LOCKED TO viliorate

[sadisticwarfare]

[Profits have been way down in the last three months, and if things keep going this way, they won't last another three. Archer has the papers out in front of him, scouring everything to see where he can make cuts, yet again. He knows no one's going to be pleased, but they're going to have to remove another act. He's been told that cutting people from the circus is like throwing out a family member, but the fact of the matter is that the money he's making won't support everyone. It's not as though Archer is hoarding all the money for himself - though he's not exactly as generous to the others as he could be - but he's never really felt like part of the circus "family". They're the family members, he's the landlord.

Archer twirls his pen between his fingers as he examines the numbers again, finally selecting a couple of sheets with acts that he could possibly cut. He'll have to get Kimbley to look over them before he makes a final decision. Kimbley isn't his partner or his adviser, but Kimbley is his friend, and he'd rather have a second opinion on all this.]

Comments

[viliorate]

I....

No way. They're my friends, Archer.

[Arguing about this is pretty pointless, so he looks at what act it is just the same.]

[sadisticwarfare]

I know they are, but sacrifices have to be made. If we don't cut a couple of acts now, the entire circus will collapse and then none of us will be in a decent financial position.

[Well, there sure are some familiar faces on that page. How do you feel about Marta and the other chimeras acrobats, Kimbley?]

[viliorate]

[He... doesn't entirely get along with her, so it's not like it's a huge loss, but...

Still, they're family. He feels hesitant about it.]

I'm not going to tell you "go ahead, fire them," you know?

[sadisticwarfare]

...I should have figured you'd be difficult about all this.

[Archer sighs and hands over the next sheet. That one has the strongman Roa listed.]

If you refuse to give an answer, I'll just handle this myself. I thought it would be nice to have a second opinion, but clearly I would have been better off not bothering.

[viliorate]

[That earns a pointed look.]

I can't believe you're acting like this is a bother to you and not a travesty that you're throwing people out on the street.

[sadisticwarfare]

It is a bother. I'm running a business here, Kimbley. I can't keep the circus running if we keep everyone. Do you want to go through all these financial reports and see how quickly we're going to fall into ruin if nothing changes?

[viliorate]

You care more about money than you do about people!

[He gets up from the desk, having gone from looking content to livid rapidly.]

[sadisticwarfare]

What part of this are you not understanding!? Money is essential! If we don't have money, we can't support the rest of the acts! Do you want us all to go homeless!?

[viliorate]

Maybe if you didn't insist on living in such a big house, this shit wouldn't happen!

[Okay, that's not entirely fair since Kimbley lives there too, but...]

Fine, whatever! I don't care what you do, but keep me out of it!

[sadisticwarfare]

Don't you dare try to pin this on me! You're in no position to do that since you live with me!

[Archer slams his hand down on the desk and stands, eyes narrowed. He doesn't look like he's going to move to attack or anything, but it's obvious he's pissed.]

I'll handle this myself from now on. Consider your opinions noted.

[They'll be ignored, of course.]

[viliorate]

Like you would have listened to me in the first place!

[He's going to dramatically storm off and cool his head. Smoking outside and generally looking like he's going to clock the first person to approach him is definitely a sign that something's very wrong but at least people are giving him space.]

[sadisticwarfare]

[Archer doesn't chase after him. Instead he returns to the papers, quickly calculating several outcomes in profit if they dismiss the proposed acts, before sighing and giving up. There's no way he's going to get anything done while he's pissed like this. He opts to give up for the night and look over it in the morning, carefully putting the papers away and locking the office door. He orders one of the passing employees to find Kimbley and tell him that Archer's going home. Kimbley has five minutes to get to the car or Archer's leaving without him.]

[viliorate]

[Hey, guess who's still angry?

He's tempted to ignore it and let Archer leave without him because he's known Archer for years and knows that yes he will in fact actually do this, but if he does they're still going to be not speaking to each other tomorrow.

So he finds Archer before the man has a chance to drive off without him and wordlessly gets into the passenger seat.]

[sadisticwarfare]

[Archer doesn't speak either and instead drives back to his house. His hands are a bit too tight on the wheel and his expression says everything, but he doesn't yell at Kimbley, even once they arrive home. Instead he sets about fixing dinner, which he's admittedly not very good at, but it's something to get his mind off of everything else that's happening.]

[viliorate]

[One of them should probably say something, otherwise actually going to bed is going to get awkward, but Kimbley is still angry so he stays out of the kitchen for the time being.

He's not going to raise hell, not tonight. Right now he's wishing there was more than he could do. He doesn't want his friends to get fired and there's no way in hell Archer isn't aware of that.]

[sadisticwarfare]

[He's definitely aware of it, but he's not about to change his mind. He's responsible for the livelihoods of more people than he cares to count; if he doesn't do this, everyone is going to suffer, and he can't allow that. Sure, it's for selfish reasons, but by now Kimbley should know to expect that.

Archer finishes cooking and pours the soup into two bowls. He brings one to Kimbley and promptly takes a seat in the living room, turning on the radio to focus on that rather than on his companion.]

[viliorate]

[He politely takes the soup, still too angry to speak to him, but at least he's not leaving the room, instead turning his attention to the radio.

...really, he knows Archer better than just about anyone so it's not like he's going to be capable of staying angry at him for very long, but he's still too proud to speak right now.]

[sadisticwarfare]

[That makes two of them. Archer listens to the radio for awhile even after he's finished his soup, but once the news is over he gets up to clean his dish and head to the bedroom. It doesn't take him long to prepare for bed, but unsurprisingly, he can't get to sleep right away.]

[viliorate]

[...Like this is a complete shock. It's not like Kimbley is any better, though.

He's not nearly as angry as he was earlier when he finally crawls into bed.

Are you too mad for cuddles? Because that's about the only way he knows how to apologize.]

[sadisticwarfare]

[...No, he's not too mad for cuddles; he's never too mad for cuddles. Archer doesn't hesitate for long and leans into Kimbley's touch, sliding his arms around the other man's back.]

I apologize for snapping at you.

[At least there's that?]

[viliorate]

[He smiles against the touch, one hand moving so he can brush his fingers through Archer's hair.]

It's fine. I...

...you'll think of something, right?

[sadisticwarfare]

[Archer makes a soft, pleased noise at that.]

I always do.

[Admittedly it's usually not a great decision for everyone else, but he's managed to keep them from failing completely so far. That's got to count for something, right?]

[viliorate]

[If Kimbley really had a problem with the selfish decisions, he wouldn't have stayed with Archer for nearly a decade.]

You're so good to me.

[sadisticwarfare]

It wouldn't do to upset you too badly, now would it?

[He smirks at that, but the expression is gentle and obviously teasing.]

[viliorate]

[...Jerk.

But he doesn't mind.]

You remember how we met, right?

[And how much of a shit Kimbley was...]