The club was rammed. Bodies crawling over each other like a hoard of starving zombies, all intoxicated by some agent; that being alcohol or drugs. The DJ was fond of the hypnotic lighting and the heavy bass allowing the inner beast of all the dancers flair up and go on the prowl.
Ymir couldn't help but chuckle from behind the bar when she saw all the femmes be rounded up into the corner of the club by the butches. That was something she loved about working as a bartender in one of the most popular gay bars in the city. The things she saw made her question her faith in humanity. The amounts of drinks she had to pour away after seeing a date rape drug being slipped in was shocking. The way humans' behaviour alters in such drastic ways after consuming to much alcohol allowed Ymir's brain to analyse every aspect of human behaviour. Culture appropriation, how people dance and how it evolves. How people interact and then hook up. It was a more academic form of people watching and Ymir couldn't get enough of it.
People always fall into the same categories. The butches that lurk along the edges waiting for the opportunity to collect numbers, the dancers who tended to grind to flirt, the drink buyers etc. overall, though the players change the game remains the same. Every single person who passed the threshold of the premises was interested in getting laid or getting so pissed and high they forgot all their worries for a night. Ymir classed herself as one of those people. Being the hottest bartender there she was hit on, usually for a cheaper price but she got the odd number with a credit card.
This Friday night started like it always did. Ymir arrived on her motor bike and parked out back at 7pm sharp, entered through the front door although her manager hated staff using the public entrance but Ymir couldn't help flaunt as she pulled her leather jacket off revealing her smart attire underneath and toned abs as she lifter her shirt to clean her black framed glasses. At this hour, no one interesting was out to play, they tended to be the freshers to the gay scene but Ymir liked to make an impression. She was a rare type of woman; she was tall and freckled despite by the time most people reached her age the freckles had disappeared. Her mid length hair tied back with a clip framing her sharp jaw that emphasised the colour of her eyes. She was more of an eagle than an owl, just as deadly but people who saw an eagle would inevitably be draw to them unlike a common owl.
As soon as she rounded the bar, the line of women attempting to beckon the closest bartender hushed their chatter as they scanned the latest arrival. Most of them deciding to congregate in front of Ymir, attempting to gain her attention with the odd cough or leaning onto the bar showing their cleavage, the taller woman knew the gimmick as she saw them every night but she relished in the fact these women threw themselves at her, even for the wrong reasons. That's when Ymir's fun was over, the orders piling up as she mixed drinks together, making sure to flirt with each customer to gain a tip at the end of the night or a number, even better an invitation home.
3 hours into her shift is when she noticed a lone blonde in the corner, staring into the dance floor nursing a near empty glass. This woman didn't seem to fit into the categories Ymir created, she was something relatively new, sure lots of people have come into the club with no partner and sat on the edges of the dance floor waiting for an opportunity to arise but the blonde didn't seem engaged in the environment, it was as if she was in a library, ignoring the music and indulging in the intrigue of finding a new book to dive into, a new realm to be explored. Deciding to give in to her curiosity she picked up her plastic platter to collect empty glasses littered on abandoned tables.
At first Ymir only intended to pass the woman by, see her face closer up but somehow she ended up being caught on the prowl as well as being called out on it. "I'm flattered by your admiration and determination to scout me out but I'm not interested in getting caught up with a bar staff's attempts to gain a tip."
"The name's Ymir, and actually I was just seeing if you want a refill, the bar isn't busy so I can make you something up quickly."
"Of course that was your intent. I know a player when I see one, and you Ymir are of those people. I'm not attracted to dishonesty and lack of loyalty" she spat her words out. Despite the strong smell of alcohol radiating from her words the woman didn't seem to have any of the side effects of such a drink. "Who's pissed you off recently? Bad break up or sommit? I'm sorry I didn't catch your name."
"Ha, no one specifically has 'pissed me off' it's this hook up culture that rubs me the wrong way. I can tell you're one of those people who is an advocate for such a culture. And I never told you my name."
