"...He's sort of put me on this forced break from my job, and the station has too. I can still look after Franky, I've done it for years, but... he's forcing me to take a break, so I guess he needs a new guard until I'm better. I could put a good word in, if 'ya like? We could totally go over there now and he can interview you. Honestly, he's real casual with interviews. He hired me within five minutes, and I was a fucking nervous wreck," he smiled, pushing a few coins over to the bartender when the beer finally made an appearance, leaving no money for a tip for the man. After the service (or lack thereof), the bartender didn't deserve anything from him, and the look of annoyance on his face at least gave Kyle a little amusement.

"Hey, he needs a guard and you're eager, so why wait, right? Besides, I have a way of, like, convincing him, so if he's on the fence, I can totally make sure you get the job," he promised as he made his way back to the table, beckoning Sanghai after him, unaware that the whole thing was planned and he had fallen right into it. "Franky, this is-- well, I don't know his name yet, but we just met and he's real nice and he's looking for a job, so I thought, y'know, you could interview him. I want to make sure you aren't too harsh on the guy. You need a guard ASAP, and he's eager to do that for 'ya."
 
To be suddenly tugged along to Franky so quickly was a tad bit startling, he realized, especially when sat in front of Franky. The man was intimidating simply through his confidence though Sanghai has his own overpowering confidence and simply offered a smile as Franky watched.

“My name is Sanghai,” he simply replied. There was no reason to lie - he practically didn’t exist, especially not to everyone else. Hell, even Leopold would be completely unknown to anyone but Franky, especially when he and his friends were all assumed to be dead. So, with a smile and a firm handshake, he took Franky’s hand in his.

“Sanghai.” Murmured Franky as he watched the two. Hesitating a tad, Franky was a bit wary of the stranger. Why wouldn’t he be? Nonetheless, he motioned the man to sit down besides him. “I... I guess my bodyguard thinks it’s alright to simply pick my staff now. Nice to meet you, for starters,” he slowly spoke as he wrapped his mind around the situation
 
Was it an awkward situation to force Franky into? Sure. It was probably equally as awkward for Sanghai, and Kyle was fully aware of that. However, he was pretty determined to find Franky protection as soon as he could. He was under the impression that Franky was just any other human, not some vampire exempt from most injuries humans would die from. If Sanghai was suggesting he could do the job, then Kyle was fully prepared to bring him over and get him interviewed. The sooner Franky had protection, the better. A few minutes of awkwardness was, therefore, fully worth it in the long run.

"He could probably do a good job of protecting you, dude. You need someone there, I don't care how stubborn you are. You need protection, this guy's in need of a job. It's a win-win for you both," smiled Kyle, sipping at his beer as he leaned back into his chair, his eyes constantly flickering to Sanghai. Kyle had only really dated women in the past, but he had never once ruled out dating men... and Sanghai, admittedly, was right up his street.
 
Watching Sanghai and Kyle’s interaction with sustain, he caught on to the energy between the two almost instantly, especially when seeing Sanghai shoot a glance back at Kyle while offering a subtle smile. To have worked months to try and get Kyle to have some sort of feelings that weren’t just friendly, all Sanghai had to do was bat his eyelashes and his friend wanted to have sex? It was frustrating but he kept his emotions to himself.

“... yes, well. Do you have any evidence of former jobs? Any history?” Franky qurstioned as he watched the two, expressionless. “You were hired through the city, Kyle, not because you were just some stranger off the street. Not to mention this man here hardly looks like he could take care of me against assassins and whatnot. In fact, I’m actually quite annoyed that you would think I would just pick up someone and decide to have them work for me.”

“I promise that I’m strong,” Sanghai insisted, his cheeks growing rosy in embarrassment, though he kept his own expression calm. “Just... please give me a chance. I only need minimum wage, you can pay me under the table. Kyle here can train me, if you want...” he suggested as he raised a brow toward the cop. “You’re a big shot billionaire, right? I just need enough to find my own place.”
 
