Bad Day (Victor/Casual) FINISHED

[SEBASTIAN TIMOTHY MARTIN]

What a God awful mess.

Not that he fully believed in God, but having it the Creator's doing made it all the more bearable. Maybe it wasn't all his fault, like the back of his mind told him. Maybe being blamed for all this was a mistake, and he could just apologize and go home, happy as a clam?

But how do you apologize to the dead?

Seriously, how can you? They're dead, so they don't have to worry about anything. Not like the living do. Now that he thought about it, the dead got off easy. No more stress, no more sadness. It seemed kind of peaceful. Maybe he should try it sometime...

'NO! Snap out of it stupid! You thought of that once before. Remember how that turned out?'

True. He had thought of killing himself. Death would be the better option. But he had more important things to do than die. What was one bad day for him compared to an eternity of nothingness for so many others?

"Martini, please..." Sebastian groaned to the bartender, slamming his head lightly down on the counter. "On the double."

Why...? WHY? Why couldn't he fucking do anything right? Why couldn't he save that girl, why couldn't she have lived? He was right there. She was mere feet away.

But he was always too scared to step any further when the murderer was still there. He wasn't a fighter. He was a protector. All he wanted to do was save her, but the man wouldn't have it.

Sebastian had to leave her in the cold alley to die. He had run away, just like he always did with his problems. He'd hide himself in comic books and loud music, and for what? To know that he was alive and well? He knew that already, sadly. He was well aware that he breathed, drank, ate, slept, fucked, cursed, sinned, thought, and loved like other people. But why the hell did he deserve it when that girl... that LITTLE girl... didn't?

"I want to die..." He moaned.

[JACK THE RIPPER]

"I want to die..."

That was something Victor heard around here a lot; the ever-present visitor to the bar, too fed up with their life to deal with it. Every bar had one, sometimes a regular, often times not. This man, though, was new. And slightly effeminate, it seemed.

He hadn't been observing him, though. No, all of these assessments were made within the few moments Victor had prior to being noticed when he walked out of the 'Employees Only' door. He was good at lightning-quick observations, but couldn't help wonder what was wrong with the guy.

"I want to die...."

It was something he'd heard a lot, yes. And something he'd said a few times as well, namely while very sick...but very little of the times he'd said it, he actually meant it. Perhaps this man did.

Victor walked behind the bar, going to search for something under one of the counters. The bartender ignored him, as it was normal for his boss to help around at the bar. Unlike most people, Victor knew how hard working the bar was. "Slow day today," he said conversationally.

Victor snorted. "Don't I know it. Let's hope all our paychecks don't suffer, eh? The bar's gotten the most business, so you're in luck."

"You're damn right," he replied, sounding slightly relieved.

Victor straightened up again, still arranging things on the counter.

[SEBASTIAN TIMOTHY MARTIN]

Sebastian listened to the conversation, mostly uninterested, though he peeked up to look at the newcomer. He paid no attention to the bartender, as he'd seen him when he stumbled in the bar. He didn't really care then, since all he'd wanted was a drink.

What he didn't expect when he looked up was the face of a God. The other man, the one who had walked in, was like Adonis personified. Sebastian's eyes widened at this man's sheer beauty. The way his eyes darted back and forth in a rhythmic dance, the way he chuckled with intense power, yet subdued to the confines of the bar, the way his strong jaw and fine lips moved when he spoke.

Okay, so normally he wouldn't do this. Sure, he liked to look at guys now and then, the same way straight guys looked at girls, and vice versa. But this guy was something else. He held almost enough distraction in those icy blue eyes of his to make him forget about what had happened earlier.

But of course he couldn't. With that one quick glance of perfection, he slammed his head back down on the counter in agony. He wouldn't allow himself to forget what he'd done... Or rather, what he DIDN'T do. That was the real punchline there. When he didn't act, he unleashed a hell of a lot of hurt for so many people. Why did he deserve to check out this guy in a bar when he couldn't even save a little girl?

(Emo!Sebastian to the rescue)

[JACK THE RIPPER]

Victor looked up when he heard Sebastian's head thunk against the bar. Lord, he must really be in a bad way. He turned to him and leaned against the counter, trying to look sympathetic. "Long day, buddy?" he asked, running his tongue along the very bottoms of his top teeth in thought.

