Taking it Velvet [Frog x James]

James groaned and stopped his pacing about the room beyond the bars as he heard a voice call out to him. He just had to be the one stuck here when someone arrived...and whoopdy-doo, they knew just enough to ask stupid questions! "Well I'm not in shackles, and I don't have a nose long enough that we had to widen the hallways for it not to bash into everything, so I figure that-"

He looks into the cell, and his blood runs cold.

"Oh, fuck. It's you."
He starts to rub at his head. Alright, no big deal, just the golden boy. Just the one possible visitor that he'd have preferred never to be a presence in his life. No big deal.
He growls out his displeasure and he seems to glare in Frog's direction.

James rolls his eyes, dipping one hand into his coat. "You're not 'important', you're a waste of fucking talent with an ego. And believe me, I've seen plenty of those." The attendant starts to pace again in front of the bars, not even looking at Frog any more. "Should have followed Scarlet's lead and left ages ago...then again, she can't be doing that well either if she has to put up with you."

He draws a pair of earplugs from his pocket - velvet blue, of course. "Fun fact - if you don't have any real business here, then I don't have any reason to bother with you, other than sticking about to make sure you don't bash your shin against any more oncoming hurdles. So, unless you can produce some reason for me to actually need to pay attention-" He holds up an earphone. "I'm just going to ignore you. Got it?"

With a little grin, James just rolled the earplugs between his fingers as Frog futilely went at the bars to his cell. "Tick tock, wonderboy."
If it wasn't before, it was increasingly clear how sarcastic that moniker was.

As Frog thought, the attendant continued with his pacing, toying with the earplugs in as clear a manner as he possibly could. He plucked one out, looked it over as if affirming what it was, slowly started to bring it to his ear...
And then stopped, dropping the pair back into his pocket as Frog stuttered and changed his tone. Looking insufferably smug, he walked back in front of the bars and turns to face Frog. "Well, why didn't you say so? Would have saved us both some time." He leans back on one foot, hands digging into his coat pockets. "I dabble in a few things. Alchemy though - that's where it's at. And you lot tend to find some interesting new items when you're done savaging the ravenous hordes. So, here's the deal; I can do things with the stuff you get off those demons. Bring me the right materials, and I can turn all the useless crap you get off them into something far more useful to you. And then next time, you might not have to wait as long for your new shoes. You got it?"

James grins. "What I heard about is you begging for Wool like a lost little puppy. You really got on Paige's nerves, you know that? If I didn't know better, I'd almost think she dreaded your every appearance."
He could see why. This wildcard was goddamn insufferable.

All he did was roll his eyes at Frog's response, nonplussed. He wished he could just blame it on who he was dealing with, but people rarely appreciated the art. "Show me one person who can do my job better than me and I'll show you a fraud. Might not be as flashy as Scarlet's stuff, but you're not going to find anyone else that can do what I do to nearly the same standard. Get me the stuff and pay the Igor fee, and I'll do the work to make what you're after. Simple as that."

The attendant laughs in response. "Sure, sure, I'm sure you were the most dignified of all our visitors as you ransacked the shelves during your every visit. Checked in after you left once - place looked like a hurricane hit, it was hilarious."

As Frog commented on what he said, James snorts and leans in, bringing his face closer to the bars - though still out of reach, naturally. "You don't seriously think we need the money, do you? Making you pay for the privilege of gathering new things for me, surprisingly enough, doesn't actually make me happy. Every fee that can't be paid is a missed opportunity to engage in the things I love. But, you know, we're only here to help out here and then, and unfortunately for you that means nothing is free."
James shrugs, and straightens back up. "Ah, well. Equivalent exchange and all that - best you learn early that you can't coast on by and expect everything handed to you. Gotta work for what you want, wonderboy - best you understand that before you end up with everything beyond you like some of our past 'guests'."

Suppressing a laugh, James removes a hand from one pocket, flicking a ball so that it would go under Frog's foot with a little flick of his wrist as the wildcard marches in place. Any luck, he'd either fall over because of that, or just trip over his own chains scrambling to avoid stepping on it.
He wouldn't put it past him.

Task done, the attendant smirks. "I guess I was supposed to give you that much, wasn't I? Ah, well. Call me James, wonderboy."

The look on James's face was practically vicious as Frog began to fall, and the sound of cruel laughter rang out among the cells. He doubled over laughing for a few precious seconds at the way it had all played out, before turning on his heel with a little snicker. "Welp, my shift's done! Hope you're comfortable on the floor there, wonderboy!"

And thus, he laughed his way out. That hadn't been half bad after all.