[FIN] Title and Registration [Vale/Quinn]

[Scroll]

"Seamus," he had said. "I need some papers."

"Speak no more, my friend," Seamus had responded, "I'll set you up."

That had been two weeks ago.

Now, Valeriu held in his hands two separate sets of documents. Birth certificate (copied and adjusted, he realized, from the original birth certificate he had had in Southern, and undoubtedly from Quinn's original as well, and he had no clue when or how the Carnegies had gotten their hands on both); driver's license (he didn't even know how to turn a car on); high school transcript (according to which he had graduated from Eastern Central High the year before with a not-so-modest 3.86 GPA, while Quinn had barely escaped from flunking out if not for his A's in Floral Design and Drama); social security card ("Passes any inspections," Seamus had reassured); and a copy of his apparent adoption papers into the Carnegie family from when he was twelve, along with copies of his parents' death certificates (car accident, quick and clean), which both amused him and made his heart clench in a painful, uncomfortable way. Quinn's parent's death certificates were present also, listing him as orphaned while old enough to be granted legal emancipation.

There were also stacks of other papers giving him a flurry of details, of which he'd been told to memorize and take to heart if he was serious about this. Most of it was truthful - just the changing of little facts and dates and numbers and places, so unless pressed he wouldn't have to be that dishonest about his life history. He'd also been advised to wait at least two more weeks for everything to be completely validated before putting it to the test, because the work behind fabricating this sort of thing was immense, and the Carnegies only had a few people on the in who did it (already? Valeriu had been amazed). He'd been warned away from catching any undue attention from the government, though; it'd take effort, but they'd be able to crack the facade with some moderate snooping if they were given any reason to do so ("No felonies!" Seamus had chided, laughing.)

Seamus had even gone to the liberty of opening a bank account in Valeriu's name, signing himself on as a co-signer for any future loans or reference checks.

Needless to say, Valeriu was a little dazed, and had taken a chunk of time in sorting through everything properly.

Now, papers in hand, he waited outside the most promising of their potential future shopfronts, waiting for Quinn to show up at their arranged meeting place, the Realtor's key clutched in his nervous hand.  

[Kappawolf]

Quinn flew in from down the street, with his messenger back hitting his hip at every step. There were a few people on the sidewalk he almost ran into, but he scooted around them in his excited frenzy.

"Watch where you're going!" Quinn barked as he spun away from an old woman probably going about .02 miles an hour. "Get out of my way!" He yelled at a small group of girls in uniforms. "Jeezus, this city." He grumbled, as he jogged up to Vale and slowed down to a stop in front of him.

He looked at the building. He looked around the street. He looked back at the building.

"I like it. Let's buy it. There's another cafe across the street, though?" He glanced at the sign. "Cherries Jubilee? What the hell kinda name is that?" He shrugged. "I'll go visit them later, kay?"

Immediately done with the serious work, he opened up his messenger bag and pulled out a packet of papers, pushing the cans of paint around to get all the papers.

"I have a couple sketches of a name and logo." He showed them all to Vale.

"I hate most of these." He threw a large majority to the ground, and held up the one he liked the best. "This is the one we're going to use."  

[Scroll]

Valeriu kept his eyes averted, unconcerned and unaffiliated with the maniac dashing down the street, until Quinn popped up before him and marked him as an accomplice. Even then, he tried to make it look like he didn't know the crazed, strange man trying to engage him in conversation.

He sighed, patiently.

"V'e are not buying it until v'e have seen it, and the three others I have listed," he told the air high above their heads, scowling. "There is much to look at and to consider. Space, price, arrangement, basic amenities, surrounding environment."

No matter how impatient Quinn was, they were not going to rush into this. Valeriu was going to put his heel down each and every single step of the way so that they did this right.

His gaze dropped inch by inch until he watched, bemused, as Quinn unpacked the bag.

He had to admit, the logos were well done. Valeriu had been pretty proud of himself to at least come up with a name that Quinn had readily accepted: Godsend Cafe & Creamery. It was his own private joke that he, personally, read it as "Gods' end", one that Quinn had apparently taken to heart and subtly worked into the font lettering.

