Early on the job! (open)

Posts : 139 Join date : 2013-01-15

So his shift at the hospital finished early, with nothing else to do Alfred decided to just head into the club early. It wouldn't be crowded at this time of the day which meant that maybe he could stay in the dressing room in peace and perhaps finish up his homework or that book he was reading or better yet finally meet some of the other workers. Entering the club he took a quick look around. It seemed that there wasn't anyone around which made Alfred a bit disappointed, he had been working here for awhile already but he had yet to meet any of the other workers outside work hours and from just casual glances. Then again he hadn't seen the boss around either since the day he was hired.

Giving a sigh he hoisted his backpack which still contained his books and headed over to the dressing room. Tossing it down under his dressing table before slumping into the seat. Man.. how he would really have to do his studies... he caught his refection in the mirror and stared at it for awhile. For now a normal happy, good looking young man stared back at him. Later on in the night, he would have to put on his performance mask and that face would change.

Right.. he needed to get a boyfriend or girlfriend.. he was starting to think wayyyyyy too much into stuff. Alfred started to dig into his bag pulling out his med books and got to work. Might aswell make use of the free time he had now.

Posts : 151 Join date : 2012-12-06

Lukas sighed softly as he entered the empty club. He had come in early to give the bar a detail clean and it was better then moping round his dingy flat. The only things he did miss from home were the hot water, heating, lack of leaks, lack of bugs and neighbors who didn't make loud orgasm noises that shrieked through the paper thin walls all night long....yet had the nerve to complain about him playing the violin at 6pm.... He rubbed his temples with more force then needed as he headed to the bar. His head pounded from the on coming fever and cold most likely due to his living circumstances.

Opening the supply cupbored he frowned when he noticed the needed cleaning supplies were absent and most likely in the back. He would of gone home right now but he didn't want to be there either. Though at least he could attempt some forum of sleep...well until the sex next door started up again....he must really question his neighbors line of work for the frequency it happened.

Heading out the back he stifled a yawn as he opened the door only to freeze in place. Sat there nose deep in a book was a blonde haired man. He kind of reconigsed him. But guessing he was one of the dancers that made Lukas flush and hide his face when they preformed he gave a nervous squeak. "I'm sorry...I was just...about to leave..." Quickly heading to the closet he quickly stepped in and shut the door behind him. A part of his brain was making sarcastic remarks on what a clever plan it was. At least he had found the cleaning supplies.

Posts : 139 Join date : 2013-01-15

Alfred didn't even notice someone had entered the dressing room until he heard a voice mutter an apology and the next thing he knew this person and placed himself into the closet closing the door behind him. Huh.. this was unusual, he had seen the guy around though maybe he was abit shy since most of the time he prob saw Alfred with hardly any clothes on.

Pulling the pen out of his mouth since he had one in there. You always need to bite your pen when you're doing serious shit like medical homework. Placing it between his book , getting up he went over to the closet and knocked on the door not wanting to startle the male even further. " So you came in early too huh? I was totally sure no one else would be in here. Anyway my shift at the hospital ended early and I thought I was doomed to spend my free time doing homework. Dude have you seen the size of those books its like massive like bigfoot massive anyway you gonna come out? It's pretty lonely out here so far"

He hoped the guy would come out. That would mean he would at least have someone to talk to and finally meet someone else who worked here.

Posts : 151 Join date : 2012-12-06

Lukas gulped as he heard the other talking to him. Ah he just made himself look really stupid... in front of a medical student too...That was a little surprising to why one of them were working here. But gently lifting the box of cleaning supplies he composed himself before stepping out. Eyes taking in the blonde in front of him.

"I...came in early to complete the detail clean of the bar...." He murmured mono-tonelessly. His eyes scanned the large medical text book. He raised a brow in confusion. They weren't that big. "I have had music scores that were bigger..." He added before heading to the bar.

Part of him wondered if the blonde would follow. Or if he had noticed the slight dusting of pink on his cheeks. Least this time the other was wearing clothes....

Posts : 139 Join date : 2013-01-15

Alfred's grin brighten when the guy actually did get out of the cupboard. Cool! he finally had someone else to talk to. Cleaning the bar? hmm.. this place was so clean it was almost like a hospital if you look past the fact this place well didn't exactly have the décor of a hospital. His interest perked up even more then the male said something about music scores so Alfred started to follow him. " You play music or something? That is pretty cool what instrument do you play?"

It was then Alfred noticed that the guy looked a little flushed. Maybe he was in that closet longer then Alfred thought. " Hey you feelin aright? Maybe you should sit down or something" He tugged the male over to one of the bar seats and settled him down " Oh I'm Alfred just in case you didn't know anyway would you like something to drink or something?" Before the guy could say another word however Alfred had gone behind the bar and poured out a glass of cool water before coming back and pressing it into the guys hands.

