You have been warned.
Karkat Vantas had a shitty day. He had been kicked out of his girlfriend's place because of some shit she was doing with someone else. His mind replayed her angrily placed words, about how he was a lazy bum without a job or some shit like that. And, with nowhere to go, we wandered the streets aimlessly. He could always see is Captor would take him back, but no, he was not ready to stoop that low. Not yet, anyway.
He found himself within a stone's throw away from the bar him and Captor used to go to. The sign swayed limply in the wind. It read; The Rose Garden and had a faded picture of a daisy with its petals blowing away in the wind.
Without giving it a second thought, he entered. The bar was vacant and had the strong scent of alcohol and smoke. A resounding beat echoed through the silent room, the sound came from a radio playing some song with a deep base.
A figure dancing on the stage caught his eye. The figure was male and had crazy black hair that curled and stuck out in all directions. He was wearing tight pants that hung just below his hips and a regular tee shirt that was almost see-through. The male dancer was dancing to the beat of the music, Karkat was transfixed.
The dancer stopped when he noticed Karkat standing there like a moron. He kicked the radio and it stopped playing the music, "We're closed motherfucker." Karkat blinked, nodding as he swiftly turned and headed for the door. "Hey, wait, I didn't say you had to go, get on over here fucker." he waved Karkat back over, sitting down on the edge of the stage. "Sit your ass down." he motioned next to him.
Karkat felt apprehensive, but then again, what did he have to lose? He cautiously approached the dancer, hopping up onto the stage next to him. "...Karkat Vantas..." he mumbled.
"Gamzee motherfucking Makara, nice to meet ya. They just call me Juggalo 'round here. Boss doesn't like it when we use our real names." he popped open a can of something to drink. "Want some?" he offered.
"Better not." Karkat decided.
"Just Faygo, man, nothin' to be scared of." he offered again, and Karkat shrugged and took it. "What brings ya here at this hour, Vantas?"
Karkat swallowed the drink, not half bad. "Girlfriend kicked me out, guess my feet just took me here I suppose. Where is everybody?"
"Ah...ya see we close early on Friday's." He waved his hand dismissively, "The privet club is quite... Lively this hour, and we don't want the wrong crowd getting a taste of what goes behind closed door, you know?" Gamzee took a sip from his own drink.
"Privet Club?" Karkat inquired, he knew there was some sort of extra room for the elite club members, but he supposed he didn't qualify to enter.
Gamzee nodded. "Yeah, workers here get a place to stay and food to eat in exchange for their services." He put a hand over Karkat's mouth. "Very hush hush operation, yeah? Keep your trap shut 'bout it."
Karkat pried Gamzee's hand from his mouth with a glare, still not fully understanding. "Yeah yeah, I get it, exclusive club bullshit. I didn't know the workers lived here though." He shrugged, "Got to be kind of shitty."
"No, bro, it really is quite miraculous. I get a nice comfy room and a bite to eat. Good deal in all, but if you want extra you got to work extra. I live upstairs, you see, so I get the whole package."
"Upstairs…?" Karkat blanked, "What about living downstairs?"
"Downstairs are for the basic workers, like waiters and shit." Gamzee suddenly smiled, looking as if he had some bright idea Karkat just knew in his gut he was going to regret. "Look, Vantas, if you need a place to stay there is always here. Hey, I know, you can be our new bartender!" he put an arm around Karkat enthusiastically, "Yeah; Slick, ha-ha dealt with the last one, so you'll be perfect match." He chuckled.
Karkat glared, shoving off Gamzee's arm. "He did what?"
"Nah, don't worry about it." Gamzee took another sip of his drink.
Karkat swallowed. "So, that's it then? All I have to do is serve people drinks and I get to stay here…?" He suddenly blushed. "Not as if I will be doing any of that fucking dancing or anything."
"Yeah, just a bartender. We'll have to talk to Slick 'bout you first." Gamzee chuckled, "Then boss will have to approve of you. Get your job and boom, place to stay, food to eat." Gamzee set aside the empty Faygo bottles. He then slipped off the stage and tore Karkat form where he was sitting before he could react. He tugged Karkat behind the stage and to a door he had never seen before.
