~ Christmas at the Vaight Cottage 2031~

"A boy also needs a stable home environment which he will lose if Diana stops working, especially since his parents insist on living without financial assistance from their families!" Ferderico pointed out.

"We can support our own son." Darien fought to keep his voice steady. "And our home environment is perfectly stable. Besides, Diana can do any job she wants to do." He moved to stand next to her. "It's her decision."

"Exactly," Diana said nodding.

"How do you expect to support him and yourselves with your mangy income?" Ferderico was annoyed.

"My income is not mangy." Darien resisted the urge to snap.

"We'll easily have enough until Diana finds another job she wants, not that that'll take long." He cracked a smile.

"It won't," Diana replied. "I've already had job offers. One of which is from an old patient of mine who wants me to curate his art museum."

"That's good news!" Mateo said a bit overly. He was eager to jump on the positives. "That's one of the things you've always wanted to do."

Ferderico seemed to be slightly appeased by this. "I didn't know you wanted to be a curator."

"Yes, well, I do." Diana smiled. "I'd been getting into trouble at the hospital for changing the paintings on the rooms actually."

Darien grinned. "That'd be great-it's quite nearby too, isn't it? The museum, I mean."

Reginald made no comment. Perfectly acceptable, he thought. And therefore, of course he could not cause any damage, and so would not bother to voice an opinion.

Isabella deemed it safe to return to the conversation, and so smiled. "I'm sure you'll enjoy it."

"Yes, the museum is much closer here than the hospital." Diana added.

"And better company too, I bet." Mateo grinned.

Ferderico too had nothing to criticize, though he tried to look for a hole, it seemed to be fool-proof.

"When exactly do you quit your current occupation?" Reginald inquired, surveying the other side of the room with a look of intense concentration.

Darien blinked at his father's sudden interest, and Isabella remained silent.

"Next month." Diana replied, surprised as well at the sudden interest. "Why do you ask?"

"Idle curiousity my dear." Reginald smirked slightly. "Purely idle curiousity."

Darien wasn't sure which he preferred, sulky argumentative, stirring Reginald or this oddly suspicious, feigning interest, doubtless plotting something Reginald.

Damn his father.

( lol. darien's thoughts, always amusing)

"Oh." Diana said wondering if he was alright, unused to this side of Mr. Vaight. It wasn't that she enjoyed his usual light to downright insulting banter, but she was used to that.

Convinced that Ferderico was pacified - for the time being anyway - Mateo decided to go outside. "I'm going to check how Darius is doing."

Reginald's smirk still in place, he cast his gaze lazily around the room, halting on Ferderico for a few moments, before continuing his sweeping observations.

Isabella sat with her chin rested on her hand, in a state of mild boredom. Of course, she knew Reginald was planning something. She also knew that attempting to dissuade him was pointless, and that if his antics caused them to be banned, she would kill him.

Loitering, lingering or lurking near the door, Darien grinned at Mateo, then at the room in general. "So...speaking of work-how's...work for um...all of you?"

...Damn, I said that out loud. Maybe they'll just ignore it. It was pretty quiet. Barely audi---

"You would know if you took an interest." Reginald's tone was clipped, smirk still resolutely fixed on his face.

Or...not. Drat. Darien almost literally recoiled. "Well, I hear from Ana...sometimes..."

Lies.

"Yes. Very noble of you to leave all the work to your younger sister." Reginald's smirk vanished entirely. Darien cursed his loose words, he seemed to have touched a nerve.

I hate it when he does this. I hate it. One moment he's all happy bunny, next moment he's tearing my head off without pain relief. Bloody bipolar man. Cretin. Scrooge. Bastard.

"Still, no matter." Reginald's smirk was back. "As you are so determined to survive in the big wild world with a couple of broom and a quiffle, that's hardly surprising."

"Quaffle."

Reginald waved a hand dismissively. "Are you going to offer us some drinks or not?"

I also hate that.

"Right, sorry, I don't know what came over me." Diana said. She left for the kitchen for some drinks.

"Not to mention leaving all the work for your wife as well." Ferderico interjected once Diana was out of earshot.

"I don't leave all the work to Diana!" Darien objected, in an oddly high pitched voice.

Reginald was torn. Whose side to choose...the ever present quandary. Not.

"And how are your...family, Ferderico?" Reginald raised an eyebrow. "I do hope all those worrying rumours aren't true..."

Ferderico quirked a brow. "I have no idea what rumours you are talking about. I do hope you aren't listening to rumours Reginald, though can't say I'm surprised to hear you are."

Reginald's eyes flashed dangerously.

"One hears these things, whether one chooses to or not." He answered smoothly, swiping a minuscule speck of dust from his sleeve.

Darien burst into the conversation in an attempt to divert it. "Uh...well, most rumours are complete rubbish anyway."

"Depends who you hear them from, my boy." Reginald's smirk was once more in place. "Reputable sources can be so very useful...But that's hardly gossip; more like the eyes and ears of the select public."

Ferderico was trying very hard to be disinterested in whatever the hell Reginald had heard. But he couldn't help it. He was very curious. "For goodness sake Reginald, I am an old man, spit out what you've heard so I can refute it."

Reginald sighed and sat upright. "Very well...If you insist."

His smirk did not falter as he looked his rival in the eye. "I heard that your sister, Juliana isn't it? Well, I heard she had an illegitimate child. Of course, the father is suspect, but my contact told me he was rather high up in the Spanish royal family." Reginald examined Ferderico's face carefully for signs of anger.

"Apparently the child is now living in Vegas, having recently undergone a change of gender and becoming a ...dancer, shall we say?"

Ferderico allowed a few seconds of silence to pass. He knew his rival was anticipating a reaction from him.

Then he laughed. A deep mirthful laughter. It took him a few moments before he was able to talk. "That is the most ridiculus thing I've ever heard." He said between breath.

Darien heaved a collosal sigh of relief. From the confines of his skull.

Reginald's face turned sour. "I suppose so." He proceeded to ignore his hysterical rival. Damn. Wasn't the reaction he'd been hoping for.

This meant war.

...Even more than already.

Ferderico was still recovering form his fit of laughter. He put up a finger. "Though I would like to know who your source is."

Reginald waved a hand. "I am sworn to secrecy...not that the lying fool deserves it." He muttered, in a bitter tone.

That goblin was dead when he got hold of him.

"I must know," Ferderico said. "I will not allow such ridiculous lies to be told about my family."

Reginald pondered for a moment. "I cannot tell you his name, but I can tell you that he shall be the one with the red wristband, should you go to Gringotts at 8pm tomorrow evening."

He might detest Ferderico, but that glorified gnome had made him look a fool. It would pay. And if he didn't have to dirty his own hands, even better.

"Indeed." Ferderico replied.

Diana returned with a tray of refreshments and started offering them to everybody.