Kacey Trower

“Come now, no need to be so cold. With that sort of attitude people are going to think you’re no fun,” he challenged.

Kacey smoothed his hair as he approached the other man’s desk to hide the fact that he was taking quick stock of the new manager’s office. The anal amounts of tidiness and order in the space rivalled his own, although Kacey’s own version of organization was much different than this gentleman’s was.

Kacey decided to press his luck as he casually slipped his hands into his pockets, “Anyways, I thought I’d stop by and offer myself as the official welcome wagon of the pier. If you’re not busy later I could show you the sights, maybe grab a drink, and possibly get to know each other better.”

Had it been any other day, Miguel would have been enjoying his day back from his visit home. But being that he was more excited to finally be in a place he could call home… He decided to make a stop at the bar for a little relaxation. It had been a year since he had had an actual drink that wasn’t straight from the bottle. Ordering whatever the lad next to him had, Miguel made a face as the bartender slid his drink to him.

“It’s called a pornstar,” Kacey explained, “Careful, though, the vodka and blue curaçao in that drink will knock you on your ass.”

Crossing his legs as he turned toward his unlikely companion, lifting his drink in cheers as he continued, “I like it because it doesn’t taste at all like alcohol. Makes it easier to get wasted, if that’s what you’re looking for.”

Kacey quickly moved to idle chatter, “So, where have you been lately? Haven’t seen you around in a while.”

His hands woven behind his back as he cartoonishly leaned around Jaro’s shoulder to see exactly what had captured the brooding man’s attention. A wry half-smile gracing his lips as Kacey righted himself, leaning in close to murmur, “Are you scared they’re here for you, Jaro?”

His smile slipped slightly when he realized Jaro seemed to be ignoring him. Banishing the feeling away with a throaty giggle, his fingertips reaching for the small of Jaro’s back. His touch meandering up Jaro’s spine until finally settling on the crook of Jaro’s neck. Tip-toeing slightly up to speak near Jaro’s ear, louder this time, “Are you worried they’ll find your fun-geon?”

As she waiting on her drink, the red head pulled her sleeves down a bit, and shifted her hair with her fingers, trying to still hide the bandages on her cheek and arms. Blue eyes sweeping around her and scoping out the area. It was still a bit of a culture shock for her to be stateside. Everything was so different from both her home and from the facility, but she was hardly about to complain about it. Different was what she was needing.

The bartender placed her drink in front of her, and as she took the first sip, it was like warmth chasing the cold from the inside out. Always an instantly relaxing sensation for her. Merindah’s eyes lifted up to watch the TV screen over head, all channels, of course, switched to some sports game or another that she didn’t care anything for. However, as a stranger sat down in the seat beside her, she couldn’t help but flick her eyes over curious before looking away once more, not wanting to be one to stare.

This night was an exhausting one, having left his jacket in his office and electing to peruse the strip as he was. Usually he would rather keep his work and personal life completely separated, even down to making sure his outward appearance matched as such, but today from his slightly loosened red tie to his mirror polished shoes betrayed that ideal.

Sliding casually up to an empty seat at the bar, thankfully meeting the bartender right away as he just served the woman who was sitting beside him and asking for his usual. A small smile flickering at the corner of his lips as he noticed the red-head beside him fidget slightly. Queries bouncing around his mind as he wondered about this new stranger he had discovered, and figuring she didn’t seem to want to be noticed at this moment. 

Resting his chin on the back of his knuckles as he quietly snorted in distain as Kacey focused on the televisions above the bar. Most of the sports shows being broadcast were of little interest, except for one. He had actively avoided watching any televised races up until this point, only keeping updated in his previous field of employment through articles and basic rankings once a race was completed. His eyes dancing around the screen as he heavily scrutinized the colourful and heavily decorated race cars on screen. A young up-and-coming racer seemed to have a point to prove as he recklessly bobbed and weaved between the other cars. The driver, Mc-whatever-it-was, seemed to have a death wish as he was driving with little actual skill among the seasoned drivers on the NASCAR track. 

