Wick Sable
The odd duck in the guilded cage
Despite this being a feral Mordecai and Viktor account I do occasionally like to dig into the others.
Wick is a character Lackadaisy fans love but don't talk about very much. He just the rich friendly geologist with a love of illicit beverages and a crush on Mitzi. Indeed he is all those things. But I want to dig a little into what may be hidden depth (geography joke haha)
Professional dissatisfaction
When we first meet Wick he is behind his desk looking very tired and beaten down. Forcing himself to keep working late into the night with excessive coffee. Attending to a large pile of paper work for tomorrow.
His expression shifts slightly when he sees the Lackadaisy pins fall out of the envelope and realises the letter is an invitation to him (and his fellow aristocrats) to the speakeasy.
This hatred of paper work and the administrative side of his business is a recurring issue for Wick. Making the reason for his reliance on the capable and attentive Lacy very obvious. Exhaustian and too much alchohol are no doubt partly to blame, but it seems to be something that puts him in a very depressed state of mind.
But when actually on the job, overseeing the hands on work of blasting a new quarry, his mood is much more positive. Indeed he has a very real and sincere love for geology and the nitty gritty work of his business. When he first went to the Lackadaisy he was spellbound by the lime caverns themselves as much by Mitzi's charm.
Its his special interest and he will go on long unprompted monologues on the topic if given the chance. Meaning it is specifically the being trapped in his office dealing with the red tape that makes him so unhappy not the industry itself.
Its almost sad that he is the one in charge of the company rather than in a role that puts him closer to the action which seems to bring him real joy. Like someone who loves cooking being in charge of a restuarant or someone that loves drawing running an animation studio.
They love the product/industry but that doesn't mean they enjoy their specific place in it.
Unimpressed Peers
Despite Wicks enthusiasm it proves not be infectious with his fellow elite, who complain about being dragged out of town to watch something, that while very important to Wick, they clearly could not care less about (even not that quietly mocking him and his love for rocks and construction)
When the evening doesn't go to plan due to the uninvited pig farmers Wick has an interesting exchange with Edmund Church, seemingly the most prominent of the St Louis upper crust in the group. Warning him about getting any more involved with an unsavoury crowd, especially Mitzi, outside of simply enjoying the occasional drink.
Wick doesn't take kindly to the snarky criticism and borderline threat to his reputation and responds with a much more direct statement on his peers sour nature
Tracy has mentioned that Church has a role yet to play in the story and it seems safe to assume from this it may well involve Wick in a less than friendly way if he continues to associate with his "lessers" as Church and the others see things.
Despite needing to remain on civil terms to keep them invested in his business, Wick clearly has little love for them, a feeling that is mutual as they have little respect for him and see him as an oddball, only tolerating him because his talent in his field can help make them a tidy profit.
But while he doesn't appreciate Church's sniping Wick IS concerned about his reputation, but not entirely for his own sake or that of his elitist associates, but for the many people who rely on him for employment, who could be hurt by extension of he gets pulled too deep into the less than repectable world of bootlegging
Romantic life
Outside of the crush he has had on Mitzi since first meeting her at the Speakeasy, we have very little information about Wicks love life before this. Being a handsome and wealthy gentleman from a good family, you would think he would he fighting women off with a stick, maybe even be a bit of a playboy.
Instead you get the impression Wick is pretty far away from being a ladies man. Mentioning to Mitzi that he doesn't even really know how to talk to women unless its about rocks, bugs or limestone.
He is clearly attracted to her and is tempted by her to risk his reputation and by extension his business to get closer to her, but so far his fear of the very real consequences are deterring him from taking that gamble.
Though there is that personal aspect to it, it seems that in a more abstract sense Mitzi's appeal to Wick is not just in her beauty and seductive personality, but in the excitement and thrill of her Speakeasy and bootlegging operations.
In that sense Mitzi represents that touch of danger and excitement that during prohibition many otherwise law abiding citizens enjoyed indulging in illegal drinking establishments. Being* just* naughty enough to give them a fun thrill while being detached from the more brutal blood soaked aspects.
Wick is a good natured person (the worst thing he has done is shoot a duck in his youth which he was forced to do) living a very "respectable" life, but that makes the superficial glamour of the world of underground drinking establishments and secret booze stashes even more appealing. Thats why despite his concerns and responsibilities he keeps going back ,not just to Mitzi, but to the Lackadaisy specifically. It has pretty geography, a pretty owner, and an open door to a more exciting avenue of life
Its for that same reason he doesn't seem to be overly uncomfortable with lovable bi disaster Zib flirting with him at the bar. He may have no intention of reciprocating, but it couldn't be a more different experience to the world he is used to
Even if he doesn't yet want to take the full plunge it all excites him enough to keep him circling the edges.
