Hell Mouth

Los Angeles. Rick couldn't fathom why anybody with a sane mind, would want to go to L.A. Of course, it was romanticized. The Los Angeles people knew from Rom-Coms and songs was a warped version of its reality. Maybe people saw it as a getaway vacation destination, or a home but when he thought of L.A., he thought of long nights spent in alleyways, or awkward moments when he crashed on couches.

Would this happen anywhere else? Maybe, but that wasn't the point. The point was that people wrote gushy ballads about the city of angels. The people that said L.A. welcomed anybody were the same ignorant morons that described America as the land of the free. Ever since Louis Bloom had employed him, he was forced to listen to the exact same drivel. That, or the other fun facts that he found on websites. But it was work.

He didn't exactly adore the pay, which was criminally cheap. It was enough to pay for food, and enough to go towards a place of his own. Neither did he like what the job consisted of. Why couldn't he have a normal job? Taking orders, waiting tables and wiping down counters sounded like a dream when compared to giving directions then getting chastised.  But what even kept him there?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They're sitting in Louis's car, waiting for something. Rick is waiting to go home, Louis is waiting for a police dispatch for a particularly gruesome crime. Around them, the day begins to die out. Rick glances at Louis for a moment, noticing how different his face looks with a stream of golden sunlight washing over it. There are small red bumps peeking out of his jaundiced face; hints of stubble, asking to be shaved and his smile wrinkles. It shouldn't be of any significance, but for Richard, it's a reminder that his employer is human, regardless of his robotic demeanour.

"Nuthin's happenin'..." Rick mumbles, pulling his gaze away from Lou. With every passing minute, the nearby gas station's sign glows even more prominently with the approaching darkness. He hears a soft sigh from Louis, either agreeing with his statement or growing frustrated with Rick's pessimism.

"Good things happen to those who wait and work hard, Richard." He doesn't look away from the windshield, hypnotized with it. "You need to learn how to be patient." Even with his high and mighty words, his tone grows worried. He's even more bothered by the lack of action than Richard.

"Yeah..." he begins, hearing him speak, but not listening, "I'm gonna get some coffee." Without waiting Louis' answer, he shifts in his seat before grabbing the door handle. Before he can open the door, Louis grabs hold of his ratty hoodie. Ratty enough that the hood's fabric threatens to rip when a scrawny man tugs it.

"Stop it." He keeps hold of Rick's sweatshirt, forcing him to look over his shoulder at him. His eyes bulge out of his head with aggravation which he keeps hidden under an indifferent mien. "You're on duty. No company wants to hire an employee who doesn't do their job when they're supposed to." His words fly out of his mouth; he's angry but doesn't want to show it.

Suddenly aware of the palpable risk of getting fired, Rick lets go of the handle. 'Okay' is all he says. He doesn't want to lose his job, not today. Louis nods, thanking him, again and again. As if a flash of pure hatred did not spark in his eyes. Even with Lou relentlessly thanking him, he stares out at the store. His behaviour is shameful and childish in the way he sulks without word.

His employer notices his crossed arms, folded over his chest as he reflects to himself. He wonders how soon it will be until he loses him as an employee. He was always a sucker, for taking on a piss-paying job, never seizing opportunities like he does. It doesn't matter if the man's a fool, Louis knows that even somebody as despairing as Rick has standards. It wouldn't be a problem if he knew he could replace him.