Kacey had difficulty hiding the contempt on his features, particularly in his gaze as he was glued to the screen. His attention was snapped as the bartender brought him his dark yet colourful drink, forcing a smile and a nod as he took a deep drink. Setting the glass down gently and tapping his fingers lightly over the cool glass in thought, letting out a sigh as he murmured, “I can’t believe the amateurs they allow in nowadays. Serves me right, I suppose.”

Kacey glanced over to the company beside him, catching her eye as he continued and shrugged, “Enter a sports bar, and you’re going to be bombarded with all of them.”

His smile warmed as he found a new source of distraction, “What about you? Which of these,” Kacey gestured fluidly toward the plethora of screens, “Was the one that drew you in here?”

Though she stifled a laugh, there was no hiding her bloody red smirk, “Smooth move, slick.” she teased, “You’re sittin’ there making a new born deer on ice look graceful.”

Having Zoey mocking him agitated him faster than usual, scoffing as he quickly brushed the dust and debris off of himself as best as he could, “Grace isn’t something I strive for, even if it would’ve helped in this instance. Although, a modicum of class is something everyone should aspire toward, including you. Shouldn’t you be lurking in a dark alleyway somewhere?”

Having taken some time away from work and his life at the Pier was sobering for the older man. Hearing the news that his father had recently passed was sobering in itself. It was something that Jaro had never seen coming, if he were being completely honest with himself. He had always sort of seen his father as this immortal being that lived on for his mother and did all the things she would have wanted to do in her life. Being an infant at her funeral, Jaro remembered nothing of what it was like. Sure, he had attended more funerals in his lifetime. But all of those were facades he had faceted into the scene. Never truly seeing the women he had buried.

It was true to say that he was the reason for the funerals in the first place. Unable to keep his urges to crack them open at bay. Or driving them mad and they had often taken their own lives. These were the reasons that police were often involved with him. Investigating his penthouses and his places of work only to find that these were merely a strange and otherworldly coincidence.

Upon reaching the Pier once again, the suave man had found himself making a casual appearance at his friend’s place of work. Jaro leaned against the metal that kept the bumper cars in their area. His weight making them creak and the cold November air causing him to shiver inwardly as he waited for the familiar face.

His staff knew not to bother him while he was in the zone of getting his hands dirty, and as he left the housing unit at dusk he one of his staff approached and told him about the man waiting outside. His curiosity piqued as he nodded silently in thanks, walking around the operator's booth he quickly spotted his welcomed visitor.

His smile was soft and crooked as he casually approached his tall dark friend, chuckling softly, “I wouldn’t lean there if I were you, who knows when the last time it was cleaned.”

His smile dropped slightly as he continued, “I haven’t seen my favorite playmate in a while, was almost wondering if you’d forgotten about me. Where have you been?”

She arrived in style and headed straight for the bar, ordering herself a drink. Leaning up against it, she glared at everyone, wondering why in the hell they weren’t all drunk already. It was a party for goodness sakes. Where was all the fun?

“Why ya lookin’ at me like that, sweetheart? I ain’t the one slakin’ on the fun. Either have a drink with me or start a dance party. I’m about to get mighty bored.”

Quietly thanking the bartender as he received his third drink of the night, swirling the liquid around to mix the layers of blue and red into a deep and poisonous purple. Taking a sip as he sighed contentedly, his eyes dilated enough from the pre-party fun that the blue of his irises was barely noticeable from a distance.

“You’re right, though,” he commented flippantly, “This party is more boring than I’m used to. Making it a black tie affair doesn’t really help that much, I imagine.”

Mindy didn’t know what exactly she was even doing here at his place, considering from what she could tell Kacey and her didn’t get along super great. But she knew he secretly wanted her apartment and since she was selling it, and moving to a more darker location she figured he would be the best person to offer it to. As she rode the elevator down to his floor she looked down at the pieces of paper that would hopefully help her get his attention his father’s obituary and his cheating scandal if that didn’t make him let her in to explain her case she didn’t know what would. 