Carefully, he took one of the papers from Quinn, a smile quirking his lips as he was momentarily distracted from opening up the shop.

"They are v'onderfully done," he admitted, honestly. "This one - I really like how you have the v'ings here. But v'hy the crown?"  

[Kappawolf]

Quinn immediately took offense at being questioned. "This place is perfect. I love the placement, and whatever's on the inside can be fixed if you don't like it." He waved his hand dismissively. "But fine, we can go in, if you really want to." He shrugged.

"And, the crown frames the wings, silly. I can make stencils and stuff so this can be applied to things quickly, too. I could have us a store sign whenever we need it. And I can start publicity now, if you give me the okay on this logo." His eyes glinted. "Also, I can start putting it on the uniforms I have in mind. But more about that later."

He immediately waved Vale with him, leaving the papers on the ground, as he headed to the door. "Unlock it already, why are we still outside?"  

[Scroll]

"You have such confidence in my skills," he drawled, giving a skeptic snort. "Yes, v'e are going in, and yes, v'e are going to go into every one I have picked. And you are going to evaluate them properly."

Quinn was not allowed to say yes to everything. Valeriu only had the money and patience to fix so many things.

"I v'ould v'ait on the publicity," he warned, not liking the glint in Quinn's eyes. "V'e have yet to get anything approved. And uniforms? Are you planning to hire helpers?"

Valeriu could understand that. With Quinn completely manning the front (although, really, that's all there would be for now - ice cream and coffee, no deli as such), it would be a demanding job.

Conscientiously, he picked up the papers, folding them into squares and tucking them into his pockets before following Quinn at his own, ambling pace, dropping his own set of papers in Quinn's hands as he leaned over him to unlock the door.

"By the v'ay, these are yours. Or, v'ell, the copies. I do not trust you v'ith paperv'ork, even your own, so I have the originals. Familiarize yourself v'ith it all or you v'ill get us in big trouble." This was certain, inalienable fact.

The door swung open, and he lightly nudged Quinn inside, nervously hovering at the door frame, like a child dares the other to go first and see if it is safe.  

[Kappawolf]

"That's because you're a genius," He informed Vale. "And fine, but I'm still going to work on the uniforms." He dragged out 'fine', like an exasperated young child. "And no, I don't really plan on hiring helpers right now, but maybe I could teach Faylen a thing or two, if the kid needs a job. Any day now, he's bound to get a growth spurt, too, and I bet he'll be cute!" Quinn grinned mischievously, and took the papers.

"I would not have failed chemis--okay, yes, yes I would have." He sighed. "These are from the Carnegies, right? Geez. They're brilliant." Vale had mentioned something about this in passing, but he had been brainstorming about costumes and logos at the time. He didn't really remember the specifics, but he trusted Vale enough to commit the papers to memory later. He stuck them in his bag.

"And I have never gotten anyone into big trouble in my life." He stepped inside the building, and looked around.

"Perfect! Wonderful! I choose this place, call them right now."  

[Scroll]

"Stranger-danger," Valeriu stated, blandly, lightly cuffing Quinn on the head. "First me, now Faylen? Shame on you. Shame."

Of course, Valeriu had already taken care to memorize all of Quinn's information, though he read over Quinn's shoulder nonetheless.

"Seamus decided everything himself," he explained. "Look, see? No less than twenty-four detentions for inappropriately touching another boy on school property." He tsked, tongue clicking judgmentally. "It is a v'onder you v'ere not suspended. But me? I v'as on the honor roll, and never missed a single day of school. Right here: perfect attendance."

He was such a good student.

"You're a liar," he countered, shadowing Quinn into the building and scoping out the joint with an impressed sort of awe. Although he wouldn't admit it, he was just as eager about this - picking the building, the handiwork he would get to do. But, he reminded himself, they couldn't jump into anything.