"A-Alright, better than being on the streets I suppose... This is just temporary, though," he assured the dancer, suddenly getting a wave of dizziness. He allowed Gamzee to tug him along, his vision growing slightly darker around the edges.
"You'll probably be best downstairs, as a basic worker being a bar tender and all. You just get a bed. If you want extra, you need to work extra," he winked. "I suppose you have no experience with pleasing, do ya?"
"Pleasing..." Karkat's head spun more and more as he tried desperately to think. The more he attempted to get a grasp on his surroundings the harder he found to hang onto reality.
Gamzee chuckled. "Didn't think so." he stopped turning to Karkat, "Well, motherfucker, I've got a client in just a miraculous minute. I'll see who is around to turn ya over to 'em."
"Uhn..." Karkat nodded, starting to lean too far to his right.
"Whoa, Karbro." Gamzee caught him by his shirt before he took a nose dive and steadied him. "Don' tell me that little dose made you falter out this badly, now?"
"Juggalo!" A voice came from upstairs; "Juggalo, oh gosh, that better not be a client!" the panicked voice grew closer as he ran down the stairs.
"Nah, he is gonna be our new bartender, Trickster." Gamzee smiled proudly at his catch of the day. "We just gotta convince Slick to let boss see him." Gamzee ruffled Karkat's hair as he started to drift out of consciousness.
A young man, appearing to be in his late teens/early twenties stepped down from the last step, giving Gamzee a disapproving look. "You need to stop bringing in strays, Juggalo; you know what keeps happening to them…" He sighed and adjusted his glasses, moving a few strands of his black hair behind his ear. "I know I am going to regret this… but I'll take the stray. Besides, your client is already here. Get upstairs, Jug."The brunette warned. "And you owe me."
Gamzee smirked and tossed Karkat's half asleep frame to his co worker, bowing. "Of course, Johnbro." He chuckled. "Wh-ooops slipped again, mother fucker."
John rolled his eyes, taking Karkat in his arms. "You're full of it." He sneered as Gamzee fled upstairs. With him gone, John looked down at Karkat. "Great; stuck with you. Hey, you still with me…?" Karkat made a faint sound, barely recognizable as anything relatively disguisable as English. With another long sigh, John started up the stairs dragging the half asleep fool behind him. "You need to recuperate in my room… Jug's spiked drinks are nothing to laugh about…"
Karkat woke slowly; his head was pounding as he surveyed the room slowly. He was laid out on a comfortable bed, his head resting on a pillow. The room was blandly decorated and the lights dimmed. There was a small closet and a desk, to which he saw a figure sitting at. Alarmed, Karkat tried to sit and say something but no words came from him, only a half groan and he collapsed back onto the bed. Fuck, my head… he groaned inwardly.
The figure looked up from the comic book he was reading, he sighed with a very faint smile. "Good, you're awake; it'll take a few days for that stuff to be flushed out of your system…" He sighed and closed his book. "My name's John, you have to call me Trickster, though." John spoke slowly as he helped Karkat into a sitting position leaned against the pillows.
"Ugh…" Karkat groaned, his head throbbing intensely. "The…fuck… did he give me…?"
John grabbed a glass of water from his desk. "Knowing Juggalo… no clue, but my guess is probably a date rape drug." He shrugged, heading back over to Karkat and opened his palm. In which, a couple tan pills sat. "Pain killers, don't worry it is safe." He assured, handing him the glass of water. "Boy, you slept for a while, it's Sunday night already."
"Thanks…" Karkat murmured gruffly, taking the pills quickly as if he did so would initiate sudden relief. He leaned his head back against the pillows despite being in a sitting position. He groaned again as his head felt like it was swimming in a puddle. "Why the fuck did he give that to me…?"
"The date rape drug?" John quirked an eyebrow. "Not sure, maybe he thought you were cute or something. No one really knows what is going on up in his head." He stated simply and slipped off the bed, pulling out a bag room under it.
Karkat's stomach reeled with disgust. "He would of actually…?" He trailed off, feeling sick on the inside from the sudden awareness of what could have happened.
