lakshmi patil (patill) wrote in disorderic, @ 2018-03-06 16:43:00 |
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Entry tags: | lakshmi patil, victoria mulciber |
WHO: Vic Mulciber & Lakshmi Patil.
WHAT: Work BFFs.
WHEN: Tuesday, March 6th. Afternoon.
WHERE: Department of Magical Transportation, Floo Network Authority Offices.
WARNINGS: Nah!
Things were tense at the Ministry. They had been since August, and no amount of time between then and now had made anything calmer. Lakshmi loved her job, but she disliked worrying and fretting all the time. That was secondary to how much she worried for everyone else she cared for. But here she was, still doing her job which right now amounted to bringing her boss, Vic Mulciber, coffee. Vic was hard on her, but then she was hard on everyone in her pursuit of perfection in the office. Lakshmi wished Vic wasn’t difficult to work for at times, but they’d been getting along better on a personal level the last few days which was a positive. Whether that carried over to work, Lakshmi wasn’t sure. Tentatively she knocked on the door to Vic’s office while balancing a tray of coffees in the other hand. Vic didn’t look up at first, far too busy glowering at the files in front of her, delivered by their apologetic boss whose sincerity was as believable as Vic’s attempts at kind encouragement on even her best days. Vic honestly believed that when she’d finally gotten to the Deputy Head role she’d have begun implementing the changes to the Floo Authority practices that she’d long tried to convince Hargreaves of. Instead, her boss seemed to do less and less, until Vic was essentially doing the physical work of both positions without the actual authority. More of the same her mind reminded her cruelly. Which was why, despite their progress outside of the office, Vic’s first reaction was not to thank Lakshmi for the coffee. “Did you follow-up on the faulty floo connection in Swansea?” It wasn’t unexpected, Lakshmi knew, but a little thanks here and there would have made a world of difference. She didn’t let it show, and kept her facial expression neutral as possible. Except for the little quiver of her brow that definitely signaled an aborted frown. “Of course I did. They tried to charm their floo to have a connection to the continent, not that I blame them, but it’s still illegal and what was causing the faults.” She entered the office properly now and with grace despite the balancing act, extradited Vic’s coffee and placed it on her desk anyway. “More from Mr. Hargreaves?” she asked, eyes lingering on the stack of papers. Vic did frown, openly even as she took a sip of the coffee Lakshmi had kindly brought her. “People can’t take the law into their own hands,” she said, as if Lakshmi’s empathetic comment was damning and more than it was intended to be. “Or disregard them. The Floo can’t function if people are jamming the system, I don’t care what their situation is, it’s selfish. Like we aren’t all in difficult situations.” She rolled her eyes and took another sip of the coffee. “Adapt to survive. And yes,” she added bitterly, “Mr.Hargreaves is feeling a little under the weather. Is there sugar in this?” “I know that!” stressed Lakshmi, feeling less defensive about herself and more about not bringing down Yaxley’s DMLE on those poor people. “They’re wrong, they’ve been issued the citations.” Hopefully, that would be the end of it unless Vic really wanted to throw her weight around here and make an example of them. “So he’s dumping it on you?” Not that this was a surprise, Vic was the Deputy Head. “I can hel— of course there’s sugar, two of them?” That was what Vic had said, right? Vic narrowed her eyes at Lakshmi but accepted the defence without another word. “I take my coffee black now,” she said instead. It was almost an accusation, not that Lakshmi should know this since Vic had never told her. Helpful as her former classmate was, and the only dependable person in the office (begrudgingly) Vic didn’t want her getting lazy or comfortable with that knowledge. “That whole blood cake in the DMLE has really turned me off sweets.” She set the coffee aside, pointedly. “And yes, he’s dumping it on me. You and I both know it’s the only way anything will get done.” Vic also knew that Hargreaves had taken several steps back from responsibility because he thought she was a Death Eater, or at the very least favoured because of her mother. Let them do what they want, they’re the ones really running the show aren’t they? Vic resented it. Lakshmi could feel the heat rising in her cheeks even if she tried not to let it show. “Oh, I’m sorry — I didn’t know you’d switched—” without telling me “— but I’ll remember next time.” She paused, nose wrinkling at the reminder. “Yes, that was horrifying. Poor Maddie.” “Well, I can help you with some of it if you’d like,” Lakshmi said, hesitantly. Working for Vic was like walking on eggshells a lot of the time. Sure, offering to help was nice, but it could also be taken as a slight, as if Vic couldn’t handle it herself. Vic considered Lakshmi, eyes narrowed. “Are you telling me you’re bored?” “What?” gaped Lakshmi. “No, I’m saying I’ll help you with—” Vic set down a third of the stack right in front of Lakshmi, cutting her off. “So you’re trying to impress Hargreaves, is that it? I can tell you right now, the only person whose opinion in this office matters, is mine.” Lakshmi’s eyes flicked down to the stack and then immediately went back to her boss as she tried to comprehend how things had suddenly switched. “But, what — I’m not trying to impress Hargreaves over you, I’m trying to help the office run!” she protested. Right, Vic doubted that. Lakshmi was well-liked, helpful, popular. It was the greatest con Vic had ever witnessed -- no one who was that smart and took that much pride in their work was satisfied with being a team player. Vic certainly wasn’t. Still, the other girl seemed adamant, and truthfully, Vic had a headache. “Fine, whatever, call it what you like. As long as the end result is the same.” She sighed and gestured for Lakshmi to take the files. “R through Z. They’re complaints or requests that have been escalated. Most of them won’t require Departmental approval, so I need you to go through and get rid of the nonsense. I’m not signing anything that doesn’t need to be signed. Be ruthless,” she arched a brow, something knowing and a shade warmer than ambivalence tugging at her mouth. “Are you able to do that?” There was no argument when Lakshmi scooped up the indicated stack into the crook of her free arm (the other still had her own beverage), but she did seem a little miffed. Everything seemed to be an explosive hex waiting to go off with Vic. Lakshmi felt she never knew what the correct answer should be. Nonetheless, she nodded at the directions. “Ruthless, got it,” she said, sounding deflated. “I’d better get to work on these right away.” Which was true, and not precisely an excuse to leave before she found herself digging a deeper hole somehow. “Sorry about the coffee.” Normally, Vic’s attention would already be back on her work, dismissive as she tended to be. But she heard the diminished tone of Lakshmi’s voice and felt something that could have been construed as regret. Maybe. Merlin was she really so sensitive? It wasn’t like Vic was wrong. Sensitivity and feelings had no place at work. Vic cleared her throat though, remembering how Lakshmi had so easily come to her defense the week before. Well, fuck. “Thank you,” it came out stilted and the aimless gesture accompanying it, awkward. “You’re welcome.” It sounded flat. The door to Vic’s office closed behind Lakshmi’s retreating form with a click. |