overjoyed_logs | Pre-Game catchall stuff

[A slight canine tilt of the head, the briefest look of...something...passing over his face before it absolves itself back into smooth indifference once again.]

It does?

[The tone of his voice comes off a little more uncertain than he'd like, but it's almost a surprise, that his 'file' would mention such a thing. Almost, because it's true he's had dealings with Jack that extend beyond his inherent dislike. Dealings of a more professional nature, and for the moment he assumes that's what this is about, though how it's relevant to a basic security job, he can't quite ascertain. Not yet.

That Rhys may have obtained this information through a less than traditional means never passes his mind. He is, as Rhys has surmised, just a subordinate after all. It's not his place to question it.

When he speaks again, it's with the slick professionalism he'd begun with.]

Yes. I know him. Sir.

[ To which Rhys responds with the utmost familiarity, snorting. ]

Gods, I am so sorry. That's a total dick am I right? Like just talking to him is like saying "shoot me~", ahahah. You know what I mean.

[ Illusion of vague professionalism gone. Rhys just tossed it right out the window with a short, brief laugh and a bunch of casual words. Which isn't actually strange to him? Being catty and two-faced, talking behind each other's backs...that's completely normal among the elite. It's practically how they conduct all their business with one another. Put on a smile and a pretty face, greet them cordially, and then talk about them the moment their back is turned.

It's totally normal. ]

[...which catches him so off-guard that for a moment he just stands there, saying nothing at all. Perhaps it's totally normal among the elite, something they all do with practiced ease, but not for something like him. And yes he'll be slippery and snide when he knows he can get away with it, rolls his eyes and smiles his cutting smile behind the backs of those who seem clueless or useless or undeserving, but this is something unexpected. This man is blood of the nine, too far above him for familiarity, and despite the casual ease of his bitching Giovanni can't help feeling unbalanced by it, suspicious.

Does he want to trip him up into saying something he shouldn't? Did Jack himself orchestrate this somehow? Because he agrees, utterly, but it's not something he's ever admitted out loud. The pause stretches on for far too long and finally he realises he ought to break it before this Company executive becomes displeased.]

I...

[Smooth. He tries again.]

I'm not sure I understand.

Wait really? I mean, which part? I thought it was pretty straightforward... [ Rhys falters for just a moment because he is used to people just falling into step when it comes to illustrating someone's less than appealing traits. It's a social skill one in his position picks up from an early age and he really doesn't see why Giovanni's having a hard time with this as he lift a brow. ]

Jack's an ass. It isn't...hard to follow, or anything.

[Again, he isn't sure what to say or do or how to react, and it takes all the restraint in him to prevent his eyes from straying back to the door, in search of some kind of escape route. This isn't how he'd thought this particular assignment would go and as such he feels unmoored, cut adrift. Concerned.

But he's being spoken to (albeit with too much familiarity) and so he should answer, shouldn't he? His voice, when it comes, is perfectly measured. careful. A little suspicious.]

What I mean is...I don't see what this has to do with me. Why you're saying this to me. Sir. I'm just your guard dog for the day. I'm not...my opinion is irrelevant.

Whaaaat? Since when? I mean someone thought it was important enough to put in your file. It's written right here--"dislikes Handso"--eugh, "dislikes Jack." [ God he almost slipped up and used that dumb moniker for the guy. That would have been embarrassing, Company Dog or not. ]

And I mean, I can't say I disagree with you there or anything. That guy is a serious piece of work.

[This information, it shocks him. He'd thought he'd been so careful, so cautious, has never outwardly expressed his bone-deep dislike for the man who'd stolen the one good thing he'd ever had out from under the Company's nose and released it into the warrens of Westerley. Not that he has solid evidence, but he knows all the same, is sure of it down to the core of himself and if he only had some kind of proof he could possibly get permission to eliminate Jack, or at least have him thrown into the facility he now presides over.

But if it's on his 'file'. then someone must know. Someone must have noticed. It unsettles him enough that he stumbles awkwardly over his words. Doesn't deny it.]

