You'd Be Surprised If You Knew What Your House Wanted, Vash
At the moment, Vash practically lived to hear the phone go off. He knew the rehearsal was going on and he was almost completely certain that something was likely to go wrong. His first instinct was to be there and watch himself, but it was not as if that was the only thing he had on his mind and it was not as if he did not have other work to do. After all, he was still making up the files that had been deleted because iMarcus had 'taken them with him' when he had been accidentally deleted.
And people thought Vash had been wasting paper when he insisted on having a hard copy of everything. Ha.
iMarcus had finally shut up (for the most part, a he was still humming, but at least that Vash could tune out). For the past hour the situation had been this:
"You should go and check in on the rehearsal. See Heidi and Maddox. I promise you that Roderich's not there!"
"Has someone called?"
"No."
"Then nothing is wrong."
"You should still go."
"No."
And repeat.
The feeling Vash had that iMarcus was planning something had not gone away and Vash was not the type to ignore gut feelings. He would, however, continue to work. While keeping an ear and an eye out to make certain nothing else happened. He would be productive, no matter what his house wanted.
"Oh! Someone's at the door, someone's at the door!"
Verdammt, bodel, cazzarola!
Getting up, Vash went downstairs and to the front door before iMarcus had opened the door. Actually, iMarcus had already opened the door, but Vash managed to get downstairs before whoever it was actually came in.
"Oi, Con! Ai brought 'im," Roy said, pulling in Maddox.
"Hello," Maddox waved at him.
"Hello," Vash responded to Maddox, before looking at Roy. "Why?"
"Because Ai was told ye wanted 'im brought 'ere," Roy shrugged, letting go of Maddox's arm.
"I did not," Vash responded, right before glaring at the wall. iMarcus was a dead house. Except not literally. Vash really wished he knew the best way to punish hi– it.
"Well then, sorry ta bo'er ye," Roy frowned, turning around and leaving, the door swinging shut behind him.
"Thank you for keeping our affair such a secret," Maddox teased blankly. Vash rose an eyebrow, but then he managed to push his mind away from whatever iMarcus was planning to deciding just to get on with everything.
"Tea?"
"No thank you."
Vash folded his arms across his chest as he considered how Roy might have taken Maddox from the rehearsal. Had it started yet? Probably, it was past two. "How were you and Heidi doing at the Hall?"
"We finished setting all of our equipment up," Maddox nodded, walking over to him. "She insisted that we stick around to help out more, so she is probably still helping Elizaveta."
And how had he ever thought that Heidi had considered Maddox to be more than a friend? Probably because he was being paranoid. Vash nodded absently, staring straight back at Maddox. It was also strange to think that over a year ago Maddox had difficulty looking him in the eye. Then again, that was a cultural difference.
"I take it you are busy."
"I was," Vash responded, fighting the urge to glare at the walls. That could not be healthy, could it? It was not like he could ask Alfred about it.
"Are you certain you do not want to chase Francis Bonnefoy around with fire ants?" Maddox asked, as hopeful as he ever sounded (which was not much). Vash's eyes narrowed.
"What is up with you and fire ants?" he asked, prodding Maddox in the chest. Maddox shrugged. Vash decided not to ask. "You remember what I told you, if I find any more of those creatures around."
"Cuffs and a cell?" Maddox questioned. "Oh no."
Another objective to put on his list: he needed to figure out a way of punishing Maddox that actually worked. One that would not have him talking about it with such deadpan sarcasm. "I will not keep you here, if you were busy," Vash responded, gesturing to the door.
"I think you were the one who was busy," Maddox reminded him. "Are you sure you do not want to chase someone around?"
"When it is in your job description, doing so does not sound as fun as it would for people like you," Vash retorted as he walked over to the door to open it. After all, he was going to get this work done today, no matter what his house wanted, no matter what Maddox wanted. "You understand that I do not want you in here while I resume my paperwork." He did not want to be distracted, he did not want Maddox to start playing tag with iMarcus, he did not want to find all of his pans out and full of water.
"I was just going to fill all of your pans up with water. It would not be distracting."
"Tempting, but I will have to decline."
"I could throw in a free massage."
And Vash froze. Damn him. Damn him to hell. Every fiber of his being screamed for him to say yes and that sort of weakness was simply unacceptable. So he decided to open the door to give his answer. Turning the door knob, it stopped halfway through the turn. Locked. Vash tried to unlock the door, but it was not working.
"I can see that you are conflicted," Maddox commented.
"iMarcus," Vash called out, ignoring his guest.
"Uh huh?"
"Unlock this door."
Maddox walked over, head slightly cocked. "Can you not just unlock it yourself?"
"Usually," Vash responded, trying to stay calm. Waiting did not seem to change the state of the door, nor did iMarcus respond. "iMarcus?"
"Yes?"
"Unlock the door." Once more iMarcus did not respond. Vash tried once more, as if the situation had changed in the past few seconds. It had not. "Is there a reason you have locked us in?"
"Yes. Yes there is."
"Care to enlighten us?"
iMarcus was quiet. Vash's hands clenched tightly at his sides. "Well, it was nice to talk to you both," Maddox said. "I hope you both can solve your issues. At least this one. I would never ask for you to solve all of your issues. I would be rather upset if you did."
Vash glared over at him as Maddox grabbed the doorknob and tried to open it. As it had for Vash, it did not open. Maddox did not let go however, he continued to rattle at it, a little more forcefully. Then he went to a window to do the same thing there.
This was bothering Maddox. This was bothering Maddox a lot.
Vash felt a little bit better.
Notes:
Vash is very gifted. He can curse in three different languages simultaneously. In his head, anyway. Not out loud. That would be even more gifted. Just saying more than one thing at once in one language would be a talent.
Roy and Brian tend to call Vash 'Con' when they are talking to him. Short for Constable. It is the one sign that they have not forgotten who exactly he is while they are busy doing their own things and making him think they have forgotten to do what he has asked them to.
Maddox could be a masseuse, but that is too boring for him (he says). Still, anyone would pay for that. Yao still says he has a lot to learn (and compared to Yao, maybe he does, but as Yao does not offer up massages to anyone no one will ever know), but it appears to be good enough to tempt Vash. Hell, Alfred allows Maddox to pay for his medical coverage with it.
