Jack's | tag: victor/INACTIVE

[ricketts]

bite your tongue;

'Get outta the road, kid!'

The sound was eloquently audible, though Henry remained unaware that in this or any manner whatever he had shed a light upon his thoughts; for it was his lifelong innocent conviction that other people saw him only as they wished to see him, and hear from him only what they intended to be heard. At home it was always Kitty who pulled down the shades on their windows.

He cut across the rest of the road quickly, stopping on the edge of the curb and looking straight on. Over the short-brick building, letting out a single compacted breath through tightened lips. Jack's.

Other pedestrians found the place with charm, though approval may have been lacking here and there, and at the first crossing Henry suffered what he might have accounted an actual injury, had he allowed himself to be so sensitive. It made him think of the latest thing no longer in his possesion; a job. He approached that thought with an uncongenial look naively made too evident. His round, wan eyes seemed roused to bitter life as they rose from the curved pavement to the double-doors. His former employer, manager of the video store, had not seen sympathy for Henry's exhausted appearance and continuous wave of absenses. It plainly appeared to the man as a decoration not more astounding than it was insulting.

So Henry was fired.

He looked serious for a few moments after the little encounter with that memory, then found some consolation in the behaviour of a gentleman, in a working uniform to which Henry realised he had entered the place some moments ago, who was coming toward him. The paranoid one, he had begun to show consciousness of his approach while he was yet afar off; but his tokens were of a kind pleasanter.

Politely, he asked him, 'Can I help?'

To which Henry seemed to brighten, 'Yeah, yeah. Um, I'm lookin' fer Victor Griffiths - is 'e around d'ye know?'


(Fweee~ Godmod the bardude all ya like.)

[JACK THE RIPPER]

The young man looked behind him a moment, as if to check something. "Ummm...I don't think he's here. Wait here a moment, let me check." He disappeared through a swinging door, to what looked and sounded like the kitchen. A corner of the bar erupted in laughter, where a small group of business men were having a discussion over wine.

"Well, he'll never find me there," said a voice to Henry's right. Victor had just walked through the double doors, setting a black brief case on the emerald counter of the bar and popping it open. "I think I'm gonna fire him. He never was able to keep track of anything." He shuffled around some papers and then shut the case again, looking up at Henry.

"Welcome to Jack's," Victor said with a proud smile, gesturing around with one hand while he pulled the leather glove off the other with his teeth.

The first thing that stuck out was the bar itself; it looked like a sight that would be magnificent at nighttime, all lit up, the light shining through the various bottles and making different colors. Most of the bottles were an emerald green, much like the counter, but some were clear. Martini and wine glasses hung upside-down above the bar, glinting in the sunlight that was coming through the wide windows--they looked quite a bit like diamonds where they were placed. Below them, black and emerald bar stools sat in a neat line, not one of them cracked or damaged. The man kept good care of this place.

To the left of the bar was a low stage with a thin thrust; a classic black with thin red curtain. Around the thrust and to each side were high tables that matched the color scheme of the bar. Most of them sat only two, but a few of them were set up for groups.

So Victor hadn't been exaggerating when he'd told Henry and Kitty that it was a classy place. "What do you think?" he asked, leaning on the bar with a smirk. "Think you can work here?"

[ricketts]

Scarcely had Henry recovered from the blow; and he would need all his courage when the hour came. He was not charismatic, or all that charming when it came to such dealings, having only clung to his previous job by the width of a hair. Sitting on a stool, he drew in his lips and stared fixedly at a corner of the ceiling; fist clenched upon the counter and looking unaffectedly worried.

However, he was not alone for long. The commencement of Victor's presence was slightly abrupt, and Henry had failed to notice him as he did the waiter which caused him mild surprise. There was a rustle of paper, which he had evidently prepared and entered into the more preliminary conversation. It was impossible not to feel more interest in the room now that it was being pointed out to him, and he had a glance around. It was arranged and decorated just as Victor had promised, to which Henry made a tight-lipped hum of approval. 'It's lovely, y'weren't lyin'.' He said, meeting him again with an accustomed pleasant air - saying nothing to interrupt, until gradually he recollected himself, looked pensive as he spoke, and subsided.

Afterward he stood from the stool, regarding him with a slow, sweet smile, which came from one of the kindest hearts in the world. 'You know my angle, then.' He cast a bit of a daunted laugh and added, 'But uhm, I got a heads up sayin' t' give yer place a go. So, y'know, if you'll 'ave me then yea', I think I'd work here.'

[JACK THE RIPPER]

"Ah!" Victor exclaimed, obviously in a very good mood for whatever reason. "I crave a good opinion." His eyebrows rose a moment, regarding Henry curiously, and then he looked back down at his briefcase.

That boy was hiding something, and damned if Uncle Jack wouldn't find out what it was. He was so timid...and it was genuine, that was certain. There was something, though, just underneath his skin that even Victor would have a hard time facing. What was it, though, was the driving question! With a barely-noticeable grimace, he picked up the black case and gestured to a door just right of the bar that donned a sign: 'Employees Only'.

"Shall we make this official, then?" he asked with a deep breath. The bar smelt like winter, still, even with the heat on. This was displeasing, but he didn't let it bother him, pushing open the door for Henry. It led to a rather short hallway, carpeted and decorated the same as the bar.

((My posts are all wimpy compared to yours xD))

[ricketts]

Henry couldn't help feeling strangely embarrassed by Victor's excessive friendliness. A suspicion crossed his mind when faced with just how easy it was to get a hold of this job, but he was far too grateful to provoke. All that happened was he assented him with an inquiring look, but understood well enough to ask no further questions. A faint smile brought itself.

He seemed to have caught a touch of derision from standing from the stool, and scratched the back of ear with his index finger. 'That'd be grand, yeah.'

Looking from Victor to the door, Henry stepped through as tactfully gestured and was, as was his habit in all moments of great trial, assuming an aspect unnaturally drawn back. That was something other employers found lacking - no young fierce spirit just bursting out. He remarked thoughtfully after having a quick glance around, 'This room in't bad either.' Though Henry was half repentant all the while, Victor seemed eager, that made no further questioning or objection possible.


(Sorry for the blatant suck tonight. Dunno what happened >>)

[JACK THE RIPPER]

"Well, room, hallway," Victor said, nodding and waving his hand in a rolling fashion. "All the same thing, really!" They were, indeed, in a hallway. As Victor walked down it, he shifted the briefcase to the other hand to scratch his arm through his coat.

Henry couldn't tell, but Victor wasn't smiling. Most men would feel slimy hiring a poor man just to get to his girlfriend, but Victor didn't, and he was planning on using the girlfriend for very different purposes. He had only met the couple a few days ago, but had already started the process of learning about this Kitty person. She didn't seem to have any history, though, so it was hard. No name. He had taken instead to researching Henry, finding out his weaknesses. And, oh, was he weak.

Victor finally reached a door near the end of the hall, pulling a ring of keys out of his pocket and flipping through them. After a moment, he unlocked the door and pushed it open, letting Henry in first.

The office was nice; it smelled like mahogany and there were books everywhere, even if it was rather small. The desk was littered with random papers and news clippings, as well as six open medical journals, piled randomly on top of one another in various places. An apple laptop was tossed into a chair, and as Victor entered, he moved it from its place, precariously onto a stack of two of the medical journals.

"Sit where you like."