" If you still feel bad I have some meds in my emergency kit I'm sure there is something in there that would help"

Posts : 151 Join date : 2012-12-06

Lukas held the box close to his chest as he walked. Alfred close beside him as they headed back towards the bar. "I..I play the violin." He said softly before the next thing he knew he had been dragged forward and forced to sit on one of the bar seats. He barely had a moment to register what was going on before his cleaning tools had been removed and replaced with a glass of cold water.

He shook his head coughing slightly. "I'm fine...honestly but thank you." Taking a sip of the water he felt a bit nervous now the other was watching him. He licked his lower lip in taught before carefully choosing the words. "Your name is Alfred right?" He paused while gathering the neutral expression on his face. "What brought you in so early? I'm only in at this time to do the weekly detail clean." He quirked a brow slightly.

Posts : 139 Join date : 2013-01-15

Alfred's eyebrow raised slightly at the coughing Lukas was currently suffering from. That didn't sound too good but without a proper examination of the guy Alfred had to lump it up as a common cough. " The violin? That is pretty awesome. My parents used to push me to play the piano at one point but I totally sucked at it. It must be really difficult to play the violin.. how long have you been playing it?" Lukas didn't need to know it but Alfred just didn't have the patience to sit and actually learn an instrument when he was a kid. There was just too many interesting things to do and see that eventually his parents just gave up on pushing him.

" Yup I'm Alfred. Well I normally don't come in until its like an hour before show time but the hospital I do my internship at sorta finished early today. There wasn't much stuff to do and the chief said that I should leave and make use of whatever extra time I had instead of just sitting on my butt with nothing going on. So I thought if I came in I could meet the other workers here .. but so far only you seem to be around. I mean I have been working here for a month already and I still don't know anyone who works here. I think that's abit sad don't you think? I always did like making new friends and meeting new people"

He didn't think he knew much about the boss either other then his name.. Given the fact that Alfred was usually really friendly and had alot of friends. It gets abit lonely at work with no one to talk to.

Posts : 151 Join date : 2012-12-06

"I can play a bit of piano..." the smaller mumbled taking a break to sip more water trying to dampen his suddenly dry throat. Suppressing the urge to cough more. The other was already suspicious about it and he really couldn't risk someone trying to delve into his medical issue's. "Several years now....but it's just a side hobby really...." He stared down at the waters surface as he taught on how hopeless he was being at trying to strike out into the musical dream he wanted. Turned down at every audition being told there was nothing special or outstanding about him or his playing.

"I only really know a few names myself....I only started working here recently...so i managed to put what i hear from the announcer or see in the program to who is who..." Standing slowly he tipped the remaining water into the small sink and took out a cloth and some spray slowly setting to work on the bars surface. Looking to Alfred his lips twitched into the slightest of smiles for on moment before falling to the nueteral stare it usual was. " It shouldn't be to hard....you are a likable person." Unlike himself.... Even now without the large cash flow of his father people still took Lukas's quiet shy nature as arrogant and upperty. He never had a friend in his life and even now seeing what type of person Alfred was he couldn't help but feel jealous. Why was it so easy for some?

Posts : 139 Join date : 2013-01-15

" I bet you're really good with music. You should let me hear you play sometime. I promise I'll keep my clothes on this time" Alfred grinned trying to make the mood abit light since Lukas did look pretty depressed and it was true anyway. The only time Alfred really dealt with music he was pretty much undressing, he was sure Lukas rather not see that while he was playing.

" Hm I wouldn't say I'm totally likeable, I mean there are people who find me too much in their face or loud but I figured if you never make the first move you will never know if someone wants to be your friend or not" Lukas did still look depressed and Alfred started to think over what he could do to cheer him up abit. This was the first friend he ever made in this place He didn't want him to look so sad.

He took the spray away from Lukas and placed it aside holding out his hand for the other male to shake" Well.. We are friends now right? Hah you're like the first friend I made who isn't part of my school. I think Its a good start"

Subject: Re: Early on the job! (open) Sat Mar 16, 2013 11:10 pm

Kiku wrapped his coat more tightly around himself, walking briskly in the direction of the Thorny Rose. Though the weather outside was tolerable enough without the garment, he always found some measure of safety hidden beneath an extra layer of fabric. He knew only Arthur knew everything about him, and that there was little to no chance of any of his fellow employees recognizing him in his casual attire as the various performers that occasionally graced the stage (or wrecked it, in Kaze's case). Still, he did not wish to take any chances, and so had chosen a coat from his closet that he knew none of his various performers would touch unless they were desperate...or needed something to hide evidence in--again, Kaze's colorful life outside of Kiku's apartment often leaked its way into it. He hurried along the streets, ignoring the odd glances from passersby as he quickly approached the doors of the club.

'I am already late...he will most certainly not be pleased with that.' He inwardly worried as he pushed open the glass door, stepping inside. It did not quite occur to him that it was odd for the club to be unlocked until after he had taken a few steps inside. He paused, glancing around in confusion. Usually Arthur met him at the doors, or instructed him to use the back door and stairs that went straight to his apartment. But a quick scan of the room revealed that the room was devoid of the club's owner. 'Perhaps he is waiting in the kitchen...or perhaps he was called away on business.' He sighed audibly, before his eyes settled on the room's two occupants.