Kyle had spent years with Franky and had witnessed his behaviour towards people he didn't like, and the similarities between those moments and his attitude to Sanghai was almost indistinguishable. He assumed that his instant dislike of the man came from Kyle's rash decision to simply pull him across to their private dinner, and he was prepared to take responsibility for that, even if it came from a good place of wanting some protection for his friend.

"I'll train him if that helps, Franky. Looks can be deceiving though. He could be real tough-- and if he's not, he will be after my training. Come on, you need someone to protect you and I'd do it, but you've forced me on this pathetic break. Who else do you have lining up to be your guard tonight? Sanghai's perfect," he declared as confidently as he could, sitting back the moment his food arrived, his eyebrow arched at the meal that had been ordered for him. He had no idea what it tasted like, but he liked most types of food. If Franky liked it, he had already determined that it had to be good.

"Look, perhaps I shouldn't have invited him over this quick, but I worry about you. They're after you, yeah? That gang? I want you to have someone to look after you. Sue me. I care about you, I don't see how that's an issue," he frowned, glancing an accusatory glance at his friend. "...Sanghai's eager and that's a good quality, yeah? And brave. Who else would sit at your table and ask for a job like this?"
 
"Someone desperate," he replied casually after thanking the waiter politely. Cutting a chunk from his food, he took a bite and closed his eyes to savor the flavor, thus causing Sanghai to subtly make a face of disgust. How Franky could just casually enjoy human food was still a mystery to him - hell, either things tasted like nothing or they tasted like shit and neither was very pleasant.

"Ah... Yes, well, I am desperate," Sanghai admitted with a shy laugh before adjusting the fork in front of him. "I promise that I'm strong, I... I would bet I'm stronger than you, officer," he wagered with a smile in an attempt to keep that flirty atmosphere. He already knew what he would do if faced with this 'training' - he would feign weakness at first, rely heavily on Kyle to help and get intimate, only to really prove his strength with ease and claim that he was a 'fast learner'. It was known among their little group that Sanghai could be a bit cliched with his flirting habits but it seemed that no matter how cheesy they were, they always worked.
 
"Hey, I'm off-duty. You don't need to call me officer-- Kyle is fine. And if Franky doesn't hire you, I'll still totally help train with you if you'd like? I'm not saying I'm an expert but... it'd be nice to train with someone. Franky's not really big on coming to the gym with me, so it'd be rad to have someone to train with-- but I still think Franky should hire you," he repeated, glancing across to his friend with an unsubtle gesture for him to take Sanghai's offer more seriously. Kyle would be lying if he said Franky never annoyed him. He often got annoyed with the man's egotism, and the fact he stayed so silent on the matter, rather than see Sanghai's eagerness as a positive, was irritating.

"...Do you know how hard you are to work for sometimes, Franky? You're intimidating. Most people get nervous approaching someone like you for a job. You're one of the top dogs, y'know? Unless you want to wait days for someone to come forward, you should hire Sanghai and I'll spend as much time as I can training him-- I dunno. I think he's pretty nice and I think he's got potential, so..."
 
“Just because he was nice and batted his eyes doesn’t mean he’s police-grade protection,” Franky protested as he stubbornly folded his arms. His suspicion was valid in his mind, Sure, though his frustration was more aimed towards the clear connection the two had.

“Sir, I promise. Give me a week to prove myself and... I know you’ll realize how terrific I am,” Sanghai confidently replied, which only left Franky sighing wearily. Hiding a smug smile, he was quite content on finally breaking down Franky enough to let him have the job.

“... fine. Fine, I get it. I... trust Kyle’s decision, even if it’s stupid.” Franky replied flatly as he shot a glare towards Kyle. “Now I’d love to be able to, you know, enjoy my feel.”
 
Given how genuinely rare it was for Kyle to feel he had an instant connection with someone, the news that he would get to train Sanghai was great. It meant he got to spend time with him for a reason, and he wanted that more than he realised he did. Hell, he wanted to pursue that, even if he got constant glares and persistent attitude from his employer about it. He was entitled to pursue a connection with someone he liked and who -seemingly- liked him back.

