A fruit basket sat on the floor between the twins. Laurel stared at it before finally speaking.
165Please respect copyright.PENANAd9DbLHCg89
“I guess it’s rude to regift something…”
165Please respect copyright.PENANAR8pL9WzUOg
With a mouth full of pineapple slices, Yancey replied:
165Please respect copyright.PENANA9LNL9i0j2X
“Exactly! That’s why I bought that one. I’m on my way upstairs right now. Wanna come?”
165Please respect copyright.PENANAdWawgqOKgv
“Yancey… we were told in very clear terms not to go up there.”
165Please respect copyright.PENANAdO2uQiEfEk
“Better to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission!”
165Please respect copyright.PENANAjDcAspixvd
165Please respect copyright.PENANAassxYbFvGO
That statement earned Yancey a glare from his brother as he shook his head.
“I wish I had your confidence. At least take the tag off of it first ok… the anime girl is kinda tacky.”
165Please respect copyright.PENANA3emQ6pblOj
With a thumbs up, Yancey grabbed the basket and went upstairs to introduce himself to the landlord.
165Please respect copyright.PENANAu20TJDDOlr
165Please respect copyright.PENANAI1FZK8i25z
As he knocked on the only door on this floor, he used his other hand to stash the tag into the pocket of his jacket.
165Please respect copyright.PENANA1AeFyY5YoV
The door opened to a rail thin man towering over Yancey. He looked like he just came from an underground grunge band show with his Mohawk and heavy eyeliner. A shimmer of sliver caught Yancey’s eyes, leading him to notice a single dangling cross charm on a necklace.
165Please respect copyright.PENANAAJIbFufveY
“What?”
165Please respect copyright.PENANAaXi5IaQq9P
“Oh! This is you for you!”
Yancey pushed the basket towards the man while continuing to talk.
“Me and my brother just moved in downstairs and wanted to thank you since you’re the landlord!”
165Please respect copyright.PENANAXJIXVuwKdz
He left the basket in Yancey’s hands, still glaring at the shorter man.
165Please respect copyright.PENANAny6C8LntI3
“I ain’t your landlord. Didn’t whatshisface tell you not to come up ‘ere?”
165Please respect copyright.PENANAFhSFIz6RMX
“He did! Multiple times.”
165Please respect copyright.PENANAlrCdadYHXk
“Kid, go home.”
He gave Yancey one last look before closing the door before stopping his eyes wide as it made contact with something in Yancey’s pocket.
165Please respect copyright.PENANAFvNSy9jQOL
“Oi, what else you got there?”
165Please respect copyright.PENANArM9QGSINO2
“Huh?” Yancey fished the tag out of his pocket. “Just this?”
165Please respect copyright.PENANAGdHsJVS7aa
The man snatched the tag from his hand, a grin stretched across his face.
“You didn’t tell me, you had onena these! Come on in,”
He motioned for Yancey to follow him inside as he took a closer look at the tag.
“...I’ll get Desire for ya. They’re the landlord yeah. You can put that… anywhere. Don’t…. don’t touch anything.”
165Please respect copyright.PENANAANbicSyhUf
He walked in. The place looked straight out of a period piece of the roaring 20s.
“Woah, your place is really cool…”
“It’s Desires, yeah.”
165Please respect copyright.PENANAibU5KeWIBT
He turned a corner and a few seconds later a ginger haired guy came into the room.
165Please respect copyright.PENANAFtgLBTejsG
“Hello there Yancey.”
165Please respect copyright.PENANA3QWEBLxlHR
“Hi! You must be Desire right?”
165Please respect copyright.PENANAZTj2WozxGg
He nodded and Yancey saw the punk guy go into a room and inside he saw a multitude of figures, poster, and other merch featuring the character that had been on the tag.
165Please respect copyright.PENANAmqYqMNvBOU
“So… thank you very much for letting us move in downstairs!”
165Please respect copyright.PENANAZuuhCmnXaR
Desire cocked his head to the side as a silver cross earring on a chain briefly showed from through his fluffy hair.