He immediately recognized them as co-workers. He quickly averted his gaze from them, though the closing of the door made enough noise to easily draw their attention. He did not wish to confront either of them, but he knew that neither of his co-workers would recognize him without his usual costumes. He made sure his disguises were perfect, and the owner was the only one (besides perhaps one other person) who knew about his alternate personalities in the club. He could speak to them for a short time, but the less time he spent interacting with them, the less suspicion he would draw to himself. Though admittedly, coming to the club early was in and of itself a bit off. He decided that if they asked, he would simply tell them that he had found the doors open (which was true) and had wandered in by accident (not as true). For the moment, he turned towards the doors, intending to try to leave as quickly as possible. He could always explain to the owner later why he had missed their appointment.

Posts : 139 Join date : 2013-01-15

Alfred always did have a keen eye for catching people and that was when his talents kicked in as soon as he saw a familiar face trying to escape being seen. HAH sorry not on his watch. Grinning he went over to the male and grabbed hold of his hand tugging him more fully into the club " Where ya going? Surely you ain't leavin just yet are ya?" Alfred had seen the guy a few times around the club always hiding and trying his best to not stand out. kiku.. wasn't it? Yea that was his name, he heard the boss call him that on more then one event.

Now that he had a better look at him. The guy was really pretty, soft hair like midnight, pale porcelain skin, warm brown eyes and those soft looking pale pinkish lips. If he didn't know any better Mr Bossy Brows was prob keeping him all to himself. Wouldn't surprise him really, there was talk about the boss being sorta possessive about some things.

" Hi! I'm Alfred and this is my new buddy Lukas. You're Kiku right? I've seen you around here a few times. I'm sorta new so I didn't know if you knew me yet" Right play it smooth Jones, with luck maybe Kiku would stay and talk to you instead of looking like he wanted to bolt out of here and fast.

Subject: Re: Early on the job! (open) Tue Apr 09, 2013 10:33 pm

Kiku gasped in surprise as a warm, strong hand wrapped around his own. He turned quickly, coming face to face with the blond. He knew him well, though the blond would most certainly not recognize him without his makeup on. Alfred--at least, that's the name Kiku knew--was a favorite of Nei-chan's, and rather disliked by Kaze (for reasons unknown). Nara thought he was too boring, and neither Ame or Ai had met him. Kiku himself had glimpsed the blond, though he never stopped to speak to him. His only sightings of Alfred (aside from on stage) were those where he had to apologize to Arthur about something related to Kaze, and none of those times involved talking to him, let alone being the center of his attention.

He felt his cheeks beginning to heat up as the blond dragged him back towards the middle of the club, all protests silenced by Alfred's enthusiastic chatter. 'He is rather energetic...though the place has not opened yet. Won't he get in trouble for having me in here, even if I was on my way to seeing Kirkland-san?' He decided it probably wouldn't hurt to at least point out that the club had yet to open. "Ah, but I...probably should not be here, since the club has not yet opened." He sighed noiselessly, realizing the blond was not paying attention to his words. 'Well, perhaps they are used to some people wandering in earlier than they are supposed to.'

He blinked in surprise as Alfred called him by name, though he quickly returned his face to a more neutral expression. There was no sense in giving himself away, after all. "H-Yes, I am Kiku. And...I am afraid I do not know many here in this place." He felt his cheeks reddening, but decided against ducking his head to hide his embarrassment. "It is nice to meet you, Alfred-san." He gave the blond a small smile, resisting the urge to bow. It was difficult, but he knew that any small mannerisms that too closely resembled any of his 'family' might lead Alfred to recognizing him. And he worked very hard not to be recognized, though it seemed the blond was more perceptive than he realized. He would have to mention this to Arthur at some point, though he doubted the owner would do much about it. He gave the other--Lukas--a small smile in greeting, though he had not said a word. Kiku knew even less about Lukas than he did about Alfred, though he supposed that was because he barely frequented the bar area (and remembered it the next morning).

"I ah...probably should go though. I was supposed to meet with the owner of the club, but perhaps he has other matters to attend to." He shifted a little uncomfortably, his hand still in Alfred's own. "I would not wish to be in the way if you are not yet open." He glanced around once more, letting his gaze settle on the empty chairs and tables. In a few hours, the club would be filled with patrons. He needed to meet with Arthur, and then return home to prepare his assigned 'family member'. No sense in giving Arthur another reason to call him back to the club after hours. "I apologize if I have interrupted anything..." He returned his gaze to Alfred, a small, apologetic smile touching his lips. He felt a slight blush dusting his cheeks as he noticed Alfred's gaze on him.

Subject: Re: Early on the job! (open) Mon Apr 29, 2013 3:33 pm

Arthur shut off the tap, inspecting the dish in his hands to see whether it held any trace of the meal it had just recently contained. His own cooking couldn't hold a candle to the cuisine Vargas made for the club, but it was passable and edible enough for himself, so he didn't really mind it. Vargas wouldn't be in until later tonight anyway, so even if Arthur wanted some of his cooking he wouldn't get it til then.

