Ver(Roni)ca= Regina

(Moni)ca = Zelena

"Here you are." Roni placed the green appletini down on the bar in front of the redhead who had ordered it. Then she turned to make the next order. Why she insisted on working alone, she really had no idea, especially when it got busy.

Oh, wait. She lived upstairs. That was why.

A glass shattered. "Damn it!"

Roni whirled around to see pieces of a broken shot glass and the alcohol it had contained all over a section of the bar. "Don't worry about it." She grabbed a dishrag to tend to the mess. "Did some get on you, too? Do you need some napkins?"

"Probably a good idea," the man answered.

"Alright. I can replace that shot, too, if you'd like. No extra charge."

"No... No, I think I've had enough."

Good call. Roni hated when she was the one that had to suggest it was time for a customer to stop drinking. They usually tended to get defensive and offended. "I'll call you a cab, then?" she offered.

"Nah, I'll just Swyft it."

"Alright." Roni finished cleaning up the mess, carefully disposing of the broken glass before handing the man over a fistful of napkins. "Have a safe trip home."

"Hey!" an irritated man barked. "I placed my order 5 minutes ago!"

"I'm sorry, Jim. Safety first. You know that. I can't be in two places at once. Yours is coming, I promise." Roni drew in a deep breath, counting to 10 in her head. Blowing up on customers was not good for business.

Meanwhile, Jim turned his attentions to the pretty redhead next to him. "How are you doin', sweetheart?"

The woman had her lips on her glass, not realizing she was the one being spoken to, at first.

"Don't ignore me, bitch!"

Thinking the words were directed at her, as her back was turned, Roni snapped, "I'm working on it, Jim! That was completely unnecessary."

"Not you, sweetheart!" Jim responded dismissively.

Finally realizing she was being spoken to, eyes glanced sideways to the man she didn't know. "Me?" she asked, lips still on her glass.

"Oh, don't play dumb. You're just being a bitch. Dressing like that, ignoring those you dressed that way for."

The redhead looked down at her modest outfit. "Excuse me?" What on earth was that man talking about?

Jim grabbed a fistful of her hair. "Without this, you'd look like the filthy whore you are."

She yelped, pushing his arm away, only sacrificing a few strands of hair. She was tempted to throw the rest of her drink in his face, but resisted.

Roni's ears perked. She abandoned the drink she was making to approach the woman Jim was harassing. Some men just couldn't take a damn hint, and some were just plain vile. She knew she had to intervene before it escalated any further than it already had. She tried to communicate her intention through direct eye contact as she casually leaned an arm against the bar, shifting some of her weight onto it. "He bothering you?" she asked sternly.

The redhead's eyes filled with tears, only summoning the strength to nod.

"I didn't do nothin'!" Jim protested.

Roni smiled a fake pleasant smile at him. "I'm sure." Then she looked at the redhead again, shifting so both elbows were on the bar, chin resting in her hands, silently studying her. Then she leaned close enough to whisper into her ear. "If you trust me, look at him and smile."

She stood properly again, turning away to pour herself a fireball shot. She downed it quickly, turning again after, watching to see what the woman would do.

Damn. She actually smiled at Jim. Roni wasn't a particularly religious woman, but all she could think in that moment was, 'Lord, forgive me for what I am about to do.' She approached the bar again, clearing her throat to get the woman's attention.

Blue eyes met brown, confused, but trusting all the same.

Roni fully leaned on the bar this time, reaching a hand out to smooth the hair that had been messed up, then cupped her cheek gently.

Those blue eyes widened with sudden understanding, as she nuzzled her cheek against her hand as a nod of consent.

Roni leaned in quickly, covering the other woman's lips with her own. However, what she had intended to be a chaste peck escalated when the other woman's tongue was suddenly in her mouth. It wasn't unwelcome, and certainly would look more convincing, but she was still surprised.

After a moment, Roni broke away breathlessly to glare daggers at Jim. "Back. Off." She growled.

He raised his hands up placatingly, as if he was in danger of being put under arrest. "Woah! Sorry, Roni. I had no idea she was one of yours. Mad respect."

