "These are the documents you requested. Though, I do want to ask how Diarmuid is doing."
"The doctor says he cannot exert his hand for at least three weeks and I made arrangements so that he could stay with me for that time."
"Stay with you? Why? Is it really necessary?"
"I spoke with mister Fergus and explained the situation as well as asked him that he be exempted from work while he was recovering. Diarmuid also expressed he did not want to stay at home for three weeks." She opened the folder and continued towards her office. Looking at Jeanne again, she gave a soft and delicate smile, "Thus, I insisted he stay with me, since it is technically my fault."
"But he fell…" Jeanne frowned as they entered the office and Arturia took a seat at her desk.
"In my building." Arturia deadpanned.
"And he agreed to stay with you?" Jeanne asked, hands clasped in front of herself.
The CEO shrugged, "I insisted."
Jeanne sighed, "You are aware of what inviting a man into your house entitles."
She raised an eyebrow, "Taking care of him? As I said, I made arrangements."
The secretary rubbed her temples, "As the image of Pendragon Corporation and Agency, it is quite unseemly that one of your employees stay with you in your home. It could harm both your reputations and since Diarmuid is a new model, it could even kill his blossoming career," she spoke, "Let me not sound disrespectful to you in any way."
Arturia nodded. "I have considered what you fret over but I calculated that this should be no issue, Jeanne. Now," she sat up straight, unbuttoning her blazer, "I must make a few calls. If you would please."
"Sir, please!"
Cú stormed towards the elevator, not ever caring to listen to the attendant. He was furious and surprised at the same time. Never had he expected a call. Even less to the owner of a famous company (which he had to look up because he was unfamiliar where it stood in the city). He had quickly managed to change into something presentable and taken the first taxi he could find.
Finally hopping onto the elevator, he pressed the last button and watched as the lady that had tried to stop him got stuck on the other side of the doors. The elevator ascended and he impatiently waited until it was his turn, tapping his foot and glaring at the vibrant red numbers that glowed above the buttons. It seemed like a long time coming, but he finally arrived at his destination.
He made it to the sliding doors and realized that the secretary was not there at the moment and thus he entered the office. Bursting through, he watched a short blonde seated at the desk in front of the huge windows look up from her paperwork.
The woman stood, indifference on her features as if a stranger had all but waltz into her office. "I assume you are Cú Chulainn?"
"Your security system is shit."
"I informed them you were coming with my permission and let you get this far." She closed the folder and strode towards the man, who now stood in the middle of the room. "It is impolite to walk into someone's office unannounced."
"Does it look like I fucking care?"
She blinked, "You are nothing like your brother."
"No shit."
"My name is Arturia Pendragon. I am Diarmuid's manager and the director of this agency, pleasure to meet you." She extended her hand towards the man.
He looked down at her hand as if it were coated in poison. He crossed his arms over his chest, "So this is what my brother got involved in. He was better off with the mafia."
Arturia retracted her hand, lips still a straight line.
"Well," he growled, "where's my brother? There's no way in hell he's going to stay with someone like you."
She blinked, "With all due respect, mister Cú Chulainn, but frankly, it is not your decision to make. Diarmuid agreed to stay with me and I will be picking him up today."
"Yeah, not happening. Why the hell did he even come here in the first place?"
"It was because of you."
"He's not staying, okay? Whatever we need to pay you back, I will but my brother is not going to be involved."
She shrugged, "Diarmuid signed a contract in which is stated that only he can decide if he wants to leave. Although you are the older brother, Diarmuid is already of age and can make decisions by himself."
"You have got to be shitting me."
"I am afraid I am being very serious."
Cú blinked, "Where is he?"
"At the hospital," she said, "I have made sure he is safe and taken care of, you need not worry."
"Yeah, well I can never trust the modelling agency. I'll get him home. Now."
Arturia huffed, "Mister Cú Chulainn, I am not certain of what type of vendetta you have against my company or modelling in general but as I had previously stated, Diarmuid is ultimately the one to choose what he wants, let him decide."
"He makes ridiculous decisions."
"As if you were not the one that had bet ten thousand dollars on the appetite of a gluttonous gerbil."
Cú glared at her, "You wanna know something, Arturia," he spat, "you remind me of that gerbil. You take what you don't need and destroy what you can't have. I don't want my brother to be involved in this toxic industry; I want to keep him safe from people like you."
She raised an eyebrow. "I also want to make sure Diarmuid is happy with what he does and I have seen he admires this job and at least enjoys working with me."
"Sure."
"Well, I guess we will have to see which one of us is right."
