Gangster Lament (Jasper)

[abel]

The nightclub had just opened up and was ready for business. The counters were clean, the glasses glistening and the light beat of music could be heard traveling its way through the area. There were a few people at the Last Dance already although probably because he had advertised tonight well. For tonight was speakeasy night, the music was jazzy and the clothing was olden style. The theme would've been less realistic if it wasn't for the fact the vampire in charge and owner was born in those times. He knew them quite well even though he was a bit too young to have appreciated them fully. They had gone into the afterglows of the times by the time Ice had been able to experience them but he still knew the clubs, the smell of alcohol and the subtle fascination there was with flappers.

Ice sighed. It would not surprise him at all if no one knew that he was the owner. After all, the person sitting at the bar melancholy wearing a zoot suit was most probably trying to cheer themselves up. Not likely to be the one to start the party but the thing was, the party had started out great but as he had planned it the man's blue eyes had lessened in their spark. He couldn't help it, as he planned the party he realized that the actual appeal of it was gone. This was a sort of play acting and indeed it was. A lot of people didn't take it seriously and although he tried to bring back the feel of the time as much as possible... The atmosphere wasn't the same and the speech wasn't the same because a lot of these people hadn't lived the times.

The sounds of people enjoying themselves were just enough to keep him from getting too depressed but even his bartender was looking at him worriedly. "I'm fine doll." He told her gently, automatically slipping into 1920s speech. "It's just not quite the cat's meow as I planned, at least to myself, although at least the berries are being picked well. A lot of these people are just crashers and cuddlers though, it's grum and I'm grummy" He sighed at her confused expression but let her fill him a drink of B negative blood before he drank it quietly.

Translation: "I'm fine beautiful"
"It's just not quite as amazing as I planned although at least the cash is coming in. A lot of these people are just crashing the party or being gooey couples, it's depressing and I'm depressed."

[jacksonajasper]

Jasper usually avoided parties like these. There would be themed parties- in fact if he didn't get out as often as he did he'd probably think that the only kind of party was a 'blast from the past' party. The silly 1980's parties where everyone believed that people always wore brightly colored clothing and silly shades. Those were the worst- both music wise and people wise. The people who attended those parties were the most irritating, much like the actual time period. Jasper didn't mind the 1920's parties, due to their higher class attendees and wonderful music. Also, He thought to himself as he fixed his tie in the mirror. The fashion was quite ducky. Oh, God. "Ducky". There's a word that hasn't been used in a long time. I haven't even used it since... Jasper raked his mind for the party or time he last used that, perhaps when he was called a dew dropper by his old man (playfully, of course), and he responded that his lifestyle was simply 'ducky'. Then he was asked to never use that word again, because of how awful it sounded to the ears. He had obliged, and went on with his life.

Truth be told Jasper had never been to a party in a speakeasy situation like the one at Ice's bar that night. Being a bootlegger, he had always attended the higher class parties with his sisters (Andrew would, on occasion, sneak in and cause a scene), dancing and drinking the night away even though alcohol did nothing to him. It was the drinking that occurred when everyone else was drunk that made him giddy and excited. Jasper always felt uneasy about speakeasies; like they would be caught and arrested. Stuck in a cell where light could easily reach them and people had to watch you sleep like a rock for ten hours. Prohibition's been over for...decades. You can't get in trouble. Jasper had to remind himself. He stuck a pair of sunglasses into his suit pocket in case the party ran late and left his home, hands in his pockets, towards Last Dance.

When Jasper had been allowed in and heard the jazz wafting through the air he couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. The people here were wearing what was understood of the 20's, yes, and they certainly understood the drinking part (though replacing alcohol with blood) but they didn't speak in the slang of the time. Where was the fun in a themed party if you only wore have of the mask of the times? Though Jasper had to admit, he applauded the people doing the Charleston in the middle of the floor.

He raked the bar for his friend, eyes settling on the ugliest zoot suit he had ever seen. Jasper had loved the twenties but in all honesty, every decade had it's fails. Like the zoot suit. However, with the back zoot suit came the back of what he assumed was his friend. Jasper made his way through the chattering individuals and drinking groups to sit down next to Ice. He grinned but avoided patting his friend on the back.
"How ya doin', drugstore cowboy?" He teased, leaning against the bar. Jasper looked out to the people. "Great turnout."

