Chapter Text
It's around midday when Tar appears on the property of a Professor L. Plum, he's walked as evident from the dirt on his shoes, he's welcomed inside by workers and gardeners alike. Mr Tar had flopped down onto Plum's couch and absently snatched the mail from his maid on the way up the tall staircase, eventually ending up in Plum's study where he can see the man hunched over at a desk. Flopping down onto a black velvet couch, suit jacket hanging off his torso and shirt tucked in neatly, belt holding his attire together. Full black, as usual. It was sort of a thing among the rich; wear a singular colour to represent your wealth, not that they saw many poor people in their lives anyhow. Similar colours on people's outfits usually meant they were families, and smaller pieces like jewelry or accent tones could mean that you are friends or in relations with that group. He was happy to have collected a purple gemstone pin from Plum over the last few years of their friendship.
Somewhere along the line his father had befriended Miss Plum, Ludwig's mother, and that had lead to the two of them becoming friends. Plum always had a good relationship with his family, and in a way he envied it. His father was distant, buried in his work, and his mother was always overseas on vacations. Whenever he did see his father or mother they were always filling his head with rules or instructions, and inevitably he had gotten to a point where he was a disciplined child, in line for his father's job. In these later years though Ludwig and him had been seeing each other more frequently, now that Nick had some privilege being in his twenties. Ludwig quickly rubbed off on him, and whenever he wasn't at home, he was here, messing around with Platinum and Plum.
Somewhere behind the couch he's on he can hear Ludwig writing away at his desk, the sound of his fine inked pen almost as relaxing as the rain, well, at least in the Plum household it was. He groans and flops the hand holding the letters down onto his chest. "What're you writing Profess'?" Nick asks as if he'll get an actual real answer from the professor. One thing about Plum is that no one actually knew what type of professor he was. So of course he continued with that fact.
"Nothin'," the scribbles pause for a moment before continuing, probably refilling his ink. Nick shuffles up on the couch so he can get more comfortable.
"Well it doesn't sound like "nothin'". C'mon, take a break. I'm sure you've been working for a long time," he doesn't feel amazing for the nitpicking on the French accent, but he knows they're both more then comfortable messing around with eachother.
"Ehhh, I'm not really..." He trails off. Nick pauses before he hears the pen get dropped down onto the table than it's followed by footsteps. Ludwig appears near his feet, his purple pants and purple vest are on, but his jacket isn't anywhere nearby. His blonde hair is neatly positioned, like usual. Ludwig takes a seat on a white leather seat on the northern side of the coffee table.
"What have you got there?" Ludwig asks leaning forward, dress shoes pointing at Nick's head as he slants his body, whole frame making eye contact.
"Uh, mail?" He holds it up, stating sarcastically as if Plum couldn't tell. "I'll go through it now actually. Let's see if we have anything for you!" He looks over the first letter which is addressed to a Mr Anthony Platinum, he tossed it onto the glass table to his left, Anthony always got letters from different banks. That's what being an accountant was all about he guessed. The next letter is addressed to Anthony again and it joined it's brother on the table. Though the next one was for Lud, Nick ripped open the envelope and read the contents. "Something about pineapples being only for the rich." He sits up, finally getting an eyeful of the tall walls and giant windows, along with the tacky wallpaper Plum adores too much. He's glad he talked him out of the bear skin rug but even to change anything in this room aside from the seating would be a win. He hands the paper to Plum who begins to go over it, glasses sliding down his nose and absently he pushes them up. His glasses being just for decoration which made Nick want to smash them over his knee.
He also envied that Plum had free control over his life. His mother was never strict, and without a father during his years as a teenager apparently life was easier for him. Maybe Nick wishes he had a life like that, parent-less and free. Instead of being shackled to a role and a life he didn't want. He glances down at the letters in his hands. Nick wished he got sent letters asking about if he was free or not, or telling him about the latest news. Though any "Mr Tar" envelopes they got were given straight to his father.
The next letter was for Plum again, though it looked much nicer than the last. A sort of tan colouring and with a wax seal on the front. He breaks the fancy symbol open and reads it over in his head. "Huh. You'll like this one I bet; "Dear Professor L. Plum, the household of Mr Body would love to host you for a night at our mansion for festivities and partying to help our neighborhood in growing a sense of community. You and a few other members have been invited for cocktails, food and a good night. We hope we will see you there tomorrow, The house of Mr W Body."" Nick looks it over once again in his head. When he looks back up at Lud, he's got an extended arm, quickly he offers the letter over. "You gonna go?" He asks after a beat. Ludwig hums an uncertain tone, his eyes tracing over the words. Ludwig then puts the letter onto the table and sighs, leaning back into the chair and looking up at the ceiling. A painted artwork of an oasis is up above, Nick's not sure how much Lud paid for it but he watches as Ludwig thinks. "I mean, that's where Miss White works, isn't it?" Ludwig furrows his brows and turns his head to glare at Tar.