Setting the plate aside on a rack to dry, Arthur wiped his hands on the towel hanging nearby and picked up a clean glass. He was about to fill it with water when he heard voices from downstairs. Honda was early? That was a little bit of a surprise, though not too far-fetched; Kiku as himself was far more punctual (and easier to deal with) than some of the personae he often adopted for his performances and patronage alike. Though Honda being here early wouldn't have accounted for the volume of the voice he heard. That could really only mean that Jones was here early as well. It wouldn't be the first time he let the young man come in early. Though he'd never say anything about it outright, Arthur understood that Alfred had a lot of schoolwork, and that before opening the club was fairly peaceful unless there was a practise session going on (and even those were usually held in the VIP room, not the green room where Jones usually studied). The only other person who would have come in this early was Devik, who had told Arthur last night that he'd be here early to give the bar its weekly detail clean, unless Miss Anabel was working on costumes.

Sighing, he drained the glass in a few gulps and set it beside the sink. He supposed he ought to go down there and see what all the fuss was about, even if only to tell Jones to quiet himself a bit. The boy was a bit.... Excitable at times. That, and it was nearly time for Arthur to meet with Honda anyway.

Arthur headed down the stairs and peeked into the green room, an eyebrow arching in confusion when he didn't see anyone there. There were still voices though, and he had to guess they were coming from somewhere in the club's public areas. Perhaps Jones had gone to say hello to Devik? That would make sense. A glance at the clock on the wall told Arthur it was later than he'd thought. Blast it, his watch battery had died again... Ah well, he needed a new one anyway.

"Honda. Jones. Devik," he said by way of greeting as he entered the dining area to see the three gathered near the bar. "The bar is looking nice so far, Devik," he added with a small nod to the young man cleaning it before turning to the tallest of the three, an eyebrow raised at his hold on Kiku's arm. "I see you've met Mr. Honda, Jones." Their contact concerned him slightly, though Alfred had already met most of Kiku's personae on separate occasions. Honda worked so much to conceal his identity when performing, Arthur wasn't sure how the man was reacting to being seen out of character by a coworker and potentially recognised.

Posts : 139 Join date : 2013-01-15

Alfred started to pout when Kiku stated that he needed to go that was not cool. He finally found someone he was attracted to and he wanted to go already? So not cool. " Aw... come on you only just got here, you can't be leavin me just yet" The flush on the male's cheeks was really getting him addicted to him. He wondered what other reactions he could get out of Kiku.

He then heard another voice entered the scene. Shifting his attention from Kiku for a second he saw that it was Artie. Heh.. no one could mistaken those brows for anyone else. " Yo Artie, finally decided to come out of your cave huh? I haven't see you around since you hired me" He still hadn't release his hold on Kiku though just in case he thought he could escape without Alfred asking him more questions but Alfred really did want to know him better. He didn't know what it was about Kiku but he could have sworn he seemed familiar he just couldn't place it just yet.

" So what brings you down here Artie? You usually don't come down to mingle with the staff or.. well really make your presence known around here unless you needed to yell at someone." Which was true.. he hadn't seen Artie around here since he was hired. He figured the boss and a cave or something.. well that or his eyebrows couldn't handle too much of human contact.

Subject: Re: Early on the job! (open) Fri May 10, 2013 1:57 pm

Kiku kept the apologetic smile, while simultaneously trying to stifle the flush on his cheeks. 'Kiku', unlike his 'family', was not the most comfortable with physical touch, even less so when he did not truly know the person. In reality, Kiku knew Alfred, just as he knew every performer who happened to meet him as his various 'family'. But only Nei-chan allowed Alfred such friendly signs of affection (though even she was a bit stiff about such things), and Kiku knew he would need to do something soon lest Alfred suspect him. 'It does not seem as though Alfred-san sees any similarities between myself and my 'family' members. I suppose I should be thankful for that...though his staring at me is a bit uncomfortable...' Still, Kiku did not pull away from Alfred, but tried instead to verbalize his discomfort. "Ah w-well, I do not wish to interrupt anything...and I am certain that I probably should not be here before--"

He was spared the trouble of having to try any harder by the arrival of Arthur. He briefly considered shooting the blond a silent request for help, but decided against it almost immediately. He could still feel Alfred's gaze on him, though Arthur's entrance momentarily distracted the exuberant blond. Instead, he focused his attention on Arthur, tuning out Alfred's comments. He had come to meet with the owner, to apologize for an 'incident' that had occurred the night before with his 'cousin', Kaze. Though in all fairness, the idiot customer attempting to pickpocket everyone while they were distracted by the performers deserved the numerous punches to the face, Arthur (and possibly the club bouncers) clearly saw Kaze's actions as 'disorderly'...or possibly 'taking away their fun'. Kaze had explained this numerous times to Arthur, though the end result was a demand to see Kiku 'in person' the next day before the club opened. Though prone to causing trouble, Kaze (and less obviously, Kiku himself) did not wish to lose his job. Kiku might have thought Arthur took advantage of that knowledge a bit too often, but he refrained from ever voicing his thoughts. He still had his job, after all.