• Drugstore Cowboy - a well- dressed man who loiters in public areas to pick up women.
  
• Ducky- very good

[abel]

Ice jumped a bit startled at the voice from beside him. It wasn't only that someone was actually talking to him but who he was talking to. Most of his friends, he hadn't kept in contact with or had through letters, there was one friend who had been the sort to keep in contact with. Well... Generally another vampire is not going to find it odd Ice didn't age because vampires in general tend to not age. The ninety one year old vampire took a sip from his glass of the blood, feeling a bit annoyed at himself for actually enjoying the blood even if he was a vampire, in order to collect his thoughts and register what his friend had said. Although he remembered the slang it had been a while and in the loud sound of the bar turned speakeasy for a night it was a little hard to hear him.

Ice chuckled. "I'm not really a drugstore cowboy nor very much a cake eater." He commented "Personally I have been resisting the urge to bum's rush everyone here but I should've saw this coming. I'm not allowed to cast a kitten when I should've expected that no one would know a drum from a dump although there are some very impressive live wires and some good floor flushers in the middle of the floor." He had spotted the good dancers and they had cheered him up a bit. But people didn't seem to get into the spirit of things, which was rather sad to him. It would not have hurt them to at least have done some research. Some of them were not dressed the part or even trying while others of the crowd made amazing flappers.

The vampire shook his head. "Look at me, I'm already spilling even though there is no way for me to be spilifficated." He commented wryly, chuckling in a dry manner. "I suppose I'll just wet my whistle and look at some of the cute smarties, skirts and dolls." He grinned at Jasper through his hair, for the first time his eyes and smile being visible. Ice had been hiding his appearance throughout the conversation and only now showing his face. Half because Jasper was a male friend and the other half was Ice was sure no one was watching right now. Although he was handsome, he didn't want anyone to see his face.

Ok... I used a lot of terms.
-cake eater = lady's man
-bum's rush = kick out
-Cast a kitten = get angry
-drum= speakeasy
- Dump = roadhouse
- Live wires = lively people
- floor flushers = good dancers
- Spilling = talking
- Splifficated = drunk
-Smarty = cute flapper
- skirt = attactive female
- doll = attractive woman

[jacksonajasper]

"Awww, come on now Ice! Let everyone get fried. Eventually everyone will be to zozzled to tell the 1920's from the 1930's." Jasper was being sincere, yet a bit of truth lay in his words. People were drinking every time you turned your head even a little. "They're not going to do research when they know the basics, kid. Flappers, dappers, and illegal booze." Jasper told his younger friend while still scanning the crowd.

"I remember this one party I went too..." Jasper chuckled. "This one doll was friend before the party even started. I can't believe how stupid people were back then." Jasper turned to the bartender and ordered a drink before turning back to look at the band. They sounded at the top of their game, really unreal. It reminded him of the long nights spent on Gatsby's lawn in West Egg, dancing the night away with flappers and dames galore.

Jasper tried to enjoy how everyone was trying to get into the party, regardless of how off they were by the times and costumes. Lighten up, you wet blanket. He told himself when he received his drink. Jasper took a drink and sat down next to his friend. The speakeasy atmosphere was ruined for him by a few people walking around in jeans like the bar was at it's normal 'time period.' Call him an old fart, but Jasper missed those old parties when no one really cared about looking old-fashioned, it was the times. It was the fashion- it was living in the moment.

Says the man who lost his brother and refuses to get over it. Jasper flinched, taking another sip. "Don't you get zozzled too." He said to his friend, taking another drink of his shot. He turned to the bartender and asked for a blood shot of AB negative to counter what he had just consumed. "So you were more of a speakeasy guy yourself, weren't you?" He asked, keeping his eye on a doll whose blood was coursing through her as she continued to dance.

• fried and zozzled both mean drunk

[abel]

Ice gave a smile that lit up his face a bit before he hid his face more embarrassed at the fact that got him to smile. It was just that Jasper had a good way of making him think positively about things, which was good since Ice was a natural pessimist. "Let's just hope that the booze here is better than the coffin varnish from then." Ice commented honestly "I suppose letting them get fried, enjoy themselves and maybe bum's rushing them after wouldn't be bad." Ice blinked as he saw one woman who was actually dressed the part of a more classy girl from the 1920s and wondered if she had lived through the time as well or was just really good at making period looks. Either way, that definitely helped him ignore the people in jeans or dress pants.