Well I...it says that? I don't...well. I'm not especially fond of him, no...

I don't know who would be to be honest. His ego needs a serious check. [ If Rhys notices Giovanni's slip-up or trepidation he doesn't acknowledge it. What's more important to him is having someone to gripe about the man with after having to sufer through his aid and company. He deserves a medal for it really.

That guy loves the sound of his own voice. ]

[He takes a moment to steady himself, breathe in, breathe out, onetwo, and the situation still bemuses him but at least he's able to reassert something akin to self-control. There's plenty he could say about Jack, a wealth of bad feelings that have only thickened and spiked throughout the years, become something infinitely more potent. A desire to riptearmaim held in check only by the loyalty to the Company that's been branded down into his very bones, prevents him from acting on impulses he ought not to have at all.

And so he regains himself a little, tries to think of what best to say.]

I suppose so.

[A pause, and then--]

Is there any particular reason you wanted to bring this up with me, Sir?

Yyy...eah? I mean, we're ding it right now? Sorta. I mean I'm complaining about him but you're being pretty polite about the whole thing which is weird. The guy's an ass. You can call him that you know.

[ He doesn't understand why Giovanni isn't just jumping at the chance to gab about how irritating and attractive and smug Jack is. Isn't this what people do? Complain about their bosses? Or higher-working officials? Not that Rhys would know all that well since he's never had to work before he decided on it. He just griped about whoever had particularly offended that day automatically. ]

[Look, for a start, he can see nothing attractive about Jack?? Just as well Rhys chooses not to say that part aloud or Giovanni would only be further confused. He doesn't though, and whilst this whole exchange is confusing and disconcerting and completely out of the ordinary, a slow realisation is beginning to creep over him, the thought that Rhys isn't trying to catch him out at all.

He's silent for a further few moments, observes his superior carefully, looking for small indications that this is some kind of unconventional ruse. There's nothing about his bearing the speaks of deception, however, nothing in the scent of him to suggest a spike in anxiety that might reveal an attempt to lie. And so, very carefully, he says--]

...you want me to complain about him. Because you don't like him.

[a pause, and then with equal care.]

It's not my place to talk about my superiors in such a way, you realise.

Whaaaat? Pff, that's n...that's totally not what I...I mean, there's a really good reason for. For....

[ Rhys tries to scoff out a retort but he more or less just flusters about with all that, and ultimately just lets his shoulders slump. ]

Yeah no that's totally it. But come on! Look forget about those others guys alright, I'm Kendry. No one's gonna bug you about it unless I tell them to. And I have had to deal with that guy way too much not to complain about him alright?

You've gotta have something to say about him.

[He watches as the attempt to lie unravels, gives way to slumping shoulders and an admittance of the truth. And it is the truth, he thinks, as this exchange continues. This man really does just want him to complain about Jack because he, himself, will get something out of venting.

And Rhys is right, after all. He is Kendry, and as such Giovanni observes him carefully for a further few moments before finally he shrugs. He's blood of the Nine, and if he wants something from him, even something as strange and obscure as this, then really it's Giovanni's duty to give it to him. He knows to whom he belongs.]

All right.

[He takes a breath, tilts his head, considering what to say. He doesn't want to allow anything personal to bleed over into this, to give too much of himself away, but there are things that can be said about Jack without straying into that territory.]

He's obnoxious and smug and self-satisfied. I can't stand him. Every time he opens his mouth I think about how much fun it'd be to smash his head through a wall.

[Too much?]

[ The wall-smashing bit maybe? But Rhys actually agrees with pretty much everything else that's there! So that's a bonus right? He's only going to blink a little bit before nodding and gesturing with his hands. ]

Yeah, exactly! I mean...except that last part. But that's what a I mean! He's so...urgh, frustrating. Like he isn't even anyone important but he goes around acting like he's the greatest thing since ever, that I should be grateful for having met him or something.