"Kirkland-san...I apologize if I have mistaken the time for our meeting..." He now turned his apologetic smile to Arthur, though in normal circumstances he might have bowed to the blond (careful to keep his hand placement different than that of his more traditional feminine persona). Alfred's hold on him prevented him from doing much else, though he hoped the blond would understand he would need to leave him eventually to attend his meeting. 'Arthur-san seems to have sensed my distress over the situation...though really, I am more concerned about the fact that Alfred-san will not release me...' He pushed the thoughts aside, instead returning his gaze to Alfred. "I apologize, Alfred-san...but I should probably go now, so I do not miss my appointment..."

Subject: Re: Early on the job! (open) Thu May 30, 2013 12:21 am

"My name is Arthur, Jones, not Artie," Arthur corrected, an eyebrow quirked in slight disdain. The nickname was slightly endearing, but still obnoxious enough to warrant correction. After all, he wouldn't be taken nearly as seriously if his employees referred to him as something childish like Artie. "And I've come down because I wanted to see who was here to be making such a commotion and not doing his schoolwork," he added with a pointed (but definitely not parental, no not at all) look at Alfred.

"And besides that I have an appointment with Mr. Honda here," he turned his gaze to Kiku, reading his slight distress and trying to seem subtly reassuring. "For which, by the way, I apologise for being late, Honda. It would seem my watch battery needs replacing again, I'm terribly sorry for not having come down to meet you sooner."

Posts : 139 Join date : 2013-01-15

" Artie, iggs, Arthur, Mr brows it all refers to the same person. No diff really" Alfred stated with a wide grin. His blue eyes sparkling with mischief already. He always found it fun to push Artie's buttons just to see how he ticked. " You are just too uptight man" Alfred slung an arm around Artie still not letting his hold on Kiku be released. " I get enough nagging from the dude in charge of me back at the hospital, I don't need you raging on me as well gramps."

Alfred started to pout a bit when he realised that he was going to be left alone to his own devices. Now that he actually did have their company he had no intentions of actually allowing himself to be all alone once again. It was dull.. so was homework. His interest perked up when Artie mentioned his watch.

" Your watch? If you want I could repair it for you" Alfred was good with tinkering around with stuff and had gotten really good at fixing a great many things.

Subject: Re: Early on the job! (open) Mon Jul 01, 2013 9:22 pm

Kiku could not help the small smile that touched his lips at the nicknames Alfred gave to Arthur. Though 'Artie' was certainly far from a professional name (better than 'Brows'), Kiku felt the nickname was rather endearing. Of course, he knew Arthur wished to remain professional at all times, and so his shunning of the nickname was completely understandable. He did his best to hide his smile, not wishing for either of the blonds to notice. The last thing he wished to do was encourage Alfred to come up with more nicknames, or to cause Arthur to think of him as lacking respect for the club owner when truly, he felt the opposite. He did feel that Arthur could be a bit stuffy at times, though he had never felt said stuffy nature earned him an elder man's title.

Though the rather stern look he shot in Alfred's direction at the mention of the blond's schoolwork was not exactly helping his case. Kiku felt his heart warming a little at that, though he kept his expression as neutral as possible. He did not see eye-to-eye with his own parents, and most of the bosses he had met up to this point cared very little for their employees. Arthur's rare appearances, while slightly frustrating to the employees, were always subtly filled with the blond's caring nature. Arthur's attention to detail made him an excellent employer, though the frown that now tugged at the blond's lips could easily hide that from anyone not willing to look past outer expressions alone.

He gave Arthur a small, appreciative smile at the blond's subtle reassuring. "Ah, please do not worry, Kirkland-san, though I am sorry to hear that your watch is not working." He knew Arthur appreciated punctuality from his employees, as well as showing them the same courtesy. Kiku could only guess that the blond would want his watch battery replaced soon, so that he would not miss further appointments. He blinked in surprise as Alfred offered to fix Arthur's watch. He had not known Alfred liked to tinker, though he did know now that Alfred lacked sewing skills. He glanced from Alfred to Arthur, then back again, realizing that eventually, Alfred would need to release them both so that he could meet with Arthur.

'I do not think that Arthur will trust Alfred with his watch...but if he happened to do so, perhaps Alfred would allow Arthur and myself to have our...meeting...' He was particularly relieved that Alfred had not asked why he needed to meet with Arthur. He felt a slight blush threatening to color his cheeks at the mere thought of having to mention such a thing to Alfred, though he managed to push the thoughts aside for the moment. He tried to meet Arthur's gaze, silently asking the other blond what they should do next. He did not wish to abandon Alfred, but he still had his meeting with Arthur (and a performance to attend later).