"You are no help." He poked his nose into all the corners of the first floor of the building, examining the largest, open room, and the small kitchen in back, and the restroom. "There is a room upstairs, and a cellar downstairs. V'e could build a v'alk in freezer there," he added. "The piping needs a little v'ork, and obviously the cabinets v'ill be replaced, and this carpeting here, ripped up--"

Now he was just talking to himself, tail swishing more enthusiastically as he opened the cellar door, turned on the light, and tramped down to inspect, with his voice floating up through the doorway.

"--the electricity is not bad though, a few violations to fix--"

"Oh! Very nice, very nice--"

"Such lovely scaffolding, here."  

[Kappawolf]

Quinn stared at him blankly. "Please stop, you're making me want to scaffold." He rolled his eyes. "And you're calling me a liar?! You've never even been to high school. Neither of us have. You probably would have fallen in with a bad crowd. I, on the other hand, would have suddenly realized how much I loved learning, and would have graduated velociraptor or whatever. You would have just been saludasaurus." He stuck his tongue out.

"And it worked on you, for the better. My stranger danger is awesome, and you love it." He nodded, firmly.

"And what are you talking about, the carpeting there? We have to replace that whole carpet! It is a terrible color. in fact, we don't even need carpet. We obviously have design issues to discuss. You can't have carpet in a cafe." He sighed. "You build things, I'll design. You are colorblind, and you wear girl jackets."  

[Scroll]

Valeriu's head popped back into the room as he stomped his return up the stairs, mouth twisting peevishly.

"You guilt-tripped me into sleeping v'ith you," he pointed out, dusting off his hands after they'd been messing with some wiring. "You are lucky I did not leave you first thing in the morning."

He pulled out a notepad from his pocket, marking down his comments about the place as his direction changed from cellar to top floor.

"That is v'hat I meant, ripping up the carpeting. V'ith how clumsy you are, steam-cleaning v'ould be such a b***h." He opened the other door, hidden in the wall and just barely noticeable, giving Quinn a dark glare.

"Just because I cannot see the difference between reds, oranges, and browns anymore in terms of anything more than shades of grey, does not mean I am colorblind."

Although that was very much so the definition.

"And you are just jealous of my jacket. It is v'arm, fluffy, and v'as a very good price. Plus, v'hen I do this--" He dramatically and slowly pulled the zipper down, showing that, no, there was no shirt beneath. "It looks like I am in a scandalous photo shoot. You know?"

He'd seen those photos. Usually advertising jeans and fall line-ups. He'd had to cover Sydni's eyes as they walked past.

He frowned.

"A hobo stole my shirt," he admitted, cutting off any potential inquiries before Quinn asked. "Oldpeka is a tough place."  

[Kappawolf]

"Yes, well, I didn't guilt trip you any of the other nine hundred times," he shot back, glaring. "And you are lucky I cared enough to try. You would still have no friends if it weren't for me. And you'd still be innocent, and not have any idea of the wonders the world had in store for your genitalia!" He said it seriously.

"Good. If we had the money, I would want marble floors." He paused. "But we don't have the money. So tile is fine. But no linoleum, that's gross." He watched Vale zip down the jacket, trying not to drool as he did it slowly.

"Yaeah, ih duh looh ah bih lie thah" is about all that came out. He immediately wanted to do a little more guilt tripping. Then Vale admitted the truth, and he snorted.

"You can borrow my shirts, if you want. I don't use them, that's for sure." He knew his shirts would be more than skin-tight on Vale, but that was perfect.

"So anyway, I'm going to go home and work on designs. You call up this realtor or whatever, and you buy this place. This is where it's at."  

[Scroll]

"Five!" he snapped. "It has only been five times!" Valeriu was careful about that sort of thing. He grumbled, almost starting up the stairs, but choked and stumbled in surprise at Quinn's extra commentary.

"You are impossible," he hissed, face awash in red. "And I cannot fit in your shirts anymore. Neither can you, I suspect."

He had the feeling Quinn hadn't bothered to buy any new shirts since he'd grown.

"You haven't even seen anything more than this room!" Exasperation lined the arms crossed over his (still bare) chest. "Fine, fine, go. I v'ill pick it myself, v'ithout your help."

Oh, but he was getting a headache, now.

For Sydni, he reminded himself.