Because despite having so much going for him there are things about his life that not only bore him but make him unhappy. Whether its piles of paperwork, dealing with much stuffier "conventional" fellow aristocrats and not wanting to be like them, or just a general lack of true passion in his life, he is clearly a man looking for something more satisfying
Whether or not he remains a "tourist" or decides to take that gamble, throw his reservations to the wind, and take a more active role in the gang, is yet to be seen...
Assuming Rocky doesn't set fire to him first of course XD
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Roarke
Rocky has a very bad Valentine's Day.
A Roari fic Featuring Ari, a creation of @ladybugkisses
-
It was the night before Valentine's Day.
Rocky nervously smiled as he walked into Mitzi's office. "Hello, Miss May! Surely another sterling review of our latest...ehm...esca...pade?"
"...Rocky," Mitzi sat behind her desk, "Have a seat."
Rocky sat down, his hands folded in his lap, his ears perked, his eyes wide but not bright.
"...Rocky, what did we send you out to do this time?"
"Fetch cherry bounce from Mr. Reynolds?"
"And what did you do?"
"...I got the liquor!" Rocky said, a soft smile on his face, "I did! All of it, not a drop spi-"
"Crushed, Rocky. Ivy used the word Crushed. You know how long that'll take Viktor to deal with?"
"...well if Nico had just gotten out of the way of the DOOR, it wouldn't've bent!"
"Rocky, every time you get sent out on this sort of thing, something like this happens! I'm glad you got the goods, but you need to start thinking about this more responsibly - you'll get killed!"
"But-"
"But nothin'." Mitzi said. "...I'm not gonna fire you or nothin'. But I need you to understand how serious I am when I say this." She looked him in the eye.
"Be more careful, Roarke"
"...okay." With that, he got up, and left.
-
Rocky rolled by Calvin's apartment, knocking on the door. He was still a little hum drum from his meeting the night before, but he was sure he could maintain good spirits! And he HAD to! He had a DATE tonight!
Calvin opened the door. Normally, Calvin would dress simply for most of the day, but he was oddly dressed to the 9s as he came to the door. Calvin seemed shocked that Rocky was there - perhaps he was seeing Ivy a little early today!
It was not Ivy.
"Roarke."
"...Aunt Nina!" Rocky casually waltzed in past Calvin, who seemed to be desperately trying to keep him out of the apartment. "And how are you this fine, lovely Valentine's Day?"
"I'm well. I was visiting my good child. I suppose I ought to say hello to you, as well."
"You, eh...you always meet Cal on Valentine's Day?"
"He wants to marry this girl, I figured I should meet her." Nina leaned in. "Is she...more modern?"
Calvin's eyes went wide. He looked at Rocky. Rocky didn't get the message.
"Well, compared with ol' Freck here she's avant garde!"
"...is she now?" Nina raised an eyebrow.
"Of course! Awful nice, too - math major, actress, real cute as well - you know, Freckle really lucked out here!"
Rocky had figured that would help. And in most cases, it would.
But he forgot who he was talking to.
"...single? In college? And...and an Actress?"
"Only...only sometimes, ma." Calvin said, reassuringly. "She, ehm, she-"
"What's next - she one'a them flappers I keep readin' about? I should hope not, I wouldn't be caught dead givin' you away to one'a-"
"THAT'S the word I was looking for!" Rocky nodded.
"Rocky you aren't helping." Calvin angrily hissed.
"Not helping you, perhaps, but me, surely! I'm not sure I even want to see this woman! Or you with her."
"Ma, I'm grown, I-"
"No sir. I won't have it." With that, She stood to leave. "...but what about you, Rocky?"
"Oh! Well I've just got this marvelous girlfriend from Portugal."
"Portugal?"
"Sure! Ari." Rocky smiled. "I've got a date with her tonight...she's got this fiery red fur and this cute voice and-"
"You, of all people? Hmm." Nina turned and left. Rocky just stood there, and looked at an astonished Calvin.
Calvin stared for a moment. "That was...definitely the wrong thing to say."