When Jasper told his story the black haired vampire laughed. "Stupid yes, but it was so amusing." He commented "In between taking people for rides or using a chopper on them. It's nice to have the positive stuff specially with the hip to the jive tomatos there are in here, the Ethels and the wet blankets not so much but it is at least safer." He could see some humans and some werecats in the crowd. Yeah... They were definitely safer here. There were a couple of witches too but Ice would make sure that no one in the crowd messed with them while he was watching. He was very protective of those who came into his bar. Ice tipped his hat forward to hide his face further when some pretty young thing came nearby where Jasper and him were.

As much as the ninety one year old vampire was straight, he wasn't sure how to handle females. It didn't help that his trauma caused him to freak out at female touch but he also was self conscious about them seeing him as handsome when he wasn't. He was dirty and he didn't deserve any of them, specially when he could be their grandfather or great grandfather. That was some of the problem with looking at females, although there were ladies who likely were his age and looked young, most of the ladies he was oogling were babies when he was in his seventies or so... Time to shut down his brain a bit more... Just enough that he could enjoy the view without him getting all weirded out.

Ice took a small sip of his glass while listening to the question. "My friends were mafia, what do you think?" He retorted then realized he probably hadn't mentioned it before. "I was a mafia hitman for about twenty years before I vanished. My boss got caught so I figured Ice could just vanish from that scene. I kept contact with some of em for a bit. I'm sure they are dead now or on their way there." He couldn't be sure because it was kind of hard to talk by letter from Black Springs specially when they didn't know where he went. Perhaps it was better that way... Ice sighed at the rather depressing thought pattern.

Coffin varnish - homemade booze, often poison
Taking people for a ride - killing them
Chopper - a Thompson Sub-Machine Gun, due to the damage its heavy .45 caliber rounds did to the human body
hip to the jive - cool, trendy
tomatos - ripe females
ethels - feminine men
wet blankets - don't need to explain this

[jacksonajasper]

"Of all the years we've known each other, you never mentioned that you were a part of the mafia...!" Jasper sounded truly baffled. "You son of a gun!" He laughed and punched Ice on the shoulder, only realizing it was a bad idea right after the fact. He apologized and took a sip, leaning his head back to stare at the lights that encircled the bar. They added an atmosphere that Jasper loved. One of class and sophistication that made Jasper miss the old days of reckless behavior. Before the world turned to chaos and depression, wars and famine.

What was he saying? It was a party, time for dancing and booze and dolls. A wild, wild party. Jasper smiled and took another drink as the song grew slower and the couples drifted together. "By the way," Jasper said casually. "I saw that grin, you Debbie Downer. You should have told me about this earlier- I could have gotten some moonshine or strike-me-dead. I still have some connections." He grinned. Of course there were bootleggers who were vampires. How else would they have moved so fast and gotten so much accomplished?

"She's pretty swell." Jasper said casually, his eyes still on the dancer. "What do you think, Ice?" He asked before taking another sip of his drink.

"Say, Ice, have you ever heard of one of those shows called "The Wild Party"? That's a good show depicting the 20's. Pretty catchy music too." Jasper admitted as he leaned against the bar. He had always been a fan of Vaudeville in the 1920's, that then evolved to Broadway shows. They were big, they were cheesy and flashy, but they were an escape. Anything that would take him away from reality for a while was good. Although he would tell anyone who would listen about how offensive "Lestat" was. Don't even get him started on "Dance of the Vampires", either. He had missed being able to see shows ever since he had entered Black Springs. Jasper even knew a few actors in the business who would act, disappear for a few decades, then change their appearance and reappear to continue doing what they loved. "We should have a party like that sometime." Jasper mused, taking another drink.