"I'll start training whenever you want. I mean... I'm not gonna lie and pretend I'm not in agony right now, but I'll be alright. If you want to start tomorrow morning, I'd be up for that. We could... I dunno... grab coffee afterwards, and I can get you some lists on your duties for Franky? It's... a pretty hard job, but it's worth it."
 
“Oh, that sounds wonderful!” The vampire insisted, his eyes sparkling in genuine excitement. Not only did he get to have a free coffee, spend some intimate time with a cute guy and get shit done for the mission? It was a win all across the board. “I promise it’ll be worth it, I’ll be an excellent bodyguard~

“Yes, well, we’ll see won’t we?” Franky replied flatly as he actively glared at both men with a grimace. He wasn’t going to hide his upset for some random stranger, after all
 
"...Anyway, it's going to be tough. Franky's being targeted by that gang, or so we assume. He was sent my fucking finger in the post, so I... think he's the one being targeted. Which means being his guard is risky, but I'll train you up so it'll be fine. And as much of an asshole he can be, he's also one of the best people to work for. He's kind and... and he's a real good friend of mine, so do your best for him, even if he's grumpy," smiled Kyle, though given the mood Franky appeared to be in, he lowered his voice to speak solely to the new friend he'd made.

"Can we not talk about work anymore? I mean, I've had a terrible few days-- tell me about yourself," he urged, genuinely interested in hearing whatever Sanghai had to say about himself. It had been a while since Kyle felt this interested in someone, or had an instantaneous connection. He didn't want to seem ignorant of him and lose that.
 
“Well, I’m originally from California but I moved here recently with some friends. Needed a change in scenery but nothing too different from my usual city life,” the blonde admitted, growing surprisingly shy about discussing much about himself. He knew how to spin it so that he didn’t give himself away, of course, but he had always been friends with people who pretty much already knew everything about him. Running a hand through his hair nervously, he offered Kyle a smile.

“Yeah, decided New York was more my scene. Um... I mean, I pretty much left behind everything so starting over with my friends just sounded super appealing. I guess I’m a bit adventurous, yeah? I’m not someone who enjoys sitting still all the time.”
 
"I'm the same, totally. I'm not from here either-- but I was, like, 7 when I moved here so I guess I didn't have a choice, really. If you're new, I could show you around? It might have to be in a wheelchair because Franky's insistent that I get one until my ribs heal, but I'm sure that's not a problem," he laughed, gradually becoming more comfortable around the other-- though he had felt incredibly comfortable right from the start of their encounter. He assumed that was because he had an instant spark with him, and the fact Sanghai was so attractive didn't intimidate him at all; it made him warm up to him more because he liked him so much.

"When you're not busy working for Franky, anyway. He's the priority, not me. I'm not the one being targeted by a gang of... psychopaths."
 
“Isn’t That so messed up, though?” He replied with a sweet smile, internally laughing at the ‘psychopath’ commented. He had heard the term tossed around in reference to them before and he always thought it was so over dramatic. Nonetheless, he clearly had to remain serious. It wasn’t funny to the average person, after all.

After the somewhat awkward interaction and a number from Kyle, Sanghai was more than content slipping into his shared home with a cheerful whistle. Waving the slip of paper (that of whic he didn’t need anymore and simply kept to boast), he flopped on the couch with a grin.

“So not only do I get closer to Franky, I have a date with a cute guy?” He boasted with a laugh. “God, everything is coming up ‘me’?”
 
"...You got that cop's number? Are you actually insane? I get that you need to be close, but dude, I... don't think flirting with some cop like that is helpful. It's Franky you gotta be close with, yeah?" Keisuke mumbled, the other man glaring angrily after observing the piece of paper and putting it together with his friend's words. He was admittedly jealous, but not because it was Sanghai that was getting to flirt about with a cute guy. He had once had a brief crush on Sanghai, but he was over that. No, he was jealous because he wanted to have the time to perhaps kick up a romance with someone, but he didn't have that, yet Sanghai could get close to Kyle as part of the plan.