Roni cocked an eyebrow at him. "I believe it's time for you to leave, Jim." She leaned menacingly close to him, hands now to herself, gripping onto her end of the bar. "I have put up with many things, but you have used up the last of my grace. Get out, and I suggest you find another bar. You are no longer welcome in mine." She stared him down until his sorry ass was no longer in the building.

Roni straightened up, turning away to clean some glasses. "Yeah, you know what..." she began after another moment. She turned again. "Everyone should go. Happy Hour's over. Bar's closed."

Stools screeched against the floor as everyone collectively got up to leave after slamming down the rest of their alcohol as quickly as they could.

Roni caught the red-haired, blue eyed woman's wrist before she could move too far away from the bar. "Not you, honey," she murmured kindly.

She looked confused, yet again, but remained where she was until they were alone, slowly sitting back down on the stool she had been on.

"Are you okay?" Roni had to check in. "That's... Not something I regularly do, just so you know. I hope I didn't cross a line. Sexual harassment isn't on my bucket list..."

"You're fine." She grinned. "I... I'm not usually some weak damsel incapable of standing up for herself. It just came out of nowhere, and I froze. Thank you."

"You evaded the question," Roni pointed out, but had her eyes on the task of wiping down the bar, in case it would make it easier for her to respond without being looked at.

"Well... I'm not drunk, but I'm not entirely sober, either. I lost a tiny bit of hair, so my head hurts a bit in that spot... If anything, it's good inspiration for song lyrics. I've had worse, honestly, but I knew I was being targeted then. I was caught off guard this time."

Roni looked up, both curious and concerned. "Song lyrics?" she went for the lighter option.

"Yes. Not that any will be heard. Monica West: Failed Singer Too Stubborn To Stop." Zelena shook her head, then rubbed her temple. "I thought maybe if Nirvana found great success in Seattle with Kurt Cobain as their singer who always sounded like there were marbles in his mouth... That I could, too. But no."

Roni snorted. "Yeah, he did sort of sound like there were marbles in his mouth," she agreed. That was a good one. "Is that your name? Monica West?"

"Truly is."

"Funny. Roni is short for Veronica. Our names rhyme. My last name is Woods." She made her way to the door to lock it and flip the sign on the door from open to closed, and turn off the lights of the sign on the building. "Don't worry," she stated as she made her way back to the bar. "You're not locked in. You can still leave."

Monica blushed, because she suddenly didn't want to. "Why didn't you kick me out with everyone else?"

"I wanted to make sure you're okay."

Monica stared down at her own feet, unable to look at her for what she was about to say. "Well, I think I'm in hot water, now..."

"Why's that?"

"Because I..." Monica swallowed. "Haven'tbeenkissedinalongtimeabdIlikeditandIwantmore."

Roni laughed softly at the rush of words. It was cute. "I'm flattered." She pushed a hand back through her own hair. "I..." Every way she thought to phrase her next words felt like it would imply things she didn't mean. She spoke carefully, "I have been burned at every level, sometimes because people simply didn't know what they wanted. Think about what you want... What you really want, when you're 100% sober, then let me know. Even if all you want is one night, tonight isn't the night, since we've both been drinking."

Monica's head snapped up, mouth partially open in awe. The sincerity of Roni's words and eyes was startling. "I completely respect that. Can we trade numbers so I can tell you when I know?"

"That's fair." Roni nodded. She pulled out her phone, bringing up a new contacts page. She handed the phone to Monica. "Type yours in, then I'll send a text so you have mine."

Monica took the phone to do as instructed, then handed it back. After seeing Roni make a couple quick taps, she heard her phone make a buzz. She smiled.

"Will you make it home okay?" Roni asked.

"Will you?"

Roni laughed. "I am home. I live upstairs. Not information I freely share, by the way."

"I won't say a word," Monica vowed. "Anyway, I will use Swyft. Was that my cue to leave?"

"The longer you're here without me knowing what you want, the harder it will be for me to not wait until you do. That would end badly. I don't want that happening again, and you seem really sweet, so I don't want it happening to you, either."

Monica felt her heart beginning to race. "I'll go get some sleep, then, and text or call you when - well, whenever I know."

Once Monica was gone, Roni shook her head at herself. "Veronica Woods, what on earth have you gotten yourself into?"