[/size]

[abel]

Ice chuckled rubbing his arm, he hadn't flinched at the touch but that was because it varied on what sort of touch bothered him. The masculine touch he actually was pretty used to, specially if it was rare and something that he expected. Still, he did appreciate the apology. "Nothing to it, it's good." Ice said simply "I probably should've told you earlier I just never realized I hadn't... It should've been obvious though since I usually don't talk about my past." Ice sipped his drink as well. He had set up the bar to give off the ambiance of the past, it was quite easy to do if you knew how the lights worked and Ice tend to hear about or ask about practically everything. So it was quite easy to even get some technical aspects right, of course, he had hired people to make sure they looked accurate but wouldn't set the place on fire. He preferred the last dance to be a still standing bar thank you very much.

"I would have but frankly modern booze is a minor concession I don't mind." Ice commented "Some of the stuff from back then really did taste like coffin varnish, I checked." More like he dared but either way, it was ok to leave the stronger stuff in the past. "Maybe I'll remember to ask you next time... The moonshine sounds interesting." He was sure it would be a bit strong for a lot of his customers but it would be amusing to bring in the moonshine into the equation and see how many more stupid things people did at that point. But nah, tonight he would just veg. Ice got his bartender to fill up his glass again and drank deep of it.

At the mention of the girl dancing being swell, he looked. Then he gave a bit of a nod, his hair covering his face and very much hiding a blush. The girl Jasper pointed out was quite pretty to Ice actually. Since he was pretty sure he would stammer like a teenaged idiot about it though, he used his drink to keep himself calm and to allow himself to think of words. "She's nice." Ice said finally and very simply before drowning himself in his drink again.

At the mention of the show, Ice shook his head. "I'm not much of a theatre goer." He admitted "But I wouldn't mind a party as long as it was planned with your help and you tell me any necessary warnings needed for it."

[jacksonajasper]

"No one talks about their past here, Ice." Jasper said offhandedly. It was true- you were lucky if you found someone who would share what they had for breakfast that morning, much less their history. Some people refused to share simply because it was too long- no one would sit and listen to the 200 years that Jasper remembered of his childhood. Therapists didn't count, for obvious reasons. They were paid to listen and evaluate whether they could help you get over the kid who pushed you in fifth grade- well, at least for normal patients. Patients like Jasper were seen as unable to function and obviously not get over his trauma. He had accepted this, but the idea still bothered him.

"Oh God, the stuff back then was awful." Jasper pulled a face. "Not even a shot of AB would fix it, in my opinion. And sadly, I've known a few people who were poisoned from the awful stuff. That's why you'd stick to professional bootleggers." Jasper shuddered, remembering watching people lose their sanity (no pun intended) and motor control. It was an ugly site, one he would usually have to experience whenever a new customer would come to call. Sadly, with the roaring 20's came people who literally drank themselves to death. He shook himself out of his own thoughts and turned back to Ice, nodding once when he said he would consider asking him next time.

Jasper pointed to his drink and the bartender refilled it. He thanked him and took another sip. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Ice's nod and grinned. "She's nice? Buddy boy, girls like that don't just walk into your bar every night. Who knows? Maybe she's the one who can help you." He patted his friend on the back again.

"I don't know about the warnings. Usually with parties like I attended, you just told people about it and they understood the risks. I've been to so many..." Jasper raked his mind for a warning. "Nothing I can say with younger ears around." He joked, looking at the crowd of residents. There were, no doubt, a few humans, werecats and witches in the crowd. Hence, "younger ears."

[abel]

Ice nodded. "True and I'm definitely one of those people... I won't even tell most people my real name." He admitted "Let alone what I did about seventy some odd years ago. I'd tell you my real name if you'd like to hear it but you'd probably laugh at me." Ice's name wasn't exactly his first choice of name. But when you had a very religious mother, you tend to end up with a name from the bible, even if it was a poorly picked one. One that happened to also be far too accurate when it came to what happened to him. But he didn't need to think woe is me on his name and, in fact, he only brought it up because he usually told people he liked about his real name. Not usually right away but he usually did tell them eventually what his first name was and what he was recorded down under as a human.

"I was a vampire at that point so I didn't even bother to drink." He admitted "When people commented on it, I just said I did it to lead the drunks home. I tasted it but I didn't drink too much of it." Frankly, it probably was safer for his health that he had gone that way. Specially since people would've been wondering how he survived the brew as well. Not all of his friends had survived those times even and the few non drinkers there were just did the equivalent of high fiveing him.