165Please respect copyright.PENANASrDYazThJe
“There’s more than one of you?”
165Please respect copyright.PENANAcGgVMp4AYx
“Oh! Yes, my brother Laurel! He moved in too.”
165Please respect copyright.PENANAcMUaWRV1PY
An unreadable expression adorned Desire’s face as he spoke.
165Please respect copyright.PENANAiar6cMLl5X
“Good. I hope you enjoy your time there. There’s a Dropbox in the lobby, just put the rent in there.”
165Please respect copyright.PENANAEMCTKBJEQD
Yancey nodded as Desire walked to the front door and opened it.
165Please respect copyright.PENANAibfOlv4mPV
“It was nice to meet you, Yancey. See you soon.”
165Please respect copyright.PENANAIjeintJIJW
With a smile, he bounded out of the apartment nearby crashing into a girl.
165Please respect copyright.PENANArNiDpasnQQ
“Hey! Watch it man! Almost made me spill my coffee! It’s ONLY from Moondoe!”
165Please respect copyright.PENANAzbiD4hOT7J
“Oh! Sorry!”
165Please respect copyright.PENANAFTpDfuVbks
He didn’t look too closely at the short girl, only noticing the cross painted across her shirt as he raced down the stairs with a wave.
165Please respect copyright.PENANAfO4I5xbEKw
_____________
165Please respect copyright.PENANASmSEvLOQZ2
After assuring Laurel multiple times, Yancey convinced him that everything was fine. Besides the landlord's strange name, he was a nice guy; besides who were Yancey and Laurel to judge anyone on their name?
165Please respect copyright.PENANAD7m3ADXvuj
Together they headed over to the lounge where their new found boss waited for them.
165Please respect copyright.PENANApBm8S3o5dG
“Alright, so first things first. We have a dress code here. Laurel, you’ll need at least three suits. And Yancey,” he looked the blue haired twin up and down before continuing, “You’ll just need to switch out your shirt for now.”
165Please respect copyright.PENANAoISSEZzpYq
He walked out of the office motioning them to follow him. “So Yancey, ever served drinks before?”
165Please respect copyright.PENANAExHbA3Z4YV
“Nope!”
165Please respect copyright.PENANAf98m28BYQ6
With a laugh he replied, “At least you’re honest. Alrighty we’ll have you learn today then a trial run tonight. This is the locker room, put your stuff, get a shirt, et cetera.”
165Please respect copyright.PENANAi7mnzllW1G
Looking around he didn’t seem to find who he was looking for. “I’ll take Laurel to get his suits fitted. Meanwhile, at the bar, go see Ashley. She’ll teach you ropes.”
165Please respect copyright.PENANAOtDxS5tv17
With a nod, Yancey went to get changed and Cobblepot left with the other twin.
165Please respect copyright.PENANAVK6R2Gmdsi
The shirt was a bit loose but once he tucked it into his pants he was fine. After adjusting his hair, he went to the bar where he was taught the ropes of bartending; though Ashley promised him that she would be there for half the night to help, after lunch that was.
165Please respect copyright.PENANAQrog1YglDX
165Please respect copyright.PENANAGojkbOQVHr
Laurel came back with a smile.
165Please respect copyright.PENANAdp5TKGRjuN
“He’s such a nice man.”
165Please respect copyright.PENANAsCIXGxqJFE
“Mr. Cobblepot?”
165Please respect copyright.PENANAiZoTqLLxsu
“Hm. He bought me those suits.”
165Please respect copyright.PENANALI1WmZms23
“Well he wants you to look your best!”
165Please respect copyright.PENANAe0b4ZNhzr0
Laurel nodded and chuckled. Suddenly a man came in. On either side of him were members of the GCPD. Yancey called out to them with a cheery tone.
165Please respect copyright.PENANA30ON4OSI0P
“Welcome to the lounge!”
165Please respect copyright.PENANATqaBhjvaus
“Where’s Cobblepot?”
