Part-Time Work (Sharaku)

"Tykal!"

"Yes?"

"Would you mind unloading the fertilizer from the truck?"

"Sure."

Mahavari cheerfully walked from the front counter to the back of the store's stocking area. He was wearing dark green slacks and a long sleeve tawny colored shirt with a matching green apron. He was still wearing the thick gardening gloves that were stained from hours of turning soil. For the next few minutes he'd help unload the seemingly never ending bags of soil from the truck. He finished wiping his brow that was wet with sweat.

"Hey Tykal gotta a second?"

Tykal smiled sweetly not even letting the fatigue bother him in the slightest, "Sure." After meeting with the manager he was asked to help bring some bags of soil, a few pots, and a rather small tree into a customers car.  Tykal was very polite and despite being fatigued helped the woman get all her purchases loaded up and gave her a friendly farewell.  The rest of the shift was spent setting up displays and tending to the more needy plants. When he got off he gave a polite bow to his manager and exited the store moving to the side of the store just around the corner of its brick structure and lit up a cigarette.  It was actually a pleasant day despite all the hard work. Tykal always felt like he didn't have to hide himself away at work. He got to enjoy his passion and got paid. What wasn't to love about it.

It was getting kinda dark as the sunset earlier due to the season. He leaned against the brick wall enjoying his smoke. He'd wait until a bit before changing into his normal clothes so no one had to know where he worked. It was hard enough that the passion stemmed from someone he betrayed but having to deal with the students calling him queer or managing damage control on a boy obsessed with pretty flowers was more than he needed right now.

Tykal seemed lost in thought when Sharaku came up to him. Great thing about smoking, those who weren't smokers made a point to stand off away from you clinging to clean unsullied air. It was perfect for personal reflection or deep contemplation. These factors alone made it extremely easy not to notice Sharaku's presence until he was already near him and speaking. Tykal looked over at the familiar voice and was pleased to note the memorable grey-skinned man from the cafe.  Mahavari smiled reflexively and replied before he realized what he was wearing, "Oh no, the pleasures all mi-" Tykals mouth dropped and eyes widened, "I....I...Eyahhh Ey uhhhh...." his face returned bright red and he became flustered.  

He hung his head in shame and sighed, no use hiding now. He was the idiot that walked out in his uniform after all. He brought his cigarette to his lips sluggishly and took a long drag. He rose his head and offered a cigarette to his grey skinned companion silently. "Well couldn't keep it a secret forever I suppose." he groaned.  

For someone who made a point to appear different to everyone this, Sharaku, seemed to get him unfiltered. It was slightly relieving but also so agitating that the facade wasn't as easily kept as he thought. Tykal gave a soft scoff and sigh, "I'm so rude, it's good to see you again Sharaku. What brings you out tonight? Hope you're not looking for any top soil. Shops closed." he joked sarcastically.

Tykal was somewhat relieved. It was pretty safe to say that Sharaku didn't have any judgments on his attire or the fact he worked here. It was odd, back at his other school a boy like him working here would scream all sorts of assumptions and negative comments about him as a person. Perhaps he didn't act like the others because he was foreign too?  Sharaku's clueless expression caused Tykal to suddenly burst into laughter. "I'm sorry.... It's just...." he gasped between the laughter  so hard he nearly dropped his cigarette.  Tykal fought to regain his composer by taking a long drag from his newly positioned cigarette in his left hand. He exhaled leaning his head up so as to not blow smoke directly into his companions face. During which he listened to Sharaku's answer to his questions.

"So ya got a cat? That's cool. I'm not a big animal person myself, 'cept for otters, those things are just too adorable to hate." Tykal said with the excitement of his laughter audibly fading as he regained composure.  "Though you being out and about at night suddenly makes sense. I sorta got the you-don't-like-crowds vibe." Tykal looked up at the darkening skies, "Twilight... not done with the day but not quite night yet, a shame it only lasts a few minutes. Call it sentiment, but it IS my favorite time of day." Tykal seemed to be mostly talking aloud to himself more than to Sharaku but he reminded Sharaku he hadn't forgotten about him by making direct eye contact and smiling.  "So headed anywhere in paticular? If not, mind if I join you on your stroll? I'm not quite ready to deal with after school hours back at the dorms. All I ask is ya give me a tink to change into my normal attire."