"What's that supposed to mean, eh?" He asks with a small amount of bite. Nick shrugs with a half smirk already subconsciously forming on his face. Ludwig ignores him, "well are *you* going to go?" Nick doesn't skip a beat with his reply.
"Nope."
"And why not?" Ludwig asks back. Why was Nick so inclined to make him go if he himself wasn't going?!
"No invite, genius. Besides, Will has no reason to befriend my family. We both do mining," it's true, both the Tar and Body's had huge mines, where their money import actually came from. Nick had even supplied Ludwig with a huge geode for a center piece in his study. Then why was Mr Body trying to befriend him then? Ludwig's family were Lawyers and Prosecutors and Judges, and even if he knew that, he should know Ludwig was a professor, so he couldn't benefit from it...
"Well I bet you're glad because you just wanna go down to the station and see Officer Tangerine~ Oooh! He's so dreamy!" The Professor bites back at Nick. Nick's angry eyes instantly lock onto him. That was probably another thing he shouldn't joke about, Ludwig already knows about how most of society is with "those types of people", but especially Nick's family.
"Shut up," Tar mutters looking dejectedly at the mural above avoiding looking at Plum's well kept blonde hair or his pale, smooth skin.
"Sorry." Ludwig adds. The two sit in silence for a moment, both taking in the silence. Comfortable to sit quietly in eachother's presence. Nick only came here every so often, strict family rules Ludwig had assumed by this point. He had invited Nick's family over once for dinner, it was obvious how much differently he acted around them. Anthony even tried to speak up about it, there was silence across the table as everyone eyed Anthony. It only resulted in an absence of Nick for the next month and Anthony actually saying a genuine apology to Nick, who had turned down the formalities from the accountant.
It was curious to see the first time Nick and Aiden had interacted. There had been a break in one night and it resulted in the officer being called over. When he walked into the building in his orange clothing and brown mixed blonde hair, Ludwig could see the way Nick looked shocked. In hindsight it was obvious to see that Nick liked him. The way Nick had to translate Ludwig's accent across for the Canadian but wasn't able to actually say anything himself. There's also the thought he has know, about how Aiden actually got to where he is in the police academy whilst being openly queer. That type of stuff was usually kept quiet by the person themselves. It wasn't that hard to tell most of the time, but society seemed more okay if you just didn't say it out loud. Which in it's own was weird, Ludwig didn't mind any queers, so to see Nick be so uncomfortable about them was his only downside as his friend. Though even then, Ludwig suspected it was once again something his parents were pushing onto him.
The silence of the room is broken when the oak door opens,
"Hey guys," it's Anthony, as evident from the deep voice. He's in his silver attire as usual, a grey tie, suspenders and a brown fiddlers hat, hiding his lack of hair. He takes a seat on the other couch across from Nick and to the right of Lud. "Did you two fight?" He immediately asks, eyes shifting between them in a study. Nick finally looks his way, as does Ludwig. He laughs slightly at the glum expressions they both have. Plum speaks up.
"Do you think I should go to the, uhh, the party at Mr Body's house tonight?" Anthony shrugs and cracks his knuckles. Ink staining the underside of his right hand, meaning he had been writing for a long time recently.
"Sure. Not like we're gonna be doing anything fun tonight anyway," Nick points at Platinum in agreement.
"See?" He insists "You should go,"
"I feel like you just wanna rob my house while I'm gone," the professor laughs lightly. Tar shrugs
"Maybe," the joke flows out freely, as if the prior jabs at eachother were never made.
"It's not like you're gonna lose anything by going. Besides, maybe you'll actually make some new friends," Platinum yawns after he finishes talking. "Man I'm beat. I'm gonna go grab some coffee, anyone want something?"
"Nah, I'll just come with," Nick stands up to follow Anthony and Lud follows obediently after the pair. It's halfway down the marble hallway and somewhere around when Anthony was talking about some new paperwork or something that he decides he'll go out tonight. Not just to see Misses White or to meet Mr Body, but to... Make some new friends.