((The original post I had started whilst you were over Arthur died when my laptop decided to shut itself off D: *sobs* I would have had to AGAIN *kicks computer* if I had not draft/saved this post the first time around *dies of relief*))

Subject: Re: Early on the job! (open) Sun Jul 21, 2013 5:58 pm

Arthur huffed, pretending to be much more annoyed at the younger blond's nicknames for him than he really was. Really, he knew it was just Alfred's way of being friendly. "Where'd you get 'Iggs' from?" he asked, an eyebrow raised. He chose not to comment on "Mr. Brows" or "Gramps", though he couldn't help but notice as the boy flung an arm around his shoulders (not for the first time, and with a bit of indignation) how much taller Alfred was, despite his young age. Arthur himself was of average height, or so he liked to think, though perhaps they just grew their boys taller in America. (It certainly couldn't be Alfred's almost constant diet of takeaway, the bags from which Arthur frequently found crumpled in the rubbish bin in the green room. He was all for the comforts of home, but really, three meals of McDonald's in a week was a bit much. Arthur'd cook for Alfred himself if he was any better at it; perhaps he'd ask Vargas a favour, though he suspected the head chef already took good care of his fellow employees.)

He blinked in surprise when Alfred offered to have a look at his watch, inwardly flattered at the offer; he didn't know the boy was mechanically inclined. He was certain it just needed a new battery, though, as that'd been the problem the last however-many-times. "Thanks for the offer, Jones, but I think all it needs is a new battery. If it goes off again I'll keep you in mind, though." He meant it, too. Arthur was all but useless with technology (unless it was horticulture- or bartending- related, chances were he'd never used one in his life, and he swore his computer shuddered at him every time he entered the room), so having someone close by who was better with it would be convenient, to say the least.

A pair of dark brown eyes caught his, and Arthur's attention shifted back to Kiku, who was looking mildly but increasingly uncomfortable with the situation. "I'm terribly sorry, but I really ought to excuse myself and Honda for our meeting," he said as gently as he could (though certainly not overly so; he had a professional image to uphold!), inwardly preparing himself for further pouting from Jones. "It's already run late enough as it is, and he and I have much to go over." Mostly, it was reprimand (yet again) for Kaze's behaviour of the previous night, but Alfred needn't know that. Arthur ducked out from under the arm around his shoulders and placed a hand on one of Kiku's shoulders, hoping that Alfred would allow them to go. "I'm sure you two wouldn't mind socialising another time.

Posts : 139 Join date : 2013-01-15

Alfred almost felt himself getting depressed. What was it about this place? As much as he tried, people always seemed to have this wall around themselves and not wanting him to be part of it. Feliciano was aright, he did like the bubbly italian who kept telling him he must eat properly or he would worry so much about him. It was everyone else, was it because he was new? " Well I guess if I am really bothering you guys.." He released his hold on Kiku and settled back into the bar, pulling the notes he had stuffed into the back of his pants out into the open so he could get back to it. Sometimes he did wonder why he even bothered being friendly to everyone.

" I'm serious though if you really need someone to look at that watch I'll be more then willing to do it. It won't take me more then an hour or so tops to get it working. I even have my tools in my backpack" Well the tools are usually used to fix his glasses. He was pretty careless with them and they either got lost somewhere or he ended up sitting on them or placing something heavy on them. Which also explained why he had several pairs of glasses back home.

" Anyway don't let me waste any more of your time. I should really finish all these stuff before the show tonight"

Subject: Re: Early on the job! (open) Tue Jul 30, 2013 11:13 pm

Kiku felt relief wash over him as Arthur took control of the situation. Though he did not mind speaking with Alfred, the blond's physical affections were making him slightly uncomfortable...perhaps not for the reason one might think.The blush dusting his cheeks deepened as he imagined Alfred making up his own nickname for him, though he quickly pushed the thought aside. If Alfred made something up for him, it would certainly be silly...like 'Iggs' or 'Brows', though he supposed he would not mind that. 'Ah, what am I thinking?! Alfred-san and I...it is not possible! He would need to know about my 'family'...and he might realize he does not like me or might feel as though I have lied to him.' He did his best to push the thoughts aside, lest Alfred notice the slight distress that crossed his features and mistake it for something he did.

He stole a glance at Alfred, noting the disappointment in the blond's brilliant blue eyes. Was Alfred upset that they needed to leave him? Surely the blond was used to people coming and going, considering the nature of his job. Still, he supposed that on a typical day, the club was filled with other employees, so Alfred was not entirely left alone. He glanced to Arthur, half tempted to ask the blond if they could move their meeting time to later. What harm would socializing with Alfred for a bit longer do? Perhaps Alfred could fix Arthur's watch first, then the two could retire to their meeting? Surely by then, someone else would come in to keep the blond company. He considered asking this of Arthur, then changed his mind. If he did, he might arouse suspicions on both sides. Alfred would be overjoyed surely, but Arthur might not take it so well.