Tykal couldn't quite place it, but he did enjoy Sharaku's company from the moment he met the guy. To someone like Tykal it could be a myriad of things. Sharaku was strange in mannerisms compared to what he was used to, he had grey-skin, in retrospect, he was kinda cute, and definitely a nice guy, though, it more likely he enjoyed Sharaku's company purely due to the fact he didn't act any different around him. Unintentional as it may be, not having to keep up an alter ego, was pleasant and long overdue.

Tykal chuckled some when he mentioned owning an otter as a pet. "A pet otter. Funny, but they're extremely hard to fully domesticate and require a large amount of space and a flowing stream to really be okay. Also they can get a bit temperamental and like weasels they have strong scent glands. To own one as a pet would be more work than it's worth. Though they're pleasant to look at and very playful at times." he informed with a cheery grin.

Tykal tossed his cigarette on the ground going around to the employees entrance to the store. It took him a few minutes but finally the door swung open on the side of the building with him stepping out in a much similar outfit to when they first met and a fashionable, presumably name brand backpack. "Sorry about the wait." From a before an after image it was clear that Tykal took to a more proper and preppy sense of fashion. Safe to say he wasted a large portion of the money he made here on clothing and accessories. In truth it took longer than Tykal would've liked to get ready but he had to wash all the dirt out from his nails, and wrap his dirty work clothes in large space saver bags so they didn't dirty up his backpack and we're not even going to get into the fact the boy was wearing layered clothing a scarf and suddenly gained a classic pocket watch that hung from his pant loop to his pocket.

"So Sharaku, where to?"

Tykal chuckled lightly, "I'm sure, I fancied the idea once and like any good pet owner, I did my research. I also had a bit of a head start doing last years biology report on them." Tykal seemed pretty chipper after being out of his work clothes and unlike before made no attempts to hide in the ally way between the buildings walking out onto the sidewalk.

He took a deep breath taking in the night air joyously, "So no destination eh?"  Tykal reached into his pocket flipping open the pocket watch to check the time, "As long as I dip out before 8, I should have enough to get my homework finished and enough sleep that I'm not dragging tomorrow. So we got a few hours." Tykal was big on his studies, it was almost certain that he'd leave giving him enough time to complete his work and remain his status.  Tykal started walking along the sidewalk deeper into the city with no real destination, just maintaining a casual pleasant pace that reflected his mood.   "So our last run in wasn't exactly too full of random factoids about each other. So I figure instead of mundane small talk we may exchange a bit of personal info, ya know get to know each other a bit better. Otherwise it feels kinda weird walking down the street with a random stranger." Tykal then stopped and looked at Sharaku with the most serious narrowed gaze he could muster in his good mood, "You're not a psycho killer or anything are you?" he paused for dramatic effect before smiling widely to let Sharaku know he was just playing, " 'cause I'm far too pretty to allow myself to be on the news all sprawled out and bloodied."  He laughed fool-heartedly before continuing, "Oh yeah that reminds me, you know anything about all these disappearances on the news? Picked a great time to move here right?"

It was all over the news and gossip around the school. People disappearing left and right. That kind of stuff didn't really bother Tykal much. The boy could fight if he had to, and you actually had to have a life to lose for it to be a problem. Despite his chipper attitude the boy was continually repressing a myriad of personal problems that seemed to hit him in waves. It was best to dwell on the positive vibes he had now, before they soured inevitably.

Tykal continued walking forward when Sharaku agreed to the time restraints set by him. "I don't know, I'm a sucker for new adventures. I think we all tend to lose track of time when we're having fun. Though that whole 'new and unknown' thing you got going for ya has to fade eventually."  Tykal was playing around sure but he was definitely not prepared for what happened next.

''And here I was thinking you were trying to make this into a date. So dissapointing. But murder sounds like a good past time activity too.''

Tykal stopped suddenly practically tripping over his own feet, stumbling to regain composure. That comment came about as out of the blue as his own towards Sharaku, though that one had a few more strings and shock to it. "A D..Date?" Tykal muttered still surprised and now confused and visibly blushing some with embarrassment.  Tykal stood at a loss for words. When he asked to walk with him, he was just trying to make friends, on the other hand, Sharaku did have that whole 'exotic, well-dressed, mystery guy' factor, and he wasn't a bad looker. Wait wait wait a second! There was a subtext to all this, did Sharaku just sorta out himself and Tykal effortlessly without so much as a pause? Tykal looked around the pretty much dead street a bit before looking back at Sharaku who rolled his eyes. Tykal's blush suddenly became embarrassed annoyance as he pursed his lips some with sarcastically, "Oh you are evil... my good sir... a special kind of evil." he said lowly with a bit of praise in his voice. He folded his arms dramatically sticking his nose in the air and looking at Sharaku, "A classy lady such as myself, only uses the finest of pick up of lines. It just takes a certain level of taste to fully appreciate them." he mimicked a pompous and snoody gesture with his hands before smiling breaking the obvious act. "Though for the record my least favorite colors are Yellow and Red in that order. You'll rarely see me with any red on me, unless ya know... you end up murdering me in some allyway and leave me all bloodied, which is really bad taste for murderer just sayin'. " Tykal informed still running with the joke.

