Argalia x Cane Office Reader (1.7k words)
a/n: This idea came to me after hitting my head please don't ask. (not really proof read gulp...)
Warnings: Slight yandere (sorry I cannot write Argalia normal </3), library of ruina spoilers, Argalia just being an annoying little shit, power imbalance
"Hm~ You could do so much better than this dump, dear."
"I appreciate your flattery, Mr Argalia. However..." You gestured towards the contract held by his peculiar companion. Pluto seemed to be its name.
"I should've been included in the contract, no? I'm certain that I’m supposed to be heading to the library alongside my co-workers."
"Well, you won't be going~" His soft smile turned somewhat condescending at the revelation. "You see, I couldn't bear the image of harm befalling you. But, since I'm a such a kind soul, I'm offering you an out. An escape from this miserable office, if you will." He left Pluto's side, casually sauntering over to you with a sly grin. "After all, it'd be quite tragic if you didn't return from the library, wouldn't it?"
To say that you disliked Argalia was an understatement. He was far too arrogant for his own good, appearing just to taunt and threaten your team before leaving. And he wasn't any more tolerable 1 on 1 either. His constant surveillance on you had began to boarder unprofessional. When he wasn’t reminding you of what you had done throughout the day, he’d pester you relentlessly, regardless of how busy you were. It wasn't as if you had ever breached your shared contract with him, yet he still felt it necessary to remind you of the contracts details. Items you might’ve forgotten or misplaced somehow always appeared in his hands too. Your reactions never failed to amuse him, that you hated most.
Stepping back, you became aware of the sadistic glint in his eye. Of course that sick freak enjoyed this.
"You never know sir—"
"My name, dear."
"You never know.. Argalia. Our office might be more capable than you think. We might even return with the books and make you eat your words."
You knew you were pushing your luck, but he was clearly underestimating the Cane Office. Much to your surprise, Argalia didn’t penalise you, instead he found great humour in your sarcastic quip. He failed to hide his amused grin — erupting into boisterous laughter all at once.
"Ah~ I'm sorry, I just couldn't hold it in." His gloved hand muffled his giggles at your supposed hilarity of your comment. Though, you weren't convinced that going to the library would be that dangerous an endeavour; after all, your office has tackled several star of the city level threats. What's so different about this one?
"[Name], dear, you're following the same line of thought as that foolish oblong." He hummed gleefully, turning away from you. "The Library isn't any ordinary threat. It grants immense power to its librarians, you know? As you are now, you'd stand no chance." His sapphire cape caught light as he paced around the room, giving you a temporary reprieve of his presence. Just as you were about to question him, he twirled his gloved finger around a strand of your hair. Invading your personal space once again, all too readily. "They'd swallow you all up, tearing you limb—" Tug. "by limb." The abrupt pain lingered on your scalp at his incessant yanking.
With time, he grew bored of terrorising you. Turning on his heel, he now faced his skeletal peer. "Pluto, show our dear guest, her most recent contract."
"As you wish Sir Argalia."
In an instant, the contract materialised out of thin air. Each and every clause displayed was left as you remembered weeks prior. Argalia diverted his attention back to you — stood almost a breath away. As an act of revolt, you trailed two fingers along his cheek in a gentle caress. Like a cat. his eyes widened noticeably before nudging his face against you. Just as planned. That’s when you struck, jabbing him in attempt to force his face away, and to teach him a few things about a few things, like yknow personal space??
"My being at the library should hardly be an issue for someone as powerful as you."
"Perhaps~ However.." In response, his hands circled around your wrists, lightly caging you against the wall. "I've grown quite fond of you, you see? I can't seem to let you go~"
His breathing took on a uniquely erratic flow. His eyes trembling with an emotion you’d rather not name.
Your breath hitched momentarily at his brazen admission. Trapped and outnumbered, you glanced over at the singular invitation left behind by your colleagues.
"Then this goes beyond professional interest. I’d advise against pursuing anything with me." Despite your blunt refusal, he didn't falter. If anything, he became even more insistent — sneaking an arm around your waist and pulling you to his chest.
"I'll keep your warning in mind~" Pressed against the soft fabric of his jacket, the hammering of his beating heart startled you. The fact that someone as sinister and wicked as him is capable of having a heart of his own was beyond you.