[ Technically for Jack helping him out of an almost-mugging, but that's a tiny, technical detail. Definitely not relevant to his complaining at all. ]

[But the last part was the best bit... :{

By his sides his trigger fingers twitch just once, but he makes a mental note to keep a lid on the overt expressions of violence. It's not so very strange to discover that someone in Rhys' position has delicate sensibilities, though why, then, he chose Giovanni for this particular exchange remains something of a mystery.

No matter.

He says nothing of it. Demonstrates his agreement with a perfunctory nod. Never mind that Jack is of higher standing than Giovanni himself-- it goes without saying, when he only ranks slightly above a gun or sword in terms of importance within the Company.]

He does that, yes. Yet somehow manages to get himself involved with people who're far too good for him.

[Okay that part might have been a tad personal, but Giovanni says it in such a smooth, flat voice that it's probably impossible to discern that he has someone specific in mind when he says this. Why Professor Einsturzen (MotherMotherMother) ever had anything to do with him is just another of those things that Giovanni can't begin to fathom.]

[ It's a side-effect of Jack opening his mouth. After long enough you can almost forget what an ass and how annoying he is. Almost. Rhys isn't anywhere near that stage yet but he could probably see how someone else might be moved by that stupidly charming smile of his and a few well-timed lines.

He talks a good talk. For a Westie. ]

He's definitely spread more widely in the Quad than I thought he'd be. Turns out he's kind of infamous? And a lot of people know him. Which of course he loooves. [ Rhys rolls his eyes hard, scoffing. ] Guy loves the attention.

Clearly.

[Giovanni's face creases in an obvious expression of displeasure. Why bother to hide it, after all, if it's what his superior is asking for?]

But perhaps we'll get lucky eventually and the order will go out to dispose of him.

[It's something he hopes for, and that he'll be the one who gets to do it.]

He's got to screw up pretty majorly for that to happen though. Changing his Company name from "Jack" to "Handsome" isn't enough to get rid of him. [ Unfortunately. If anything it's probably funny to anyone who hasn't had to deal with him yet. Lord knows Rhys would have found it hilarious if he hadn't had the misfortune of meeting the man. ]

We tend to be fond of the loyal ones and he's...pretty loyal, I guess. I mean he's not a first-genner or anything, so that's brownie points.

You're right, of course. It would need to be something significant. Theft of dangerous and expensive Company equipment, for example.

[Again, the smooth flat voice that indicates he's just pulling examples out of thin air, nothing to suggest he's using a concrete example of something he's certain has happened. Should the Company ever discover that it was Jack who stole one of the Cerberus Units and released it among the general population, Giovanni suspects his moment will come. That he may, if he's lucky, even get to do the honour of dispatching him.

But he has no evidence, only his word and his suspicions, and no-one would take his word over that of a higher-standing employee, one who's actually recognised as an autonomous person. And so he'll say nothing of it. It'd only be making trouble for himself.]

But alas. I suppose, for now, we'll just have to put up with him.

Ugh, unfortunately. [ Rhys misses the allusion, as intended, and just rolls his eyes. Technically Jack hasn't actually done anything wrong or to rightly offend him beyond the falsely-familiar touch when trying to drag him out of trouble, but the man's just so goddamn smug and full of himself Rhys can't help but feel petty and irritated. Jack doesn't even have any reason to act the way he does--he's just working Intake. That's hardly a position of real power, but he walks it and flaunts it as if it's the greatest thing ever.

And worst of all people know him; he's made a name for himself. And that's what Rhys wants. ]

Maybe we'll get lucky.

[Whereas, for Giovanni, the offense was a significant one, something that cut him right down to the bone. Taking away the one good thing he'd ever really had, a stability and friendship the likes of which he's unlikely to ever see again. Perhaps that hadn't been Jack's intention, but he did steal something from him, and it's a crime he is neither likely to forget nor forgive.

But, being what he is, his hands are tied. There's nothing he can do, bound by loyalty and restrictions like tangled barbed wire.

Still, when Rhys says that, Giovanni flashes him a serrated smile-- a small slip in his professional demeanour, but Rhys has invited it, hasn't he?]

We can but hope.

Pre-Game catchall stuff

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