Still, Alfred's words sent an ache through his heart. He turned to face the blond, a sympathetic and apologetic smile touching his features. "I am sorry, Alfred-san...but I do not wish to keep Kirkland-san waiting any longer than necessary. I am sure that you are both busy. But...perhaps another time we could ah...talk some more?" He felt a light flush dusting his cheeks as he spoke, but he did his best not to allow Arthur to see it. He did not need to give the club's owner yet another thing to exploit about him (not that Arthur did this on a regular basis). He watched as Alfred retreated to the bar, noting the stack of papers the blond pulled from beneath the polished counter. He had come to know through his family that Alfred was a student, and a glimpse at the papers made his eyes widen slightly. Though he did not recognize any of the information present on them, he could tell Alfred's choice of study was a complex one. He hoped that someday he could tell the blond how impressed he was, though for the moment he returned his attention to Arthur.

((I'm so sorry for the awful/short post guys D: *goes to the corner of fail and hides there forever*))

Subject: Re: Early on the job! (open) Fri Sep 13, 2013 5:05 am

Alfred's form seemed to slump slightly in response to the news that he'd be left to his own devices. Though Arthur'd hardly admit it, the dejection in the usually vivid blue eyes was worrying, and he suspected there was something other than mere disappointment at play. Alfred was nothing but kind and cheerful to all of his coworkers, and perhaps used to people being cheerful towards him in return, but having to adjust to a different way of life and interaction was difficult. It had been difficult for Arthur to grow accustomed to differences between Bristol and London; he could only imagine what it must be like to adjust to an entirely different country. Something was wrong if Alfred thought he was being bothersome… It wasn't the words themselves, per se, but the tone that any self-respecting mother would want to coddle.

From the corner of his eye he noticed Kiku glance to him, a carefully concealed but subtly present look of concern on his features. It seemed he'd noticed as well. Arthur turned this over in his head, the mere seconds it took feeling like hours as he considered something.

If Alfred wasn't in top form, physically, mentally, or emotionally, he certainly wouldn't perform as well, right? That would simply be bad for business, and Arthur had to think of his business, of course. And how much would it matter whether his and Kiku's meeting was now or two hours from now? And, come to think of it, hadn't he just replaced his watch battery a month and a half ago? Having Alfred take a look at his watch wouldn't cost him anything, anyway, and if he could avoid having to go out and buy another battery that'd be a plus.

"Honda…." he said, slowly, then turned to Kiku, "Would you mind terribly if we postpone our meeting till a later time? I've just remembered that the battery in my watch is just a little more than a month old, so it should still be functional."

He waited for a confirmation that it was all right before he went over to the bar and offered Alfred a subtle, but reassuring, smile. "You say you've got your tools in your bag, Jones?"

Posts : 139 Join date : 2013-01-15

Popping a pen into his mouth he was just about to get back to his ever boring task of getting through this new set of worksheets he had to do when he realised Kiku and iggy still hadn't left yet. Putting his pen down he was just about to question what they were gonna do when Artie instead spoke up. Alfred brightened up when he realised Artie was going to take his offer over the watch repair, " Yup I have my tools right here"

Alfred pulled his backpack towards him and started to dig inside pulling out the set of mini tools he always carried with him. Taking the watch from Artie he used the bar table to lay it down before using his tools to remove the metal back frame. He could see what the problem was already just by examining the gears. It was loose at first but over time the screw that was holding it in place finally came free thats why even though the battery was new. There was no way that watch was gonna work.

" I see what the issue is, its one of the gears so I'll just replace it and tighten it up and you shouldn't have anymore problems with it." Alfred did just that, finding a suitable screw from his kit. He screwed it back onto the gear fastening it securely in place. The watch started ticking almost at once and Alfred handed it back to Artie with pride.

Subject: Re: Early on the job! (open) Sun Oct 13, 2013 2:45 am

Kiku observed silently, recognizing the thoughtful look that crossed Arthur's features. He had seen it many times, either when the blond needed to impart some important information to him or when he simply was considering the lineup for the evening. The look and Arthur's silence might be unnerving to some (Arthur could be intimidating), Kiku recognized it as a man whose thoughts were far more complex and thorough than his frown or furrowed brows might suggest. In mere seconds, Arthur seemed to find the answers to problems, whether they be ones that plagued the club or the performers. Arthur knew them as individuals as well as performers (he so rarely used the term 'strippers' to color them, Kiku noted), and Kiku found it easy to trust matters to the blond. He did so now, watching him quietly, curious as to what thoughts were going on in Arthur's head. He had not failed to miss the deepening of Arthur's frown as Alfred had slouched off to do his homework, and as his gaze met Arthur's again, he could almost sense the blond coming to some careful yet pleasing to all conclusion. He felt himself relaxing, though he assumed only Arthur would notice.

He turned his full attention to Arthur as the blond addressed him, and his eyes widened momentarily in both surprise and recognition. Arthur rarely if EVER postponed a meeting with him, especially if his family was concerned. Either the meeting had nothing to do with them or Arthur simply felt guilty leaving Alfred alone, and Kiku could easily guess which of the two had prompted Arthur's decision. At first not speaking, he bowed his head to Arthur, silently acknowledging and accepting his proposition. Kiku did not mind the meeting time being moved; if Arthur wished for him to wait, he would wait. "Of course, Kirkland-san." He bowed more visibly now, his expression neutral once more save for a small smile that tugged at the corners of his lips. "I wish to do what is most convenient for you." He stole a quick glance over to where Alfred was seated, indicating that he understood the hidden meaning behind Arthur's words. "Simply inform me of the details later, and I will be happy to meet with you."