The bartender beside him repressed a snicker and then left to bring a whole tub of dirty glasses to the place where they'd get a thorough washing. Now Victor and Sebastian were alone.

Victor had no idea that Bastian was interested in him in any way. Sure, he'd been told he was really handsome before, but he thought his particular look only appealed to women. He'd never really been hit on by a man before...he would blame that on frequently having a woman on his arm, though.

[SEBASTIAN TIMOTHY MARTIN]

"Long day, buddy?" he heard the gorgeous man say. He lifted his head up from being buried in his arms a little to see the man closer than he was before... MUCH closer. Too close.

He jumped back a little, shaking his head of the migraine that was forming so he could think clearly. "I... Y--You startled me," he muttered. He rubbed the back of his neck and furrowed his eyebrows, his eyes flitting with stolen glances into those predator-like pools of silver. Sebastian was more than a little embarrassed, to say the least. He blushed a little pink, and rubbed his hands in his lap, glancing around the bar slowly so as to avoid the man's eyes.

"Y... Yes, I guess you could say that..." he answered the man's question, gulping a little. "Now, if you don't mind... I'd like my martini, please. I've been waiting long enough." He looked straight down, assuming the cool calm that he put on when he felt the need to. He didn't want this guy to see how enamoured with him he was.

He stole one more glance up to those eyes and flashed a quick, but sad smile.

[JACK THE RIPPER]

Victor flickered a big smirk at Sebastian. He was acting like little girls did when they were around him, except he hadn't giggled yet. So he was gay. Well, Victor would humor him.

"He was supposed to get it for you," he observed, then stood up straight. "I guess I will."

Even though Victor ran the bar, he had plenty of experience in mixing drinks himself. Actually, he was damn good at it. So he took up a clean martini glass from the rack above his head and began to prepare the drink right where Sebastian could watch. In a minute flat, the drink was done and he slid it over to the customer.

"What's the trouble, then?" he asked finally, as was custom for the barkeep.

[SEBASTIAN TIMOTHY MARTIN]

Sebastian ran a hand through his hair while Victor was making the drink, sighing. He gladly took the drink once pushed to him, sipping it lightly. He normally didn't like alcohol, but the events of the day called for it. He flinched a little at its bitter taste, but soon adjusted himself around the flavor of the drink. "Thanks..." He muttered.

"What's the trouble, then?" the man said. Sebastian snorted, swirling his drink around slowly. Like he'd want to know. No one would ever want to know. That was probably why he had no real friends. He didn't want to tell anyone why he would suddenly space out in the middle of a conversation, suddenly excuse himself, and not be heard from again for hours. No one would believe him. So why should he tell this man? Gorgeous he may be, he was still a stranger to him.

"Trouble? What trouble?" He said cooly, sucking up his drink slowly as he stared Victor directly in the eye.

[JACK THE RIPPER]

Victor sly smile was ever-present as he stared back at him. "Well, people who come in in your state always have a reason, and it's always a bad one." He shrugged. "Most of them get right to blabbering about it, too."

"What?" he teased. "Your wife break up with you?"

It was a mean thing to say, and he knew it--not exactly mean, but stinging. The smile that followed the statement made his eyes sparkle with a kind of sick glee that was attractive and horrifying at the same time. This man really was something else...

[SEBASTIAN TIMOTHY MARTIN]

"Most of them get right to blabbering about it, too."

Sebastian rolled his eyes. "Well unlike most people, I happen to be reserved," he offered, taking a sip of his martini. He looked down at the drink, running a finger along the rim. "Besides... You don't want to hear about my problems."

"What?" he teased. "Your wife break up with you?"

He snorted, nodding. "Right... Wife. That's rich." He smirked at the man. "If I had one, I'm sure she would. I suppose I'm not the best company, in the long run." He shrugged. Looking into the man's eyes were like looking into sparkling pools of water... Not just any water. Fierce rapids.

"What about you, then? You have a wife?" He was sure he did. Either that or he had a girlfriend. This guy was too gorgeous to be single. He was too manly to be gay. Sebastian could be wrong, though. He could have a chance.

'Chance, what chance? As soon as they find out about you and your... gift, Sebastian... Either they go running or they end up dead.'

He sighed, taking another long sip of his drink.

[JACK THE RIPPER]

"Besides... You don't want to hear about my problems."