165Please respect copyright.PENANAKWAYykHWu4
Yancey titled his head. Why were they looking for his boss? Surely nothing good…
“Oh? I think he was downstairs? Could you take them, Laurel?”
165Please respect copyright.PENANA1w55n2keZR
The twins made eye contact and Laurel nodded.
“Of course. Gentlemen, please follow me.”
165Please respect copyright.PENANAC64NmgvTsn
Laurel took the three men down the stairs while Yancey quietly went to Cobblepots office. Where he was chatting with a man Yancey didn’t recognize.
165Please respect copyright.PENANAlVySnViThw
“Excuse me, Mr. Cobblepot, the police are looking for you.”
165Please respect copyright.PENANAL2JsRrjHr6
Both men quickly turned their attention to Yancey.
165Please respect copyright.PENANAFHyHyNGJhz
“And what did you tell them?”
“I thought you were downstairs and if Laurel would take them there.”
165Please respect copyright.PENANAGxv1qMuDm2
He nodded. “Good. Alright. We have about 10 minutes max. They must be here about the Arkham breakout. Yancey, I think I will retire for the evening. Tell the officers that you misspoke and I went out to play poker with Mr. Napier this evening.”
165Please respect copyright.PENANA0FGmIsVTdU
“Joker?”
“Worry not, they’ll know what you mean.”
165Please respect copyright.PENANAIGhtA6wmOf
Yancey nodded and went back to the bar where he saw two patrons patiently waiting.
165Please respect copyright.PENANAfBGpswwoSZ
“My apologies, I was called away; what can I get you?”
165Please respect copyright.PENANAjhHu74iMS6
The officers soon came back upstairs with a confused Laurel leading them.
165Please respect copyright.PENANAn7EybzhigN
“He wasn’t there…”
165Please respect copyright.PENANAtaHs27VwMw
“Oh! Sorry, I thought of something while you all were away. He saw something about going to play some poker with a Mr. Napier?”
165Please respect copyright.PENANATwH12w7swe
The officers looked at each other, their jaws clenched while the center man handed him a card.
“Call me if you have any more information.”
165Please respect copyright.PENANAMeJSRir35V
Yancey nodded while reading the name ‘Jim Gordon: Police Commissioner’ on the card.
165Please respect copyright.PENANAiqdexfoPHN
165Please respect copyright.PENANA8V8bZXzNo1
The three of them quickly left while the twins looked at each other. Laurel spoke up first.
165Please respect copyright.PENANATN0ipTQVks
“Napier? Like Jon and Jack?”
165Please respect copyright.PENANAIyR8FOQQIj
“I think so. He for sure knows Jack. I know that much…”
165Please respect copyright.PENANA9Vg7L0efCg
Ashley came back and Laurel was told to start performing around 7 or so.
165Please respect copyright.PENANAhrGZp7n1LX
165Please respect copyright.PENANA4nY0D79N2Z
165Please respect copyright.PENANA42MJppbbO6
An hour or three came and went and Yancey was getting better but it was a godsend that there was a drink list behind the counter. He didn’t think he could possibly know all these concoctions otherwise…
165Please respect copyright.PENANAeXWASBZrsj
He was bending down looking at the list since sweet Ashley had already left with a “the guy coming in is super nice. If you need any help please just ask him!”
After find out the ingredients for a Lynchburg, he stood back up and as he locked eyes with the man in front of him, his heart skipped a beat.
165Please respect copyright.PENANAUCCIc3jIqx
It was Jon.
165Please respect copyright.PENANAsJfYk5ohEM
His brown hair was nicely combed but he still looked tired. Much like Yancey, his shirt was a bit loose. He could feel the tears prick his eyes. He had to say something, anything to stop the tears.
165Please respect copyright.PENANAmUyXfXQ51q
“Heya Jon. I missed you, so I decided to move out here, oh I brought Laurel with me. Doesn’t he sound great?”
165Please respect copyright.PENANAWmMC9iJ9HG