#thread: torben + olivier

[gvldntrbl]

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"Truthfully, not even then. We've always operated the business subtly and with layers of plausible deniability to my family's businesses... But speculation and discretion helped to keep us in business. It's why our clients will mourn our company's closure." When Torben reiterated he could move to the Dark World, the hybrid sent him a look. "You know that you don't have to relocate on my account. The job comes with an allotted budget for you to have a portal pass for work. But if you want to move Torben, you can. Just know that it's not required for this job. As for your living arrangements, you and Beau can figure that out however you want to. Hell, you can get your own home in the Divine Forest, if you want. I'm sure you can almost afford it now since you keep moving into Beau's spare homes in every realm." Ollie paused before continuing. "I know that you haven't had a job with a legitimate paper trail in a long time but..." He sighed. "Do you have any more questions?"

"For someone who doesn't want to talk about this with me... It sure seems like you want to talk about this with me." Olivier replied, quirking an eyebrow at the inquisitive werewolf. "Is it the hardest part for you? Or for them? Most of my loved ones are already dead. So my relationship with death isn't the same as other people. But I'd say that it was more difficult for them to have you fake your own death and disappear the first time than for them to see you start to wrinkle... if ever that kicks in. Since for a nymph turned werewolf, you look like you're aging pretty slowly. More than a full-blooded normal werewolf, that is." Ollie noted with a shrug. "What do you mean, put them through that again? Do you plan to fake your death and disappear on them again?" He asked Torben wearing a knitted brow. "That sounds like witchcraft. And last I knew, vampirism doesn't sound anything like that. At all. Which, do I look like a witch to you? 'Cause I think you might want to ask a witch. And not a hybrid who's dating one."

Torben gave a nod, "sounds good. Means we don't have to hide anything anymore." Torben shrugged at the mention of not having to move. "I mean I can travel but I could also move. Beau has a house there too. I try to stay in her place at Divine Forest to be close to my family. I got family in Dark World too though." Torben chuckled and gave a nod, "I have terrible handwriting. I hope you won't have to read anything I write."

Torben shrugged, "it's a last resort he said. I uh..." He shook his head, "I don't really talk about this with you so if you don't wanna hear it thats fine, just tell me. But uh... hardest part of being a wolf is knowing my family and the people I care about are going to watch me die all over again." He shrugged, "its one reason why I did stay hidden so long. Didn't want to put them through that again. He's said something about linking me to him or my mom some how though. Some kind of spell or something. I don't know." He shook his head at the thought but shrugged, "I kind of just want all the information I can get. I don't really want to turn again. First time was hell enough."

[gvldntrbl]

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"You're lucky that you aren't always distracted. Friend or no, if you were, you would've already been unemployed." Olivier's eyes narrowed as he tried to gauge whether the werewolf was chatting shit or not. "...Muscle? For me?" He blinked slowly. "That's never been your job and you know it. You're here 'cause you deliver. I can get my hands more than dirty." Ollie clarified before Torben tapped his elbow. He rolled his eyes in reaction to the man's words. "You know this is why you've never been promoted, right? Having terrible money habits is an indicator of poor independent decision making skills." Hell, even Olivier felt as though he'd spoken from a script given to him by Domaine's personnel resources department. His face scrunched afterwards.

"If it's not towards helping me make more money. Or solidify my claim as the first hybrid heir of my family's company... then no, I don't." Ollie confessed with a shrug. "The meetings went well. Contracts were signed. And Domaine has expanded our reach even further. We're now the parent company and majority owner slash producer of the finest firewater in the Dark World and Eastland. So, you'll be helping to oversee the post production transport of goods there." Olivier shot Torben a look. "And try not to bleed your pockets dry while you're in those realms."

He sighed. "I'll bite. What did you get up to while I was working?"

"I might have gotten a little," He stopped in thought following a trail of well dressed women with his eyes before turning back to his boss, "distracted." He smirked before shrugging, "you're better at the public speaking after all, I'm just the muscle for you." He tapped his elbow against Olivier's and smirked, "they would be permanently empty if it wasn't for you. I wouldn't even get to play or anything. Only one." He smirked before holding two fingers to reveal he was actually two races behind, and dropping to only leave his middle finger extended with a cheeky grin.

"I've done a lot of somethings beside lose money, I just didn't think you would want all the details." He smirked at his boss, before rolling his own eyes, "so... how did rubbing elbows go? I got more work to do?"

[gvldntrbl]

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"Good," Ollie let out, head lowering with a nod. "As I said earlier, it's what I'm doing going forward. Anything else that I do, in terms of businesses, will be different from what we're used to. If it doesn't contain a proper paper trail, it won't be worth focusing on." The hybrid specified. A clear contrast to his former preferred way of conducting business. "Portals exists, so you don't have to move to that realm. Not if you don't want. But outside of traveling for logistics, et cetera, you'll be in the Dark World a lot." Ollie shared with a shrug. "You might want to brush up on your handwriting," He suggested in response to Torben's comment of doing paperwork.

The hybrid wore an odd look at the sudden turn the conversation took. "Uh," Olivier uttered. "I don't know. Did you have something else in mind to discuss?" He asked, confused and dark eyes on Torben before the topic changed again. The minor lord blinked. "What happens when you turn?" That was not a question that Olivier considered he would've been asked. "You die with vampire blood in your system and then you wake up as one. If you don't feed, the transformation doesn't take and the new vampire actually dies." Ollie explained, rather simply. "Are you sure that's what your dad wants you to do? Did he say that outright?" The hybrid paused. "Didn't he already lose you to being a werewolf? Since you disappeared for that whole time."

