Who: Nick and Hades What: Slave and Master (it's not BDSM, honest. OR IS IT. ~@B@~) Where: Hades' office When: Thursday afternoon Warnings: Annoyance on both sides
His sons were asleep in the low bassient beside his chair, passed out from snuggling and having a full stomach each. Julie was asleep at his desk and honestly he didn't have the heart to wake her – he also found it funny how her head on the keyboard was making thousands and thousands of “z” in the document she was writing. It was too perfect really. His other two employees were out at a couple of networks, laying the ground work for him to appear to them again.
But alone with everyone sleep around him, he grew bored and that was never again. Even Mel was doing something else – some art project. Late morning television was always horrible... Hades sighed softly as he paced the length of his office, basking in the dimmed sunlight that flooded through his tinted windows and came up with a great distraction.
Quickly, he dialed his phone and pressed “send”.
One ring. Two. Three. Fou--
"Hello?"
Four rings? Hades shook his head at the mortal on the other end. “Four rings? Were you hoping I would hang up and change my mind?”
"Had to find my phone, I'm driving." As could be heard from the honking and roaring of engines from typical brunch-time traffic of Miami. "What do you need?"
“And you don't have a hands free setup?” Though Hades would not press that issue that hard. After all, he had only gotten his after he crashed his car into another car due to doing such a thing. He continued to pace the floors of his office, every so often, looking over at the bassinet. “Bringing me lunch... or brunch, whatever. Would be a good start. Try to pick up one of those big breakfast platter things with lots on it.” And then Hades hung up his phone. He didn't especially want Nick to plow his car into someone.
"Where from? And I'm fine." Wait, wait. "It was my right of way, ass!" This wasn't screamed into the phone, but rather at the person who had just darted across the street as Nick was going forward. "Ugh. Sorry."
Hades doubly didn't hear it as he had hung up on him. Briefly he laid across one of his leather couches before figuring out he couldn't quite get comfortable for no determinable reason. He moved back to his desk and kicked his feet up atop it as he played with the cameras that viewed the other main office beside his own. Sound proofing his office was a great idea and it let him play with cameras. It was all a waiting game for him.
Nick scowled at his phone. He didn't even say where from! Fine. That meant Nick got to pick. He drove to the nearest Greek take-out and got his usual fave; the Greek salad, baked lamb with potatoes, feta cheese, and -- his favorite! -- grilled octopus limbs. Gathering all of the little boxes of food into a big bag, he drove back to the now familiar street that had Hades' office. He blinked at the sight of Julie sleeping -- haha, zzzz~ -- but didn't want to wake her, so he knocked on the door quietly instead.
The camera moved to look at Nick and Hades got up from his chair, wishing he had gotten then door opener to work on this door, but sighed and took up his invisibility. Quietly, he opened the door and could instantly smell some of the food... or at least the lamb. He could smell that easily... though he was confused because it was not a breakfast food usually. But he wouldn't question. Very rarely would Hades refuse lamb. He opened the door and went back to his desk, casually asking as he did, “Where did you get it from?”
Nick stepped inside, putting the heavy bag on the desk and began to even out the rations. "Xanthis Take-Out. Fast, Cheap, super good. You'll like it." He knew about the lamb bit, so he held out the little bowl with its plastic fork in offer.
Unseen, Hades bristled and paused at the side of his desk, “Xanthis? That sounds Greek. Is it Greek?”
"Um, yeah." Uh oh, that didn't sound well. But Nick stood his ground. "Or at least the restaurant is. Don't know if the cook is."
“Try again.” Was Hades only response as he promptly ignored all the food, even the lamb that he so sorely wanted and bent down to dote on his sons. They were still asleep but they had kicked off their blanket. Again. He was pretty sure they were taking turns doing it.
Nick blinked. "You didn't say what you wanted. So I guessed." Wait, didn't most Greeks like Greek food?
“Believe I said 'breakfast' food, [Nicodemus-Pelops].” He kissed both of his sons on the top of their heads softly and stood straight again, facing the poor mortal. His sons soothed his sudden anger enough not to do anything drastic, “And I will not tolerate food from a country of traitors. Try again.”
