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fandomweekly2025-03-18 08:57 pm
a_little_apocalypse) wrote in fandomweekly2025-03-18 08:57 pm
Entry tags:
[#252] Midnight In Research (Control)
Theme Prompt: #252, Midnight Snack
Title: Midnight In Research
Fandom: Control
Rating/Warnings: PG-13 / none
Bonus: Yes
Word Count: 992
Summary: Working late at night, Darling finds himself interrupted by the Director.
"What do you think you're doing...?"
Darling startled visibly, expecting neither to be disturbed by anybody at that time of the night, or to be disturbed by that person in particular; he looked up in surprise, his expression correcting to a quick smile as he allowed himself to relax in recognition. "Oh--! Zach, I wasn't expecting to--... I thought you'd have left hours ago. The Director needs his rest, doesn't he...?"
Trench approached the desk that Darling was working at, unceremoniously dropping a small paper bag down in Darling's line of sight, then placing a take-out lidded cup down next to it. "I could say the same for you, I think. Can you guarantee smooth running of the sector tomorrow morning on an all-nighter?"
"I'd say we'd have more to worry about if my absence for a morning caused everything to grind to a halt...!"
"You intend to take the morning off, then?"
Darling wrinkled his nose. "I have my little hidey-holes. I get this done by the morning, then I can think about sneaking a nap somewhere." He gave a rueful smile. "It... is quite important that I get this done, though, much as I appreciate your concern..."
"Aren't you the one always asking me when I've last eaten something? I'm pulling rank on you, Casper. No point in risking errors in the data due to hunger or fatigue. I'll stand here and watch you eat, if I have to."
"I--..." Darling looked to the bag, lifting it up and unfurling the top; it contained a number of pastries, each a different kind.
"Take whichever you want. Leave one for me, though."
Taking one out, Darling shielded it as he brought it to his mouth, trying to prevent pastry flakes falling onto his paperwork. He ate in contemplative silence (still watched by Trench), staring at the bag for a few moments before raising the obvious point. "These... aren't from the cafeteria, are they?"
"There's nothing wrong with your powers of deduction, I'll give you that."
"Where are you even getting these, this time of night...?"
"I'd love to say I have my secrets--, but all credit must go to Barbara. She has her secrets, which, at times, get passed on to the Director. As such, I can pass those benefits to you, as my Head of Research. You're welcome."
Darling smiled as he took the drink to his lips. "Thanks, Zach. I do appreciate it." He paused on tasting the liquid - within the Bureau, there was little reason to suspect any given drink to be anything but coffee unless explicitly specified; this, however, was not coffee. (Trench seemed to recognise the source of Darling's confusion without having to be told.)
"I'm not giving you caffeine at this time of night. As far as I'm aware, hot milky drinks should promote slumber... although, I'll admit, I haven't looked into the science of it myself. That's more your area, isn't it?"
"Well, I hope you're taking your own advice...! I assume you're up with your own deadlines? I'm sure you wouldn't appreciate it if I appeared in your office, gone midnight, chivvying you off to bed...!"
"Ah, well, you see, the difference here is that I've taken care of my own deadlines. The night is now mine for me to use as I wish."
"And so you thought you'd spend it treating me?" Darling took another bite of the pastry. "I could argue that your time would be better spent catching up on your sleep, but I'm not going to."
Trench hesitated, distracting himself by taking one of the pastries himself. "Merely ensuring your continued sustenance under the assumption - which I will take as being correct - that you'd neglected to consider for yourself."
"You didn't know I'd be here."
"There was no record of you having clocked out for the day, so I drew my own conclusions. And, here we are."
"I didn't realise you were keeping such close tabs on me. I'm flattered."
"That, too, is part of my duty. If a sector head fails to get adequate rest, thus leading to mistakes made during their daily duties, then the ramifications start to build - actions that reflect badly on your sector, that reflect badly on me, as the Director having put faith in your ability to manage your work-life balance in the first place, and, ultimately, upon the Bureau itself. Those responsibilities fall to your shoulders, Dr Darling - as such, there could be consequences for my finding you here to begin with. Could this have been done earlier? Could your time have been managed better?"
"Do you want me to keep you up for the rest of the night with my personal complaints regarding the sequence of events that led to this? Because I could, you know. Could blame be placed on certain shoulders? Perhaps, but the situation has been dealt with. Is being dealt with. This, right now, is me dealing with it. I get this done, and nothing has to escalate. I don't, and then that just leads to more fucking paperwork. Therefore--"
Trench held one hand up. "Casper. Casper. It's fine. I'll take you at your word. I have every confidence in your handling of whatever departmental situation it is that you're having to deal with." He stepped away from Darling's desk, pastry still in hand. "I'll leave you to your work."
It was Darling's turn to hesitate. "I--... sorry. It's just--... you know how it is. Thank you, though. For this." He held up the cup.
"I'll leave you to your work, and with this statement: I'll be going to the Oceanview after this. If you choose to do anything with that information--... well. That's your choice, should you need any further motivation to finish your task. That's all."
