the maid psychologically tortures her boss

The problem was that after Reem fled Sionn's office yesterday, communication became kind of awkward. The only words they'd exchanged since then involved him asking if she'd stay, her saying no, and him telling her to take the gift basket and ribbon. And her saying thanks. And that was it.

The solution was that today was a new day. Reem had no time or money to get a proper maid outfit, but old clothes would suffice for now. She tied what she could of her hair with the pink ribbon.

As Reem self-flagellated by looking at herself in the mirror of the dressing room of the public bathhouse, she said, "Sionn isn't scary," but her reflection did not believe this. "Don't be a hypocrite. Talk to him. Don't be mean. Say hi."

She took the train alone.

She walked up that eerie forest alone. By the time she reached the castle, the sun had gone to sleep, and the only source of light came from the trees. Did Sionn's horns glow? That could be as good an ice breaker as any.

For NO reason, NONE whatsoever, as she walked through the main halls of the castle, her heart began to pound.

So... how did she check-in again? Where? Where did she have to start cleaning? Would she have to ask the other maids? Would they be dismissive again?

Upon finding a door, she knocked on it, mouthing, 'Sionn.'

"Come in."

She jumped. Reem swallowed. She shook her hands like they'd stop trembling. This wouldn't do. What was she, a coward? (Yes.)

She walked in. Sionn browsed for something on the bookshelf behind his desk, pulled out a book, took down the entire piece of furniture, scrambled to push it back in place, and succeeded... for the most part. A stack of papers flew off the top shelf, and a bottle shattered upon hitting the floor. A stress ball also bounced all the way to the door. Reem hoped it was a stress ball, anyway. She picked it up. "Hi," she said.

Without turning around, Sionn replied, "Hi."

In theory, such an embarrassing display should've made him approachable, but... yeah.

Yeah.

"Ghh... fff..."

"You can start by helping me clean this mess."

Reem tucked the stress ball (?) into her pocket. Silently, she approached him. Sionn very, very carefully let the bookshelf go. Nothing fell this time.

For the meantime, Reem plucked glass shards from the carpet. Had he noticed the ribbon? Maybe? Probably not? Would making a fool of herself as well alleviate the tension?

When he crouched next to her to pick up the glass, she slapped his hand away. "You'll cut yourself if..." Reem trailed off. "Y-yiiieee... gghh..."

"If what?"

'Go away, you spatially-challenged doofus.' Reem didn't say this because she physically couldn't. Instead, she pointed at the glass, then at him, then wagged her finger. Reem couldn't take her eyes off the floor. She'd been violent without thinking and lacked the mental fortitude to face the consequences.

It was Sionn's turn to slap or... well... push her hands away from the glass. As gentle as he was, she jumped away anyway. Reem stood up, wiping her hands on her skirt.

She sniffled.

Oh, dear.

No.

Bad.

Tears bad.

Not on her second day at work.

Deep breaths.

"Leave this to me," Sionn said. "Once you calm... regain your..." He sighed. "You are free to relax in the tea room until you feel better. Once you do, the chamber itself could use some tidying up. In the future, do not feel obligated to speak to me. The other maids will tell you what to do."

Reem crouched next to Sionn. She shook her head. She closed her eyes. Deep breaths. She swallowed. Neither her tears nor her cowardice yielded.

Silently, they picked up the glass shards.

What was wrong with her? Why had she been able to talk to him before, but not now? It made no sense. Was it because she'd seen and heard him as a human? But she'd seen him as a demon before that, so that made no sense, either. She made no sense.

Reem slapped herself and, for a change, Sionn was the one getting startled.

She slapped her other cheek.

"Stop that, what the fuck?"

He often sounded sad or bored. This was one of the exceptions. "I had to," she mumbled.

"Do that again and you're fired."

"Fine. Fire me. I don't care."

"Reem," he said.

She slapped herself again. (Softly this time.)

"Just—stop being unhinged. I communicate with the maids through a bulletin board. You are free to direct your inquiries there. Don't force yourself to talk to me."

"No."

"No what?"

Annoying him was kind of cathartic. There was mirth, there was melancholy, there was surprise, and now poorly-concealed irritation. Reem collected Sionn's emotions like he collected junk. "No... not... I don't..." She swallowed. The more she thought about it the more pathetic it sounded. 'I don't want to stop talking to you.' "...nothing."

She literally did not breathe again until Sionn spoke. "So be it. Farewell, Reem. You are dismissed."

So then she stopped breathing again.

"From my office," he specified.

"Ah. I. No? Wait. Let me clean this."

"You're crying."

"No." She was. Reem didn't wipe her eyes because, with her luck, she'd insert glass shards into her eyeballs. Thus, she used her shoulders, staining her not uniform. "Sorry."

"Could...?" He trailed off.

"What? Fire me? No."

Sionn squeezed her cheeks. Her scream came out gargled. "Stop being unhinged. Stop it." He said this as he used her face as a stress ball. "Stop it." The last two words were a murmur, and he released her. "Just go."

Reem was frozen, but not for the reasons he thought. Was she afraid? Yes. Did that matter? Yes...? She turned her head so that he'd see the ribbon—tapped it, even.

"I said go."

"Doyourhornsglow."

"...what?"

"Dotheyglow. In the dark. Like the trees."

It was as good an ice breaker as any. Or not.

"I'm not trying to be mean or anything I promise really I'm not doing it on purpose it's a biological response I think that was the term but the point is it's not like I'm choosing to be scared but I also know I'm being stupid trust me I know but it's not on purpose and I just wanted to tell you this because you have been nice in your own way I mean but like it's not your fault is what I'm saying it's mine and I'm not crying because of you I'm just t-tired of... c-cffhhh..."

He said nothing again, but Reem had braced herself for the reaction... or lack thereof. It was done. She was a coward no more. Just a pathetic crybaby.

"...Reem, I—"

"Nothanksbye!"

She fled to the tea toom.

***

"Look! She's back!"

The duster handed the mopper a bill. The latter grinned. The former did not. Neither of them said hello to Reem, though the sweeper nodded at her. "Hi," said Reem.

"The main hall is yours," said the mopper.

"...the... HUH?"

"Beginner's ritual," said the duster. "We all went through it. If you clean the main hall for a week, then you pass."

"The entire—"

"Yes." The mopper waved her off.

The maids continued chatting. Well... two of them. The sweeper listened and nodded. And Cai was an ostracized weirdo. And Reem an exploited newcomer.

She knew the drill.

Fortunately, after her outburst and subsequent tea break, she'd entered that blissful, cathartic stupor that came with passively accepting one's fate.

At least, if she was alone, she could sing.

It wasn't until dawn arrived that she remembered she was supposed to convince Sionn to talk to the boy in black.

"...ehhh..."