Nick winced, at both names. "Fine then. I'll go get hash browns or something dipped in a fryer." In an act of bitterness for food and time wasted, he took the lamb with him to eat on the way there. Haha, take that!
Considering Hades was not going to even touch it, it was less of a punishment and more of a slight. But Hades did not enjoy being slighted by some slave. He waited until the mortal was in the hallway, and then his eyes flashed to glowing and he yanked the chain hard. He was a god that people did not even wish to speak his name of respect after all.
There was a sharp, piercing gasp from the hallway as Nick took a tumble. It was followed by a few people asking if he was okay but he was brushing them off. Then... "Want some food?"
"Uh, sure."
Nick went back outside, scowling while interns behind him pondered over the lamb and octopus. Poseidon, Hades, Zeus... They were really all the same, down to the core. He drove a bit more slowly, not wanting to crash should Hades decide to yank-yank again, but came back with some hash browns and egg McMuffins for much cheaper and much more saturated in mystery oil. "There," he said, tossing the sack onto the desk. He hadn't bothered to knock before entering the office this time. "Don't know if the guy who made it was Greek, so forgive me, my lord."
Hades rolled his eyes hard and settled down behind his desk. “Sit. We need to talk.”
Nick did, folding his arms and legs into the chair. Noticeably, he hadn't bought any for himself this time. He'd given what he'd been expecting to share with his 'boss' -- the word boss being used loosely here -- to the interns. He'd lost his appetite.
“You act like you are doing me a favor by having you bound this way to me. You are not doing me a favor. You will not disrespect me.” Invisible, Hades moved the McDonald's bag and peeked it, Damn. Nick really was being passive aggressive. Didn't even get some of those apple pies. “Treat me with respect and I won't be cruel to you. Would you act this way with Mel? Because I'm the reason your life with her exists. Knock it off. If I keep feeling betrayed by you, bad things will happen.” His voice grew dark, “My hand will be forced.”
"I haven't betrayed you to anything," Nick replied without a hint of pause. "I didn't know you didn't like Greek. I assumed, because you are a Greek deity, last I remembered. I figured you'd love it. I asked what you wanted before I even looked for a place, but you hung up." In case he didn't remember. "I know what I'm doing for you. But you could at least tell me what you want, and not just give vague little clues to watch it explode in my face."
“Would not even allow you to speak their traitorous language around me. That should have been enough of a hint. And I told you to get me a breakfast platter. That was not that.” Hades continued to bristle, but he kept his voice even and his temper under control. His infant sons were at his side. They made it easier to be calm. “You make me feel betrayed. Am not your friend, your buddy, your pal... I am your lord. Meanwhile you speak to me and act toward me like I was a thorn in your side. Assure you that role is reversed in reality.”
Nick's tongue begged to be loosed to unleash some scathing or sarcastic comment. But a little voice sounded in his head instead, telling him to just lay low. Keep it to himself. So he swallowed instead and said quietly, "Sorry. Sir."
He rolled his eyes again, but before he had he caught notice of how it appeared Nick was holding his tongue. Good start. Hades sighed once again. Times had changed. People didn't simply fear and respect him anymore. Even though their soul depended on his mercy... or so he hoped. Few truly deserved Hell, even this jack ass in his office. He changed tactics, “Why are you being so disagreeable?”
"I never said I was," Nick couldn't help but grumble. He felt like a child being scolded for... well, he wasn't quite sure what. "You asked for food. I brought it. Said I was sorry."
Somehow Hades had forgotten how short-sighted mortals like Nick were. And he never learned his lesson. He had asked the question in various forms thousands of times before, “No. Why are you so disagreeable in general?” He paused and decided to continue with another question, “Why is it so hard for you to respect me and be thankful?”
"..." Nick shrugged. "I didn't realize I wasn't. I'll do better in the future." Stay low. He was obviously pissed, just stay low... He should've derived this tactic years ago. Centuries, even.