Ice shook his head at the comment of that girl helping him. "No one can..." He said rather pessimistically. "You know those times you get turned off something for life? My trauma is the same, I'm sure it'll be alright rationally if I try to deal with someone but because of the trauma my subconscious goes into 'danger danger' mode. I need to talk to a shrink but I've frankly been avoiding them." He didn't really want to talk with them so he was very short at sessions with them and afterwards found ways of avoiding them.

The long haired vampire nodded and sipped his drink again. "True... younger ears shouldn't hear." Ice agreed "And although they do generally get warned about it, it is still good to warn customers so they don't think of never visiting again because the bar owner is an asshole. Got it?"

[jacksonajasper]

Jasper wasn't surprised at all that Ice was one of the introverts at Black Springs. He had known that he was more secretive when they had met, and now that he learned that Ice was a member of the mafia, he wasn't surprised that Ice mostly kept to himself. "My name's older than half the people here, hell, I'm older than half the people here. I've heard all sorts of names in my time, Ice. Why would I make fun of yours?" He asked with a grin before ordering another drink. Just one more. He told himself seriously watching his drink mix.

"I would lay low at parties. You can't get away with finding donors by attracting attention to yourself." He smirked. "I rivaled ol' Gatsby at disappearing at parties. We never hosted them, but my heritage was well known for being wealthy. Yet the Jackson kids were never really spotted." He was proud of himself for this fact, and it was something that he would always be proud of. His sisters had taught him how to be social at parties while still looking for possible donors, and in a matter of weeks he was almost as good as they were, if not better. You could say they were known as heart breakers in the world of fast paced partying.

"I wish I could understand. I really do." Jasper said sympathetically. He didn't know when he'd be alright again, when he could go home, when he would be able to play with kids without thinking of Andrew. Jasper didn't want to let him go- his therapist would always tell him it was time; but Jasper never believed it. He couldn't. He couldn't deal with the hurt it would bring. "Talk to your therapist, you'll never know what will happen."

Jasper saluted his friend with a smirk on his face. "Yessir, Mister Bartender sir."

[/size]

[abel]

"It's probably an older name then even you are, because my mother took a name from the bible..." He commented wryly. "My real name is Abel Benjamin Cooper. Since I don't like being named after the first victim and Ben doesn't really fit me, I go by the nickname some of my friends in my gang gave me in high school. Worked out well too... It was the perfect code for when I assassinated someone." Ice drank down his glass of blood like he was drinking down a shot and then got a shot of O- blood just to try a blood type a little more rare. Or maybe it wasn't so rare but he liked to think of it as more rare because it was a really smooth blood, not surprising since it was the eternal giver, the blood type could be used on anyone without it being rejected from their body. AB was the eternal receiver, able to take any blood type but not really compatible with being bale to give blood to anyone but others of themselves.

The little less emotional vampire chuckled, able to handle being a bit more open with a friend. "I wasn't much of a dissapearing sort but I blended very well." He commented "That and I wasn't hiding my face as much within my hair in that point. So although the long hair was a little odd, they weren't likely to remember my face." They just knew him as a bit of a wall flower but they never heeded him much at parties. It made sure he wasn't ever picked out as being the suspicious person at a party and generally if he was picked out it was usually because people knew him so they knew to look for him. That was the only time his ability to hide in a crowd didn't generally work. That and he was a little too fond of the zoot suits he got from his friends and of course they would recognize the suits they gave him.

"I would but every time I think to I find some reason to avoid going." Ice said with a laugh. "That or I can't say the words. Half the problem is the stigma... Would people laugh at me? Tell me that after seventy six years I should just get over it?" It had been a very long time since he had dealt with what had caused him these problems. But he had been suppressing it so long that it almost made things worse. The images were still fairly vivid and Ice had heard that with people dealing with PTSD, it becomes far worse dealing with it in therapy because discussing these things made them more vivid in your mind. Ice didn't like being able to remember it but by far he didn't want to live through it again, he did that enough touching females, he didn't want to do that in front of someone while talking.

The long haired vampire shook his head. "Oh very funny you." He commented "Any more wise cracking..." Ice did a semi threatening gesture as a joke.