Torben gave a shrug, "I rather like the idea of more official business." He laughed, enjoying the fact that Olivier trusted him so much. "Dark World, I could do that. I have some connections there." Torben's brow raised listening to when the last of his under the table work would be. "I'll handle them. They aren't too bad." He gave a nod, "Yeah, sounds good. I do have a question though. Not really work related." He shrugged, "Well, two questions." He laughed. "One, is this all you sought me out for because we should have some drinks or something to celebrate." He shrugged then and smiled at Olivier, "And a more personal question. Kind of embarassing really, but uh.. my dad is wanting me to think about turning into a vampire." he shook his head, "I know you're a hybrid so this is not me asking you to do it. I know better, it's more just uh... do you know anything about how that happens? What happens? I don't think I'm gonna do it but I wanna show him I'm putting forth the effort to at least listen."

[gvldntrbl]

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Oliver simply shook his head. He never could understand Torben's blatant disregard with money. "Well," He started around a chuckle. "I appreciate you not wasting my time." Ollie replied honestly. At Torben's question, he nodded. "It's only right to offer you a position. Now whether you accept is your choice. But I see no reason not to. Fickle personal finance decisions aside. It's not as though you'll be a member of Domaine Benoit's accounting team. I was thinking more of logistics and operations. Since you have the experience. You can learn the professional jargon on the job." When Torben asked about offering the role to someone else, Ollie blinked. "You won't head the department. Besides, you do good business. Why wouldn't I ask you to come along?" He gave Torben a quiet look. "There's an opening to manage our Dark World branch that I thought you'd like. The person there has been promoted to the VP of Operations over that region. So you'd report to them. Yes, there's still paperwork. But the team in place is great and you wouldn't disrupt their flow by joining."

"Good," The hybrid nodded again. "For our unofficial business, our last delivery will be the 24th of December." He shared firmly, wanting to give their people one final winter holiday of payment before closing shop. "We'll officially close on the 31st." He clarified to Torben. "If any clients give you too much push back that you don't want to handle, send them to me." Ollie answered with a shrug. "You'll start the manager job next year in January. On the 13th." He paused, looking Torben over. "Any questions?"

Torben smirked, "I have nothing else to lose. Not counting my job, because at that point I won't have money to lose." His brow rose, "I mean it's what I'm supposed to do, right? Let you know I'm doing my job and not just wasting your time." Torben's brows rose but he kept his eyes on the dealer, "Really? You want me to become an official employee?" He smirked, looking over at Olivier. "I mean, I have no reason to turn it down. I'm not really hiding out anymore. I'm not great at paperwork but I'm sure I could figure it all out. Sure you don't want someone else though?" His brow raised wondering if there was interest from somewhere else. "If not I'm definitely taking this opportunity."

[gvldntrbl]

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Olivier shook his head. "You're too fond of losing money." He commented. "I just don't understand the obsession, myself." The hybrid shared truthfully. Despite the fact that gambling wasn't his favorite bag of blood, he joined Torben further into the casino at the poker table. Ollie nodded at the confirmation. Quietly, he wondered if Torben even noticed the tapering off of deliveries in his unofficial business. While the werewolf was helpful in maintaining such operations, Olivier knew that it was time to speak with Torben about it. "Thanks for letting me know," It was appreciated, if not said outright, that hiring the blond had been a smart decision of Olivier's. "I've been meaning to talk to you about that. It's time to transition into something more... accredited. Focusing full-time on Domaine Benoit is my next move." Ollie said as the dealer began to shuffle the deck and a new game of poker started. "Would you like to join me there? Officially?" He asked Torben. "It comes with stable hours, better pay, plus paperwork and inter-realm healer/medical benefits." The hybrid pitched with ease. "You'd still get to travel since our vineyards are all across the realms."

For: Ollie & Torben @gvldntrbl Where: Level 2 Slot Machines headed to Level 3 Casino

Torben had been with his dad headed up to the casino when he spotted Ollie and ran over. "Hey, Hey. You wanna play poker? Been a while since we gambled together." He smirked, "Come on for once let me give you hell about gambling the way you give me hell." He laughed before looking around, "everything worked out fine by the way, with the delivery obviously." He shrugged, "so no reason to worry, we can just relax."

[gvldntrbl]

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“Must not’ve looked hard enough,” Olivier said with a faint smile. “I’ve been here - rubbing elbows and networking for Domaine Benoit. Had to finalize a few new contracts.” It was why the hybrid’s attire was more formal despite taking meetings at the horse races. If he wanted to be named heir to a vampire estate, Olivier knew that it would take more work than usual. Brown eyes rolled in their sockets at Torben’s question. “Shit, you and those empty pockets of yours do enough for me as it is. How many have you placed already? And how many races behind are you?” It was easy to tease Torben. Truthfully, he made it too damned easy.

“...Bullshit. Answer my question, Benjamin.” He egged on. “Have you done anything besides lose money today?”

For: Ollie @gvldntrbl and Torben Where: Horse Races

"Hey!" He laughed out at his boss waving him over, "bout time I ran into you. You placed any bets yet?" He smirked knowing that Ollie knew he was terrible with money. "Don't worry I didn't go too crazy, too many other things to check out before losing it all." His brow raised, "so where have you been hiding?"