maskormenace | ☂

[Vanya is so woefully anti-social media it's laughable. She has no idea how Instagram or Twitter works, and she deleted her Facebook years ago, after a failed attempt to reconnect with people she went to school with. It's okay; they didn't really notice. Friendship is a thing she struggles with even in person, and when you add the interpretation fogginess of the internet, well...point is, why make a bad situation worse, right?

She doesn't really have a choice, here, and hey, she hates it. Holding her communicator in hand and trying to prepare some kind of message, knowing that it's likely to go entirely unanswered makes her want to just throw the whole thing in the trash.

There's nothing to do for it but hold her nose and dive in; V would rather be swimming, and she hates swimming.]

Does any--

[No, that's dumb. And it's already recording. Shit. She exhales, tries to smile; it doesn't really reach her eyes, and doesn't linger long.] I guess...I'm trying to figure out how jobs work, here. [So much of what they told her fell on deaf ears - and she is trying really hard not to think about the irony of that, or she will start crying right now - and now she's starting to feel the panic of living someplace brand new, with very few resources.]

I got assigned to the-- [She pauses, struggling to remember before it comes to her:] Make It Rain Casino? But I can't - I can't perform.

[I lost my violin, she wants to say, or I think I killed a lot of people, I can't ever play again, but both of those thoughts make her want to delete this whole thing.] I guess if anyone has any openings, anywhere, or can point me at a...a job board or something...

[Well, this has been a hideous part of her day. She tries and fails to smile again, and decides to just leave it alone.]

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[Oh. It's another one. Ben--or was it Diego?--did say there was a bunch of them.]

See you then.

[More than there should be, less than there could be. At least Dad didn't manage to buy all forty-odd of them. Vanya nods, even smiles a little before she rings off.

And later, not long after eight, she makes her way to The Crimson Mist. She's the kind of customer - well, the kind of person, really, who doesn't draw much attention and is used to being ignored. That's more or less what V expects when she slips into the bar, though she does scan for Kirk.]

[Kirk notices her come in, but is too busy to get to her for a few minutes. He does indeed seem to be telling the truth about the absurdity of his bar--there are just as many people in cut off plaid and trucker hats as there are wannabe draculas. The two sides seem to be keeping to themselves, but don't seem like they're actively going to be causing trouble for the other group, either.

One of the guests, from the decidedly "Roadhouse" portion of the bar, starts to approach Vanya's table, though Kirk manages to grab his shoulder.]

David, we've talked about personal boundaries. [He flashes a smile, full of fang.] Buy a drink, see if she accepts, then go over.

[The man stammers a bit, but goes back to his table. Distraction gone, he looks over at Vanya, his smile more subdued, and far more genuine.]

Welcome to the Crimson Mist. Can I get you anything tonight?

[Vanya watches the approach from the corner of her eye, and it kicks up a lot of ugly, unpleasant feelings. Bail, she thinks, then decides she's not going to be scared off and wonders if she should just speed things up and try to throw him out the front door now.

She doesn't linger on that thought: V doesn't know what to think about how powerful it makes her feel.

But Kirk intervenes before she has to make a choice, and - was that - she could swear--

She's still staring when he turns his attention on her.]

Uh - uh.

[Okay. Breathe. She bites her tongue for a second, inhales through her nose.] A...beer? [She doesn't even know what brands exist in this universe, and who cares what it is when there's apparently a vampire around.]

[Kirk notices the look--he always notices "The Look"--but his face betrays nothing as he carries on in a professional manner.]

Tap or bottle? We have a few craft beers on tap as well as your standard bud, corona, and heineken.

[He's got a better poker face than she does, that's for sure. V's still jittery when she shrugs.]

Doesn't matter. Whatever's cheapest, I guess, since...[y'know. The whole job thing.]

I can spot you one on the house. [He looks over at David, back at his table with his buddies.] Hell, I'm pretty sure I could stick it on that idiot's tab and he wouldn't notice.

Are you sure?

[Vanya follows his gaze, and there's a part of her that's absolutely fine with that, and the consequences if Kirk is wrong: he couldn't bother her if he tried.

It's a very, very small part, and a very new voice making the argument. Easier to avoid it.]

I wouldn't want to...uh, impose.

It's not a bother. What would you like?

[He hands her their liquor menu.]

[She takes the menu, but only glances at it briefly: decisions are not her forte, so rather than spending much too long overthinking his generosity, she picks the first thing she sees, a pretty basic IPA on tap.]

Thank you. You're - that's really generous. So what - I mean, you were right, it's like people showed up for two different bars.

[Kirk nods his head at the thanks before looking out at the patrons again.]

I both do and don't want to know what the hell happened that led to this, but I've been leaning towards "ignorance is bliss" for the time being.

I guess that's a good approach. [She pauses to look out over the eclectic crowd, tipping her head to one side.]

They really don't get into it with each other?

From time to time, but it's usually personal beefs, or idiots who don't listen to their friends when it comes to the unspoken rule of "don't start what you can't finish." The regulars appear to have come to some sort of understanding before my time, and pass the word along to the newer ones.

That's good.

[She's a pro at milquetoast answers and noncommittal gestures. Which is why, after a hesitation, she adds,]

Do you mind if I, um - get back to you, about the job? I've never...been a waitress before, and I don't know if it's something I'd be good at.

[She practically winces after she says it, flashing back to a high school guidance counselor telling an assembly all the dos and don'ts of job interviews. Hopefully all of that goes on hold when you get dragged into another universe.]

[Kirk understands both of those things incredibly well. So much so he barely notices them.]

I didn't think I could ever be a bartender either, but to answer your question, it's not going to be a problem. Take your time to think about it and get back to me. It isn't a particularly exciting job, not like what a lot of the others have, so I won't be offended if you find something better.

[He flashes Ben and Luther's sister a smile he hopes is reassuring, but damned if he knows whether or not he actually nailed it.]

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