Tykal's carefree smile faded when Sharaku scowled at the question. It was clear this was not a topic to dwell on. The mysterious disappearances going on would have to be researched elsewhere. Tykal decided to clear the mood back, "Bah! Who'd wanna kidnap me? I mean I'm not exactly important in this town. Well, I guess I am decent looking, and my parents do make a lot of money, and I'm new enough to go missing without too many people noticin-  you sure you're not a murderer? If you are ya gotta let me know up front so I can get a head start."  Tykal continued to make light hearted jokes while teasing Sharaku some. At this point though it could be considered somewhat flirtatious, but only due to the date joke from Sharaku earlier.

Tykal stood still for a moment analyzing the super creepy seriousness Sharaku was able to muster when it came to his ability to murder him if he so chose. The very ease this guy had about keeping a forward demeanor was enough to raise the hairs on his neck.  In a reflex, Tykal shuttered holding his elbows, "Alright, creeper vibe achieved man." Tykal smiled letting him know it was just a turn of phrase.  "Though for the record, I actually hate the whole high-borne thing. I can't ever just relax ya know. Everythings gotta be all prim and proper." Tykal sighed some, "That's kinda why I like the whole hanging out with a random stranger thing, you have no ties to the school, and I'd be shocked if you knew my family, so I can just stretch back and give myself a good and rude yawn. "  

Tykal walked down to the street more trying his best to fight the urge to talk about the news more. It had him more worried after Sharaku educated him on the kidnappings being purely random.  Tykal had a particular look in his eye that gave away his deep thought, but given his carefree nature with Sharaku it could be about damn near anything.  There was a pause as he contemplated before Tykal felt a need to break the silence, "So I'm kinda curious, surely a guy like you has better things to do than humor me with a random stroll. Got any friends? A job? Or strange hobby, ya know like you collect bugs or something?"  Tykal leaned in and gave a creepy face at the collecting bugs part of his question, taking his hands and mimicking creepy crawlies.  He would then turn and fold his hands behind his head, "Ya know aside from the whole botany thing, I actually have a weird hobby myself. Maybe I'll tell ya more about it someday, you do seem like the kinda guy who can keep a secret."  

Tykal hummed slightly as he looked out at the fleeting horizon. The sun was nearly fallen behind the horizon the sky above was already darkening. Sharaku didn't seem the overly sharing type. He was fun enough to play back and forth in the whole joking conversation game, and even got his creeper vibe down to a T, but why did it seem like most of this conversation was one sided.  Tykal glanced directly at him for a second, probably staring a bit longer than he should've but he was curious and as long as no one he knew or saw around school was near, this was probably the best chance to be himself and make a real connection with another human being.  Well that and the mysterious thing kinda gave him goosebumps which, only added to his excitement.

"You like bugs!? Gross!" Tykal laughed. Tykal hated the vermin. It was to be expected being a gardener and all. Insects made a point to come through devour the plants he spent hours, days, weeks, months tending to. What made things worse was the damned things didn't know when to quit.


Tykal made a concerned look when Sharaku mentioned he had ties to the school. "That's.... unfortunate for me I suppose..." his the once carefree aura about him soured near instantly. It was all fun in games when he didn't have to wear his mask. Where he couldn't feel the shackles from his parents seemingly all-encompassing influence. Tykal sighed somberly, "I hate to ask you something like this, but more my sake, can you not mention me to your friends at the school. All it would take is a rumor that I wasn't able to quell and my parents would be shipping me off somewhere else." Tykal felt ashamed having to burden his new friend with this but it had to be done. Tykal couldn't even bring himself to make eye contact with Sharaku. Why couldn't things just be like this always, he could just do what made him happy and not have to worry about disappointing anyone or living up to some impossible expectation.

Sharaku would surely notice the new tension in the air. It made Tykal feel unnerved just knowing how obvious it was. He turned into a nearby alleyway and took out another cigarette lighting it quickly. "I'm sorry, I have no right to ask you anything like that. It's not fair to you."