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

[sadisticwarfare]

Shouldn't you be working then?

[It's said lightly though, because he knows that Kimbley will always do whatever he wants, no matter what anyone tells him.]

[viliorate]

Helping you out counts as working, doesn't it?

[Kimbley's pretty good at helping out with finances and the like, actually. It's one of those skills he picked up on from working with Archer.]

[sadisticwarfare]

I suppose, but I meant with your act. We don't want any mishaps, now do we?

[viliorate]

Don't worry about it. I've been doing it for years. I'm not going to go changing it up anytime soon.

[sadisticwarfare]

I'm pleased to hear that. I suppose I can spend some time with you in that case.

[viliorate]

[In that case he's going to be taking a seat on the desk, careful not to knock over any of Archer's papers.]

Glad to hear it.

[sadisticwarfare]

Is there something specific you'd like to discuss?

[viliorate]

Not in particular.

[.....]

I wanted to apologize for yesterday. What I said... it's not your house, it's our house.

[sadisticwarfare]

...I am glad you make that distinction, still I'm not angry at you.

[It's interesting that Kimbley chose to apologize now though.]

[viliorate]

[They've lived together long enough he really shouldn't get angry and call it Archer's house but hey.]

I know you're not.

We're going to get through this.

[sadisticwarfare]

As we always do. Times are tough now, but we'll find a way to manage everything.

[viliorate]

[.....at least he apologized the next day and not a few weeks later because that was probably an actual thing at some point.]

The show tonight's going to be great. We'll get people to come back here.

[Or Kimbley will break his arm. That's possible, too.]

[sadisticwarfare]

[Please don't break your arm, Kimbley...]

I'm sure we will. We'll make sure this show is just as memorable as the others.

[viliorate]

[He'll try not to...]

Maybe we need a new act.

[sadisticwarfare]

We can't afford to hire anyone else, so unless you have an idea that someone here can pull off, it's not going to happen.

[viliorate]

[Kimbley coming up with ideas is the last thing any of them need right now.]

I'll discuss it with a few people. There's probably something we can do. It's not going to help us tonight, but maybe in a couple weeks we'll have something new.

[sadisticwarfare]

As long as no one gets injured...

[Having something new could be useful though.]

[viliorate]

Of course not. What could go wrong?

[How about everything?]

[sadisticwarfare]

It depends on what kind of act you think up. Do you want me to attempt to cover literally everything that could possibly go wrong?

[It's stated dryly, but he's dead serious. He will list everything he can think of if you ask him to.]

[viliorate]

[.....sigh.

His smile fades a little.]

I grew out of being careless a long time ago, you know.

[sadisticwarfare]

...I know. I'll never grow out of being cautious though.

[Archer sighs and runs a hand back through his hair.]

That was uncalled for; my apologies.

[viliorate]

[.....maybe it would have made sense to be a bit more cautious around Kimbley in the beginning, but he'd been so stunned by the job offer that he accepted right away.]

You don't have to apologize for something so minor.

If you keep frowning it's going to stick that way.

[sadisticwarfare]

[Well that's just going to make him frown harder, thanks.]

That's ridiculous. Besides, this isn't any different from normal.

[viliorate]

[You are too fun to tease.

The office door is shut, and the only person who walks into the room without knocking is Kimbley, so he feels fairly secure sliding off of the desk and into Archer's lap.]

You only get like this when you're stressed.

[Of course he's stressed for a very good reason, Kimbley knows that, but it's not going to stop the teasing.]

[sadisticwarfare]

[Archer rolls his eyes but he moves to wrap his arms around Kimbley's hips to keep the other man steady.]

We can't all be like you, Kimbley.