Snippet #2472856

Kips was kicking his way down the streets within the hour. Kicked out of the docks by a swearing, red-faced supervisor. But still having a job to his name, so Kips guessed it couldn't be all that bad. Right? At most, he was going to get some deductions to his pay with week, which would put a mighty dent in the money he could send back to his sister and how much he was going to eat... Weight was really something the already boney man couldn't afford to loose any more off.

Oh well...

He kicked at the loose pieces of pavement under his feet as he walked, his pockets jingling with nothing more than some loose cogs that Kips had forgotten to return to his toolbox. He rounded a corner, turning onto a side street for a shortcut. Even though it was only mid-morning, this street was dark, the smog hanging heavy in the balance here. Flower girls rushed up to him, trying earnestly to sell their wares of wilting wildflowers, of which he had to kindly decline. Not a pence to his name, he had.

"Oh, come, Otto. One flower? It only cost a pence." One of the older girls, Charlotte, broke out of the pack, tring to bargain with him. She hooked her arm around Kips' and fell into step beside him. She shooed off the other girls with a glare, who left with quiet protests and swears, and turned back to him with a knowing smile, "You wouldn't want a pretty woman like me going hungry, would you?" She batted her eyelashes innocently.

Kips rolled his eyes, "'Fraid not, Lottie. Ain't got a pence on me, even if yer lookin' a'me like so." He said in a cautious tone, watching her carefully out of the corner of his eye. Charlotte was one of those girls you had to keep an eye on at all times, she ready to do anything for what she wants. But... she did look awful thin this time. More than usual.

As they walked in silence, the street brightened some, being in a more open, populated area now and having more people busying about. Kips slowed his walk, stopping to lean against a streetlamp, and looking down at her to speak, "I do a'ways offer ya' t'eat supper with me mates and I, don't I?" He said out of real concern. His mates and him couldn't afford much, but they would always share it with whomever comes knocking.

Charlotte gave a very unladylike snort, crossing her arms over her chest as she avoided his gaze. She people-watched, her eyes slowly following the richer folk (Most likely thinking up a plan to swindle them) as she spoke to him, "Why would a lady like me want to eat with a lot of thick gear-heads? You all have no hygiene to speak of! Really, do you lot ever bathe!?" She looked over her shoulder at him, giving a once-over of his grease-covered clothing and skin.

He pushed her gently, jokingly, giving a theatric sigh "Oi, Oi... I just got off work, ya'know."

"Mighty early to be off work." She said, suspiciously eyeing him.

"Mighty early t'be seducin' men off the streets with offerin' flowers. That be night work, didn'tya know?" Kips retorted, reaching and picking at the selection of flowers she had in her basket. They were all wilting, drooping in an unpleasant way. It would take a lot of seducing to get any man to buy those, but Charlotte had her ways, he knew that for sure.

Charlotte slapped his hand away, glaring daggers, "If you aren't going to buy them, don't touch. And what do you mean seducing?! I'm doing honest work." She said it so strongly, he might have believed her if she hadn't tried seducing him for flower sales before. He cracked a grin, nudging her again before pushing himself from the pole, "Whatever y'say, Sweetheart. Gotta check the post, though. Have supper with me mates and I sometime, ya?"

Without waiting for an answer, he turned and set off for city center. Kips had been expecting a letter for a while now.