"I-...I can tell...Calvin, I know that was real boneheaded of me, I'm sorry, I-"
"It's alright." Calvin grunted as he sat. "I wasn't planning on the reveal going much better..."
"...listen, i can make it up to y-"
"It's fine, Rocky."
"I mean it, I-"
"Rocky, please, I-"
"If I could just-"
"ROARKE." Calvin stood and barked the word, like an order. "...I'm not mad at-...just...I think ye'd better go, aye?"
"...for sure."
-
Rocky schlepped down the street, and looked in a mirror. He did look a little rough - he needed to get in better shape for his date tonight! Some fancy fine restaurant of sorts - this outfit just wouldn't do! He walked over to the truck, which had a veyr angry Viktor by it, and grabbed one of his nice sets of clothes. He hummed a bit to himself as he snuck down into the Daisy to change, and-
"Mr. Rickaby?"
"GAH!" He nearly jumped out of his skin as he turned around to spot Lacy. "Lacy! What the hell are YOU doing here!?"
"I was looking for you, actually. I have news regarding your request to Mr. Sable?"
"Sure! Will he let me have a room?"
"No."
"Aww, what!?" Rocky gasped. "But I already gave him that deposit!"
"Which he has returned to you in full, here. You'll have to get it cashed." She handed him a check.
"You don't understand, Lacy, I sleep in a truck, I-...what am I supposed to do with myself?"
"...stop breaking the truck, i suppose." Lacy said. "I would loan you space, but I'm moving out of my apartment and into Arthur's soon. I can give you my landlord's line, if you'd like?"
"I suppose-...how much?"
"A month?" Lacy looked at the deposit. "...roughly what you were offering to Mr. Sable. Which, considering he isn't a landlord and hasn't a good concept of money, is...steep."
"...oh." Rocky nodded, slowly, processing what he was hearing. Between this, the meeting last night, and ruining whatever elaborate plan Calvin had to make Ivy palatable to Nina, he wasn't doing well today.
"...alright."
"Mr. Rickaby," Lacy spoke, "if it helps, the boarding house down the way has no curfew."
"I'll drop them a line..." Rocky shuffled off, and tried to think of something else. Could it get any WORSE today?
"Roarke," said Zib, "when you're done back there Mitzi wants us to help with hauling kegs."
Oh. It could.
-
Ari waited at her apartment, humming to herself. "ó Coimbra do Mondego...e dos amores-" She blinked when she heard the door, still putting in her earrings. She knew exactly who it would be - that dashing gray cat with that devilishly sweet smile and those big, bright eyes-
Who, this evening, looked a little flat.
He had dirt on his coat. He looked winded, like he'd run to get here. He looked like he'd cried a bit. He smiled a little.
"...Ari..."
"...we're not going on that date tonight."
He slumped. "...more bad news today, huh?"
"No, no." Ari shook her head. "But you're in no state to go out some place and be miserable - you're clearly not well!"
"No, I can be well! Honest! I promise, Ari, I-"
Ari took his hands and looked up. "You look like you sprinted over here!"
"...only the last little bit. Most of it was...very fast walking?"
"Rocky..." Ari dragged him inside, shut the door, and kicked off her heels.
"...I hate to ruin your night." Rocky said, taking off his jacket and hat instinctively. "I know you must be frustrated...I get it, a guy has a rough day but he really shouldn't let on to that. Especially on a night like tonight." He watched her go into her room. "I mean, I really was planning on it being great! But-" he began to choke up, as he put his face in his hands. "I get it if you're not interested in being seen near me or-"
"Roarke." For the first time since his childhood, the name felt soft in his ears. It felt like a warm bed - like a blanket. He felt Ari's hands on his cheeks. She looked concerned.
"I would love to be seen with you - not a moment goes by when I don't want to be with you." She kissed his forehead. "But you are in NO way to go out tonight. You need o stay in...besides. We can go tomorrow - how hard will it be to find a reservation the day AFTER Valentine's day?"
"...I'm sorry it worked out like th-"
"Shush. I have to spend my night with the most handsome man ever gifted to earth. What a horrible turn of events!"
"...and you don't even need to pretend to be nice to a waiter while wishing you could just have wine."
"Of course!" Ari purred as she sat in his lap. "I'm sorry you had such an abysmal day, and that I made you think it was about to get worse."
"You COULD have phrased that a bit better." Rocky nodded.
"No question there." She replied. "...but I'm glad you're here. I love you, Roarke."
"...I love you, too." Rocky kissed her, as the two slumped down on the couch...
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