"I wouldn't be surprised." John shrugged, assembling the various articles of clothing from the floor and into a bag.
Karkat let out another groan, putting a hand to his forehead. Fuck. What have I gotten myself into…?
"Hey, uh, look." John said. "I need to get going in a couple of hours, so I will have to show you to Slick and see if he approves…" He trailed off for a second, a quick flash of worry passing through his blue eyes. "Slick will take it up with the boss, and determine whether or not you get to stay…"
"Wonderful" Karkat spat out, feeling his stomach lurch. He groaned again, closing his eyes as he silently begged for his raging headache to cease. After a while, his mind started to slow down and the achiness he felt started to dissipate. He opened his eyes to the dimly lit room once again. Shit... Fell asleep again... He found himself unable to take his eyes away from the one he was suppose to call Trickster. For a while, Karkat couldn't tear his eyes away from the boy's features, much less the scarce amount of clothing he was reading.
At the moment, John was scanning through his comic book again. His bright blue eyes scanned over the pages, not having realized they had an on-looker. He was wearing a shirt similar to the one that Gamzee had been wearing. Much to Karkat's surprise John's legs were shaved clean and Karkat couldn't help but wonder what else might be shaved just underneath John's skin tight shorts. Fuck, is he even wearing anything under those…? Karkat thought, and forced himself to draw his eyes away.
"Are you awake again?" John asked quietly, turning to the next page without looking up.
"Yeah." Karkat answered, half growing his response.
John once again set down the comic and smiled at Karkat. "Great! I guess this means I can show you around now…?" He stood and pulled a set of baggy pants out of it, slipping them on over his skin tight shorts.
Karkat forced himself to not stare and sat, his head spinning ever so slightly. "Guess so." John helped Karkat stand and led him out into a long hallway and to the top of the stairs where there was a small sitting room. The hallway extended in two directions, both dark either way Karkat looked.
"Bathrooms are to the right, I guess you won't be on the top floor very much but we do have our recreation area on the left, you can't miss it." John stated, letting whatever came to him roll off of his tongue. "Most of the rooms are down the hall after the recreation room, on the bottom floor it is all just rooms, but mainly just stick to your own room."
Karkat nodded as John spoke, not really paying attention. Well, guess this is my new life… He pondered, lost in his own thoughts. "…Got all that?"
"Huh? Yeah, I got it." Karkat looked at John and nodded, surveying the main room once more. "Where is everyone else?"
John suddenly swallowed. "Asleep, or with their clients," He said quickly, seemingly eager to change the subject. "You can meet them later, but we have one rule for uh, newbies; if they don't come to talk to you first, don't talk to them, alright?"
Karkat shrugged, the fresher air in the larger room was making him feel more clear headed. "Yeah, whatever," He mumbled. "When do I get to talk to this, Slick guy?" He asked, not noticing when John almost seemed to cringe at the name.
"Soon, prob—"
"TRICKSTER!" A voice barked out from the shadows, making them both jump and spin around to see a man emerge from the dark hallway. He was a tall, slender man with a black suit and tie, on his head rested a classy borsalino. As he grew closer, Karkat could see a scar ingrained in the man's skin from the top of his left eye down to his cheek. The best part being that the man looked absolutely furious. "What is the meaning of this, Trickster, bringing an outsider in here?" he snarled, taking John by the collar of his shirt and slammed him to the nearest wall, making the pictures on the wall jump.
"S-sir I a-apologize this is not my doing I-" The look on the man's face silenced John for a second; he swallowed and attempted to stabilize his voice. "Sir, Juggalo he offered him the job of bartender." He managed to breathe out.
The man's eyes softened into amusement and he released John, turning on Karkat. "Really now?" He cocked and eyebrow, "Just a bartender? What a pity, I was hoping he could fill the place of… oh dear me, what was her name? Something Leigon." He smirked. "A pity what happened to her…"
John grimaced and stood away from the wall, watching Karkat. Do not move a fucking muscle if you have an ounce of sense in you just stay still and nod. He begged silently. Karkat happened to glance over to see the pleading look on John's face and he swallowed, the message was delivered loud and clear; Slick was not to be trifled with.