Victor shrugged a bit. "I was a bartender for awhile before I owned this place, you know. Listening to peoples' problems has become my job...thus, I'm not too great with advice." He shrugged again and leaned back, crossing his arms.

"What about you, then? You have a wife?"

He ran a hand through his hair thoughtfully and then said, "No... no, I don't." He didn't even technically have a girlfriend...I mean, there was Adrienne, but she hadn't expressed any desire to carry on with a relationship, and she was out with some lawyer, so he'd heard. But she'd come back in soon, he was sure. Not for sex, sure, but she'd want a friend at some point in time...and he would be there, waiting to snag her.

He was a scary friend, if you got close; possessive, which, in a way, was more scary than a possessive lover. But that never happened with male friends, only women-- he was somehow and strangely always bordering on The Friend Zone with his female friends, with some casual sex here and there. They were ashamed about it, while he felt entitled to it.

[SEBASTIAN TIMOTHY MARTIN]

"I was a bartender for awhile before I owned this place, you know."

Sebastian's eyes widened. This guy was the OWNER of this place? He felt like a total idiot now, blushing and fumbling around him. He could have him kicked out if he ever made a move on him. He hadn't planned to, but still, it was a little unsettling.

He was going to say, when Victor said he didn't have a wife, that that was too bad, since he was a very handsome man. But now he wasn't so sure. He was probably straight, anyway, and it would make him feel weird, having a gay guy flirt with him. He didn't normally flirt in the first place, but he was oddly attracted to this man, more so than usual.

"You... You don't seem like the type to be single. You probably have a girlfriend, don't you?"

[JACK THE RIPPER]

Victor shook his head, adopting a small smirk. "What do you mean I don't 'seem like the type'?" he asked in a low voice. It almost sounded...suggestive.

Yes, Victor was leading him on. It wasn't as if he was ever going to see this guy again, so there was no harm in it, and he enjoyed being generally cruel; he didn't plan to stop leading him on until he started flirting. Oh, how he would laugh!

He could only imagine the things running through the man's brain, not that he really wanted to. He seemed timid, though, so was probably questioning this whole situation. Victor's grin made him look slightly amused at his confusion, but all the while just drop-dead sexy.

[SEBASTIAN TIMOTHY MARTIN]

"I just mean that you own a bar. You would think girls would be lined up to be yours, right?" he suggested, not looking him in the eye. He wouldn't flirt. He wasn't the type to. He wanted to, but it was usually those times that he started to have visions, and he didn't want to freak this guy out.

"It's my experience that men with power tend to attract women. Not that that's any judgment of your character, just an observation," he said matter of factly. The comment may have seemed flirtatious, but it was far from it. Sebastian was an observant man. He didn't like to guess or imagine things. He'd always be collecting data in his mind, and deducing the most possible outcome. Sometimes he was wrong, but every scientist makes mistakes.

Though the way Victor talked to him was HIGHLY suggestive. He would have to do something fast or else he would be lead away to a dark alley by a tall, dark and handsome stranger. Not that'd he'd mind. It would get his mind off things.

But Sebastian had principles.

[JACK THE RIPPER]

Victor shrugged, analyzing his words carefully. No, he wasn't flirting yet...and that wouldn't do. For some reason, Victor had to have everyone on their knees for him, whether he'd actually use them or not. It didn't add to the safety from being caught, but it amused him to no end.

"Even if they did line up, I don't just choose like that...I like to actually like my date. You know." He said it as though Sebastian must have a ton of experience with that, as if he were talking to an equal dating-wise. Victor probably got more action in a month than Sebastian had in a year, even in 'dry spells'.

Victor wasn't attracted to this man, really--he wasn't gay. He wasn't really anything, if you got right down to it. He craved the lust, the adrenaline, and he would get that effect whether his partner was a man or a woman. It didn't matter either way to him, considering he wasn't attracted to either side. Whores and thieves, lust and adrenaline.

[SEBASTIAN TIMOTHY MARTIN]

"Yeah... Yeah, right," Sebastian agreed. He didn't know if it was right or not. Every boyfriend he had either left him or died. Well, only one died. But he didn't want to think about that.

He didn't really want anyone. Not when his visions and work took up most of his time. He just didn't have enough hours in the day for love. He didn't even think true love existed, so why should he bother pretending in a fake romance, simply put on by pleasure and lust? Not that he didn't like sex. On the contrary, he enjoyed it. But what good were relationships when they don't last?