Sighing as the elevator dinged letting her know she was on the right floor, she got out and made her way to his door mentally preparing herself for dealing with his ego which was about as big as hers used to be. Finding his door finally, she breathed a sigh of relief, before banging on the door loudly not caring if he was asleep or not. “ Listen you egotistical brat, I have stuff on you like daddy dearest obit and how you cheated. So you either let me in so I can gift you my house, so I can get away from creeper Jaro or I will knock this door down.” 

Just as he fell deeper into the soft music he was unceremoniously ripped from it by the banging on the door. His annoyance was obviously painted across his features as he rose from the leather couch, his violin still in hand as he stormed the front door. Kacey intended to tell the offending person to piss off until he heard the shouts and threats from the other side. Eyes rolling to the heavens as one of his biggest annoyances had happened upon his doorstep. Smoothing his features slightly as he opened the door to face the bleached-blonde woman, scoffing slightly as he stated, “Congratulations, you know how to use Google. Very impressive.”

The only things wandering Kacey’s machine-like mind were her offer to give him her penthouse apartment, the one piece of information about himself that he was surprised she picked up on, and the clear mention of his favorite plaything. Sighing roughly as he opened the door wider and stepping aside so she could enter, frustrated that she was able to have captured his attention so easily.

“Please, come inside,” he offered as he shut the door behind her. Walking purposefully back to his seat in the living area and quietly returning to his tune. Eyes flicking up at his uninvited guest as he quirked a brow, “This seems like such a rash decision, but maybe that’s not unusual coming from you. However, I’m curious exactly what this ‘creeper’ has done to force you to leave so quickly. If I so graciously take over your apartment would I have to be worried about someone loitering around?”

She adjusted the sleeves of her flannel to hide her still bandaged wounds, though there was still a bright white bandage patching her cheek. How she managed to get herself a job in this place, she still wasn’t sure, but at least she had something for right now. Plus what she still had left from uncanceled credit cards and a bit of cash. She could keep going on that for a little while until she got paid. 

Merindah’s eyes shifted once more as the bartender sat her drink down before her, and a stranger sat beside her. Though unlike her drink, she tried to pay no mind to the stranger.

Stirring the blue and red of his drink together with the straw he had been given, creating a cloud of vibrant purple in the glass before taking a sip. His nose scrunching up as he noticed the strong swill in the hand of the young woman sitting beside him. She was a beauty in her own right, Kacey could appreciate that much, but he noticed her natural features were disrupted with a stark white bandage trailing along her cheekbone.

He couldn’t help but notice a certain tenseness about the red-headed woman, as if she were purposefully keeping to herself. His curiosity always getting the better of him as he muttered almost to himself, “Never understood how some can find the taste of straight alcohol appealing.”

His eyes flicked up to meet hers, his features softening with slight concern as he asked, “Are you alright? You don’t seem to be enjoying yourself much.”

It was the beginning of the day and Emily was getting ready to start to play for the day. She was grateful to be playing for a living because she loved it. She loved the feeling of the instruments in her hands, the notes as they hit the air, the familiar feeling that washed over her as she finished a song.

She was setting up as she spotted someone walking by who seemed to be eyeing her violin. “Do you play?” She questioned, curiously.

As he was making his way to his office he spied a new face on the pier, dressed accordingly for a pier musician and preparing her instrument. It wasn’t an unusual sight for the musicians to set up shop, and he usually would simply walk past them going about his business. This time, though, he spied the young woman carefully preparing her instrument of choice. The aged violing caught his eye, reminding him of the one he had carefully stored in his home. 

She proved herself observant when he heard murmur her question to him, smiling softly as he nodded, “Indeed. I only play for my own enjoyment, but I wouldn’t snub my nose at an opportunity to hear any bow dance across the strings. Although, I would very much enjoy taking a moment to hear you play if you would humor me.”