He could not help but smile as Alfred's expression changed. Alfred's happiness made him feel far less concerned, and for a brief moment he found himself wondering why. He knew Alfred as Nei-chan, and she was not afraid to make her concern known. But he also knew the blond as Nara and Kaze, neither one giving much thought to Alfred aside from his role as a coworker. Kaze admittedly cared SLIGHTLY more than Nara, but he doubted the blond would be impressed with that knowledge. He watched as the blond enthusiastically offered to help Arthur fix his watch, then move to get his tools. He stole another glance over to Arthur, then moved to the bar and took a seat on one of the stools. He did not want to return home if Arthur wished to meet with him once Alfred had finished fixing his watch, but another small part of him nagged that he also did not wish to leave the sunny blond. His 'family' had given him a generally positive view of the blond, and even his short encounter with Alfred now had been memorable. He realized then that his enthusiasm to agree with Arthur's postponing of their meeting had everything to do with the opportunity to get to know Alfred better, though he could only do so if Arthur did not demand his presence immediately after the repair.

He sat and watched, fascinated and in silent admiration as Alfred worked on Arthur's watch. The blond worked quickly and confidently, and within a minute, the soft ticking of Arthur's watch could be heard even from his seat. He had not known Alfred liked tinkering with watches, though to be fair he knew very little about Alfred other than his performances. He would have to remedy that, but the thought of doing so threatened to bring a nervous flush to his cheeks. Would Alfred even like him...the real him, rather than his 'family'? Would Alfred feel deceived, knowing that Kiku had known him while he knew nothing of Kiku? He hastily pushed his concerns aside, keeping his expression neutral as he silently observed. He would not have to answer such things, since he would seldom, if ever, see Alfred besides their few chance meetings at the club. Arthur, and the few who knew his secrets, would keep them.

Subject: Re: Early on the job! (open) Sat Nov 30, 2013 12:11 am

Arthur nodded to Kiku as the other agreed, gratefulness tinging the edges of his otherwise strictly professional smile. "Thank you, Honda. I'm terribly sorry for the inconvenience." But I'm glad you understand was the unspoken thought that hung not uncomfortably in the air between them. Really, he was glad Kiku was as observant and considerate as he was, though he didn't often show it outwardly. It was easy to see how much he cared for his fellow employees, though it was clear he'd taken a special liking to Alfred. The reason for that, though, wasn't hard to fathom; Alfred was so positive it was hard sometimes not to mistake him for a ray of sunshine walking in, and his sense of fun often reflected in his performances (not that Arthur had a problem with that, of course, the patrons flocked to Alfred's shows and he didn't disappoint). It was hard for anyone not to fall at least a little bit in love with his bright nature and carefree smile.

That smile lit up Alfred's face once again as the young man reached in his bag for his tools, and Arthur was glad for it. Professionally speaking, it meant he'd be in better spirits to perform well tonight, but the club owner found it endearing to see him happier, like a child on Christmas morning. A slight urge to reach out and fondly ruffle the boy's hair came to Arthur for no apparent reason, but just as quickly passed as he reminded himself that Alfred was his employee, not some little kid. Still, he couldn't help the slight smile that tugged at his own lips, a result of the infectious one Alfred wore.

Taking a seat on a nearby barstool, Arthur watched with interest as Alfred worked with the watch. With his slim brows furrowed and the tip of his tongue poking out from the corner of his mouth in concentration, it was hard to believe this serious, focused young man was the same one who'd worn such a sunny grin just moments before. Sky blue eyes stayed trained with a practiced gaze on the task at hand, at the miniscule stems and gears that made up the complex inner workings of Arthur's wristwatch. Subtle shifts in his gaze were the only indication that he was thinking, but Alfred seemed so familiar with what he was looking at, the way a mechanic knows the inside of a car like he knows the inside of his house. It was this side of Alfred (a side Arthur hadn't seen very often) that made it clear why the boy was going into medicine; he must be as intensely skilled with the human body as he was with the tiny gears and screws in the wristwatch. So intense was his concentration and the silence as he inspected the timepiece, that Arthur nearly jumped when the younger finally perked up, that grin back in place as though he hadn't just seconds ago been so deeply absorbed.

Mere minutes had passed, and already the distinctive sound of Arthur's watch ticking came steadily and quietly from the timepiece in Alfred's capable hands. He couldn't help but be impressed by the ease and speed with which the younger had repaired it. Smiling, Arthur took the watch back from Alfred, taking in the unmistakeable look of pride in his blue eyes. "I should've come to you sooner about this, Jones," he said with a small chuckle, a little bit proud of the young man himself, "Thank you."

((I am so so sorry for the lateness of this post, aaa. I hope the post itself makes up for that a little bit. Also, I couldn't help but draw the adorable mental image of Alfred tinkering with the watch:))

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