"Anyways, take a nice look over the clauses of our personal contract. Maybe you'll come to understand why its impossible for you to go with your little friends towards a certain death~"
His eyes glinted with mirth, releasing you before handing you the now slightly crumpled sheet. You read through it once, twice, three times even. Nothing was amiss. It stated that Argalia would grant you access to any information on the city you could need. In exchange, you eradicated any of his oppositions. A surprisingly easy task, really. It was almost too convenient though. His foes were so weak that you’d often wonder why he hadn’t gotten rid of them himself. Sometimes they had already been dealt with, leaving their mutilated remains sprawled about for all to see. But this was all besides the point — there was nothing off about this contract.
"That's where you're wrong my dear, perhaps you need to look a *little* closer~" You're soon handed that skeleton’s eyeglass, leaving you.. perplexed to say the least. Once the monocle's golden rim had settle comfortably against your nose, a shocking discovery revealed itself, etched in blue.
'Stay with me.'
"..?"
A clause that isn't visible to the eye? What kind of madness was this…? In all your time working for the Cane Office, you had never dealt with a contract this.. unusual. This has to be some sort of violation, surely. Though, even if you ignored the blatant fraud, the condition itself was far too vague.
"What makes you think that I'll abide by this fraudulent contract..?" Despite your strong conviction, the slight waver of your voice did not go unnoticed by him. He was onto you.
"Well, you already are, see? Right now you aren’t straying away from me. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you liked being near me~” Your immediate glare only made his grin wider, raising his arms in mock-surrender.
“I jest, I jest. But if you want to know what exactly that clause means, it states you'll be near me whenever I wish for you to be. And if you don't heed my call.. well.." He gave an ominous smile — followed by the furrowing of your brows. A strange tension settled between the two of you, both determined to establish your authority. Your continued squinting seemed to have no effect on him, as his provocative grin stayed perfectly in place. Eventually, you caved in — sighing in exasperation.
"Then.. what?"
"Then Pluto will collect our compensation, of course~"
Once again, Argalia’s cryptic wording did nothing to soothe your growing anxiety. A cold chill ran down your spine — reminding you that maybe the library would’ve been a kinder fate. Blinking in confusion, you narrowed your eyes at him, an attempt to decipher his jargon.
"Compensation…?" Yet, you found nothing, only mustering a lackluster response in the face of his smooth casualty.
"Mhm." Argalia nodded. "Every contract holds consequences for breaching them. It would be rather pointless otherwise."
Tearing your gaze away from him, you stared at the non-human judge of your fate, should you go against Argalia’s everchanging whims. Pluto, the skeletal figure remained perfectly still; his monocle glinting beneath the office lights.
“And what sort of… *compensation* are you talking about exactly?"
Time itself seemed to still at the question, the silence that followed was as deliberate as it was deafening. Argalia's grin never fell as he watched your expression slowly harden.
"Anything he deems of value."
By this point, you had given up trying to decipher his purposely elusive responses.
“Anything...?” Your head throbbed in rhythmic aches. Thump, thump, thump. Despite your admirable defiance, there remained a quiet truth that you had refused to accept. Regardless of your choice, you’ll be dancing in the palm of his hand, perhaps you always have been. Endeared by your growing lethargy, Argalia gently lifted your chin — hollow eyes peering into tired ones.
“Exactly that.” he hummed a chipper tune, all to pleased with himself. “So, if you value that tiny bit of free will you still have, I’d suggest that you’d listen to me, hm?” It was almost humiliating seeing the way he talked down to you, treating you as if you’re someone beneath him. You couldn’t stand it, couldn’t stand him. Without realising it, your fists hand be clenched to the point of shaking, each hand trembling with the desire to throttle him, attack him, something..! But you couldn’t. And even if you did, it’d only serve as a means of delaying the inevitable. You both knew this, yet he relished it all too much. With a weary sigh, you unclenched your fists, letting them hang limply from your sides.
“I’ll.. keep your suggestion in mind”
“Good, I hope that you take extra care in considering my words~ I’ll visit again 3 days from now, then we’ll see whether your pathetic team is as capable as you think they are.” With a downright demeaning laugh, he waves you off, leaving with Pluto.
Alone for the first time in hours, you slumped in defeat against the wall. Feelings of frustration and weakness were all that remained. Only time will tell what happens next, all you could do was pray that your companions returned in one piece.