“Yes, because throwing sacks of food on my desk is very cheery and polite. If that had bounced off to behind my desk, I would have ripped you apart.” Hades was unsure if Nick even knew that his sons lay resting behind the desk in their oriental styled bassinet on the floor, but it was the principle of the matter. “Am a fair god, and thus I have to treat you a certain way. Have to treat you like I would have treated Myrtilus.”
The mortal's eyelid twitched at the dead man's name but he kept still. "Then I'll treat you fair, too. But I won't bend down and kiss your feet. I've done enough of that in both my lives."
“Ha, you admit that you weren't.” Hades was glad he was invisible because then Nick couldn't see him pointing and lipping those words at him However, he took a deep breath and leaned back in his chair. “All I ask is you respect and serve me. Don't mouth off to me. Would not ask for you to do that other stuff.” Partly because Hades never really had people doing things like that for him, and partly because that would make his feet wet. That sounded horrible.
Nick stared at the blank space of air where he assumed Hades voice was. It gave him the feeling of being amongst Charlie's Angels, where all they talked to was a little box on a lovley desk. Except there weren't any other angels, just little ol' him. "Then next time, you can tell me exactly what you want. I can give you whatever you want, but I have to know what you want, first."
“Believe I said breakfast, but was willing to look passed that when I smelled the lamb and remembered the Awesome Cow story. However...” Hades let his words trail off. He felt no need to finish the sentence. Nick knew the rest. “Don't want to have this conversation with you again. Can be very precise if that would make my life easier.”
The young man across from him shrugged again. He was just ready for the conversation to be over. "Okay. Want anything else?"
“Yeah, put my coffee pot on. Am feeling the caffeine leave me.” His desk drawers opened and he held out the ground coffee to put into the machine.
Nick held out his hand and, feeling his fingers bump the invisible little bag, stood up and took the bag out silently to the hall. Yes, he was stewing. But it was better than shouting and cursing, right?
Wait. Wait. What was that? Before Nick was able to leave, Hades grabbed him by the wrist tightly.
"Oof." Nick was yanked back into place, turning to look behind him. "What?"
Having his attention, Hades released him and grabbed a pen from his desk. “Now, I'm going to close my eyes and you are going to take this pen from me. When you grab it, say so. As soon as you grab it.”
Nick blinked. "Okay..." Wait, how was he supposed to know when his eyes were closed? Bah. He reached out towards the voice. A few misses, then he felt Hades' chilly forearm. Ahh. Up to the wrist, hand, pen. "Got it." Another weird game?
The purpose of saying the words was lost when Nick was pawing at his arm, but it the results had been all the same. He had felt Nick before he should have. His life and spirit had touched him before, his hand had. “[Damn. I can't even say that this is a coincidence. Its too odd for that...]” He opened his eyes and brought his attention to his slave, “Thank you. You managed to shed some light on something.” Mallory had certainly picked the right house...
... "What was all that about?"
No reason to lie to him. “Thought I felt your soul before I felt your hand. Wanted to verify it.”
"Oh." Nick blinked again, admittedly too curious to remain aggravated anymore. "Is that... bad or good?"
'Honestly? Don't know.” His mind began to race. He knew Nick was reincarnated and not according to the proper methods he had established Could that be what was doing this? What else made Nick different than other people? But if that were the case... Why didn't he feel this with Zale and Amara? Was it because they were gods previously? This was all a mess. The new Lawgiver really messed this up or something. “But you are not the first I felt like this. Shouldn't be a problem for you.”
That sounded way too ominous. It... well, it frightened him a little. What did it mean? Nodding silently, he handed Hades the pen back and made for the door again, relieved to be out the door.
With Nick out the door, Hades ate one of the hash browns before bending down and scooping up both of his sons. They had begun to stir and they would probably be fussy. They loved being fussy. But with them in his invisible arms, Nick and his disrespect was forgotten.
Summary: Hades orders his slave to get him breakfast, but via bad communication, there's a slight argument and Nick gets a talking to.