"I--... I see." Darling smiled to himself, looking back down to his paperwork as Trench made to leave the room. "Thanks for letting me know."
Title: Midnight In Research
Fandom: Control
Rating/Warnings: PG-13 / none
Bonus: Yes
Word Count: 992
Summary: Working late at night, Darling finds himself interrupted by the Director.
"What do you think you're doing...?"
Darling startled visibly, expecting neither to be disturbed by anybody at that time of the night, or to be disturbed by that person in particular; he looked up in surprise, his expression correcting to a quick smile as he allowed himself to relax in recognition. "Oh--! Zach, I wasn't expecting to--... I thought you'd have left hours ago. The Director needs his rest, doesn't he...?"
Trench approached the desk that Darling was working at, unceremoniously dropping a small paper bag down in Darling's line of sight, then placing a take-out lidded cup down next to it. "I could say the same for you, I think. Can you guarantee smooth running of the sector tomorrow morning on an all-nighter?"
"I'd say we'd have more to worry about if my absence for a morning caused everything to grind to a halt...!"
"You intend to take the morning off, then?"
Darling wrinkled his nose. "I have my little hidey-holes. I get this done by the morning, then I can think about sneaking a nap somewhere." He gave a rueful smile. "It... is quite important that I get this done, though, much as I appreciate your concern..."
"Aren't you the one always asking me when I've last eaten something? I'm pulling rank on you, Casper. No point in risking errors in the data due to hunger or fatigue. I'll stand here and watch you eat, if I have to."
"I--..." Darling looked to the bag, lifting it up and unfurling the top; it contained a number of pastries, each a different kind.
"Take whichever you want. Leave one for me, though."
Taking one out, Darling shielded it as he brought it to his mouth, trying to prevent pastry flakes falling onto his paperwork. He ate in contemplative silence (still watched by Trench), staring at the bag for a few moments before raising the obvious point. "These... aren't from the cafeteria, are they?"
"There's nothing wrong with your powers of deduction, I'll give you that."
"Where are you even getting these, this time of night...?"
"I'd love to say I have my secrets--, but all credit must go to Barbara. She has her secrets, which, at times, get passed on to the Director. As such, I can pass those benefits to you, as my Head of Research. You're welcome."
Darling smiled as he took the drink to his lips. "Thanks, Zach. I do appreciate it." He paused on tasting the liquid - within the Bureau, there was little reason to suspect any given drink to be anything but coffee unless explicitly specified; this, however, was not coffee. (Trench seemed to recognise the source of Darling's confusion without having to be told.)
"I'm not giving you caffeine at this time of night. As far as I'm aware, hot milky drinks should promote slumber... although, I'll admit, I haven't looked into the science of it myself. That's more your area, isn't it?"
"Well, I hope you're taking your own advice...! I assume you're up with your own deadlines? I'm sure you wouldn't appreciate it if I appeared in your office, gone midnight, chivvying you off to bed...!"
"Ah, well, you see, the difference here is that I've taken care of my own deadlines. The night is now mine for me to use as I wish."
"And so you thought you'd spend it treating me?" Darling took another bite of the pastry. "I could argue that your time would be better spent catching up on your sleep, but I'm not going to."
Trench hesitated, distracting himself by taking one of the pastries himself. "Merely ensuring your continued sustenance under the assumption - which I will take as being correct - that you'd neglected to consider for yourself."
"You didn't know I'd be here."
"There was no record of you having clocked out for the day, so I drew my own conclusions. And, here we are."
"I didn't realise you were keeping such close tabs on me. I'm flattered."
"That, too, is part of my duty. If a sector head fails to get adequate rest, thus leading to mistakes made during their daily duties, then the ramifications start to build - actions that reflect badly on your sector, that reflect badly on me, as the Director having put faith in your ability to manage your work-life balance in the first place, and, ultimately, upon the Bureau itself. Those responsibilities fall to your shoulders, Dr Darling - as such, there could be consequences for my finding you here to begin with. Could this have been done earlier? Could your time have been managed better?"
"Do you want me to keep you up for the rest of the night with my personal complaints regarding the sequence of events that led to this? Because I could, you know. Could blame be placed on certain shoulders? Perhaps, but the situation has been dealt with. Is being dealt with. This, right now, is me dealing with it. I get this done, and nothing has to escalate. I don't, and then that just leads to more fucking paperwork. Therefore--"
Trench held one hand up. "Casper. Casper. It's fine. I'll take you at your word. I have every confidence in your handling of whatever departmental situation it is that you're having to deal with." He stepped away from Darling's desk, pastry still in hand. "I'll leave you to your work."
It was Darling's turn to hesitate. "I--... sorry. It's just--... you know how it is. Thank you, though. For this." He held up the cup.
"I'll leave you to your work, and with this statement: I'll be going to the Oceanview after this. If you choose to do anything with that information--... well. That's your choice, should you need any further motivation to finish your task. That's all."
"I--... I see." Darling smiled to himself, looking back down to his paperwork as Trench made to leave the room. "Thanks for letting me know."
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