"That should be me, you know. I was supposed to be heading off and doing this. You should really give me that number and let me flirt with the guy. I'm probably more his type," the other continued in clear jealousy, his strong arms folding over his chest in annoyance. "...I thought you were more into guys with dyed hair, who were a little quirky and stuff. That guard is so... normal, he's not really your type, so--"

"Stop bickering, I don't give a shit about Kyle or... or any of that. How was Franky? Did you get the job?" Leopold inquired eagerly, pushing Keisuke out of his way to sit close to Sanghai, his smile wide at the apparent success. "You're amazing, Sanghai! I... I knew you could do it! Just... don't get distracted with this Kyle thing, okay? You have to get close to Franky, not his silly, inconsequential guard-- oh, this is great! I... I'm really proud of you~"
 
Sanghai’s was already in a brilliant move, but to be praised so much by Leopold? It only made him smile wider before slipping the paper in. Not only that but to see Keisuke so jealous made his day even more. Unlike Keisuke, a part of him has feelings that had carried over the past few decades, so while he knew the other was jealous at him and not the cop, it was still something.

“Yeah, well. Franky wasn’t a huge fan of me, I seemed to have taken the cop away from him~!” He cooed with.a snort. “If it makes you feel better, it’s obvious that the two aren’t together anymore. Either way, I’m officially Franky’s new bodyguard-in-training.”
 
  • Like
Reactions: potassiumboron
"...It does make me feel better. Not because I like Franky, but because he doesn't deserve to get what he wants. Maybe you should pursue that guard? It'll make Franky feel like shit, hm? Go for it, Sanghai. Charm the pants off that cop and... it'll work to our advantage," the vampire admitted with a nod. It would clearly help the plan, but he also enjoyed seeing Sanghai this excited for once. Leopold' focus for months had been getting revenge on Franky, and it had been all-consuming; a fact he was disgusted with. Getting his revenge was important, but so was the happiness of his friends. They were like family to him after everything they had gone through so, finally realising that, he was happy to see Sanghai find someone he liked to flirt with and be around. The fact it also helped the plan was an added bonus.

"He is cute, huh?" Leopold admitted, allowing himself to relax and not be so uptight. "Ignore Keisuke, hm? Kyle seems like your type and I'm sure he likes you, you're hot and funny and... enjoy yourself. I know I'm strict, but... I do care about your happiness and if you like the guy, go for it. I'm happy for you."
 
“It won’t be anything serious, I have a knack for not keeping people around,” he replied casually, his mood far from faltering as he got to his feet in search of a beer. No better way to celebrate than more alcohol in his stomach. Popping off the metal cap flawlessly, he wandered to Keisuke’s side with a slow smile.

“Yes, well, like you said, you didn’t want the job, this is what you get for pussying our,” Sanghai commented flatly in hopes to rile the man up more. Something about seeing him so angry was just so... cute.
 
"...I don't think they were serious. You've got noodle arms, you're too short, you haven't even got abs for crying out loud. What sort of security guard does Franky thinks he's hiring?!" Snapped Keisuke, his jealousy hitting new heights as he finally let his annoyance out without trying to limit himself in any way. With his strong arms folding tighter against his chest, he made little effort to disguise how pissed off he was, though a part of that was aimed at himself for, as Sanghai described, 'pussying out'.

"Whatever, I don't care," he lied with a fake huff, frowning to himself. "I mean, you have to spend time around a dick who betrayed Leo and a guy whose essentially irrelevant, while I can hang out with Leo and Jess and do fun stuff. You're the one with the bad deal, Sanghai."
 
“Well, Kyle seems that I’m just fine~!” He purred casually, ignoring the insults. “I’ll be getting all hot and bothered with a tough cop, and you’ll be here. I don’t know about you but I think I won this~! I’ll tell you all about him, if you feels better~?” He offered with a feigned pout before leaning to offer a peck to the man’s cheek.

“Hm, relax, will you?” He snorted before pushing off the wall to wander to his shared bedroom with Jess. “I’ll be having a good time, and you’ll be having fun not dealing with Franky, yeah~?”