"Trickster." He growled, making John cringe. "You've got an appointment tomorrow, at five."
John swallowed. "I have to be on the road by six on Mondays… it was our agreement."
Slick snorted. "Make it a quick visit then, if you have time to stay up all night and study, you have time for an appointment." His words made John flinch again. "I am not paying you to get through college, I am paying you to make our clients happy, Trickster, and if you can't I will find somebody else who can."
"Yes sir." John nodded. "I understand sir…"
"Well?" Slick snapped. "I believe you have clients tonight too, get to it!" He growled. John nodded, giving one last look to Karkat before slinking away back to his room. Slick smiled at john's departure. "Ah, so obedient, I wish I could get him to come in during the week as well." He gave a sad sigh and shook his head. "Pity it is not summer yet." He turned on Karkat, who was at a loss for words. "Come with me, you need your… inspection." And waved Karkat to follow him to an elevator marked No Enter.
Karkat felt sick on the inside, he wanted to throw up but knew better. He had a faint inkling of what clients John was seeing to right now, and he really hoped that he just had an overactive imagination. Slick inserted a key into a side panel, calling the elevator down. He ushered Karkat inside and they went up to the third floor. Karkat followed silently as Slick lead him into an office. It had a desk that was completely cleared off for, oh fuck knows why. Various black and white photographs were hung on the walls and Karkat suspected the office curved around in an L shape possibly into a bedroom.
"Sit." Slick commanded and Karkat sat down opposite him, the desk separating Karkat from those maniacal eyes and face that sent chills down his spine. He noticed a rather old looking record player sitting in the corner, and wondered why the hell someone still owned such a thing. "State your name." Slick waved his hand dismissively, bringing out a rather large note book and he flipped to a new page. The pages of the book looked old, and the cover was torn. The spine somehow still intact with the various strings and sticky notes poking out of it. The edges of the cove and spine of the notebook had a deep red almost black color to them, and Karkat sincerely hoped they were not blood stains.
"Karkat Vantas." Karkat managed to choke out. He felt a sickening fear overtake him. What… have I gotten myself into… fuck, this is bad, and I know this is bad holy fucking shit.
Slick snorted. "Vantas? Interesting name." He paused, and tapped his ink pen against the page. "What is it we shall call you?" Karkat assumed it was a rhetorical question, so he stayed silent. "We can always come back to that, bartender, hardly the best job here. If you are planning to stay I am afraid that only covers a room with a single bed and one meal a day."
"So, I don't get a paycheck…?" Karkat asked, and Slick looked like he was going to laugh again.
"You get to stay here, we feed you, is that not enough?" Slick mused.
"Yes, I guess so…"
"Yes, sir." Slick corrected, scribbling down something. "Bartender, if we add waiter to the list we can add some extra meals in."
"Yes. Uh, that sounds fine, sir…" Karkat felt as if he was about to chock on his own words, he was going to have to wash his mouth out later.
"We will have you wait tables for our privet guests." He continued writing in the book. "Keep in mind, things such as clothes and out time are not covered in this current deal." He looked up to see Karkat's confused face. "Oh, yes of course, you have to have a certain amount of jobs to be allowed out of The Rose Garden."
Karkat stared at him in bewilderment, he swallowed figuring on the inside he could strike some deal later on going outside. He felt too tired and intimidated to argue. "Ah, sir no, what we have set up currently is just fine." He swallowed, nervous to find out what other jobs he may have to do.
"Very well, at any time you may ask to come and see me about your job list and we can always work something out." Slick handed him a key and waved his hand, "Your work schedule will be sent to you by tomorrow, and off you go."
Karkat hesitantly took the keys and stood, heading for the door.
"Oh, and Vantas?" Karkat stopped dead, looking back at Slick who just smiled at him. "You will be known as Carcino from now on, any mention of your legal name, and I am afraid there will be severe consequences."
On that note, Karkat gave a short nod and exited the office. He quickly stepped in the elevator and it instantly took him down. He slumped against the back wall, staring at the ceiling. "Well, Vantas you stupid fuckass, you really fucked up this time, didn't you?"