"Well, Miss Shortie, I'm gonna buy you a drink and sit with you for my break so you can tell me all about how lots of sex is ruining romance. Would that be ok with you?"
"Please don't call me a shortie, I'm aware I'm probably half the size of you but insulting someone, especially a short person isn't going get you anywhere. I may be small but I'm tall enough to hit you in your dick."
"Don't have a dick, most women don't but I like your inclusion of the trans women who haven't had lower surgery." Ymir left it at that she turned around and headed back to the bar. She wasn't due for a break but she could blag for a co-worker to cover for her. This blonde woman captivated her, even in the low light Ymir could tell the woman's blonde hair allowed her blue eyes to pop. They were the type of eyes that bore into you but you wanted them to. The short blonde didn't even look at Ymir as she hopped over the counter after placing the platter of empty glasses down. She was in a rush to impress and gain answers. Deciding whiskey and coke was a good idea for both of them, something social and classy but not the type of drink you'd give to someone you want to shag like a cheap pint of beer.
As the brunette returned, the blonde was being hit on. Deliberately slowing down her pace to hear the exchange of words and avoid the risk of getting territorial over someone she had only met, let alone know the name off.
"… actually someone's already beat you to the draw but I appreciate the gesture…"
Ymir admitted to herself it was a very graceful let down for the other party but it was one of the most promising things she's heard all night. She was in, the foot was firmly in the door with this one. "Hope this is alright for ya. And I still don't have your name." Ymir slid into the chair next to the blonde as she handed her the drink with upmost care. The blonde took is with caution, sniffing it to tell its contents before downing the whole thing in one. Ymir just stared and then blinked profusely before joining her in finishing her drink. "Krista, Krista Lenz. So, Ymir, what do you want to talk about seeming as you ever so kindly bought me a drink and know that I hate the idea of being bought a drink with the expectation of me taking off my panties for you."
"You cut to the chase don't you huh? Well, I guess I'll take the flirting as far as I can with someone who has no intention of seeing me naked tonight." Ymir added her famous eyebrow wiggle, attempting to change Krista's mind. "I guess I'll start by asking the usual questions. What sort of work are you in? I've not seen you in here before and your accent doesn't seem local."
"I'm French, I've lived here for the past year or so but only just moved closer to the city centre. I'm self-employed, work in housing real-estate so I'm seeing if there are any eligible properties I can snatch up and resell, the usual boring sort of work."
"French… that's sexy. You speak any?"
"I was raised there so I hope I can speak it pretty fluently. I really hope this dumb act of yours is part of the gimmick. And no I won't demonstrate because you'll jizz your pants."
"I'm Norwegian, don't speak any of the language, my dad brought be over here before I was two, but I won't bother you with the sob story. So, down to the nitty gritty. What's wrong with letting me buy you a couple drinks, sweet talk you to coming home with me after my shift and making you cum like no other has done before?" Krista chocked on the air with the directness of the question as well as the blatant vulgarity. "because I was raised to believe that sex is more than pleasure or a business arrangement."
"Don't brandish a cross at me. Don't tell me, you're the 'in the marriage bed' sorta person. "
"I have sex with partners, not someone who I have to think about remembering what they're called for over a minute."
"guess that would be awkward calling out the wrong name…" Ymir earned the slap to the gut with that remark. Krista was the type of woman who valued sex more than the ordinary ramble who liked the pleasure. She couldn't remove emotion from the equation of sex, even though she wished she could. After a small period for Ymir to recover she begin to chuckle before raising her head again to look at the blonde. A smirk emerged and Krista prepared for a corny comment to follow which it inevitably did. "I can wear a name tag if they would help."
"You're not winning me over here Ymir, self-proclaimed sex god."
"Hay! I never said that about myself, but my recommendation list is nothing to shake a stick at. But how about this, I may not win you over this night but how about you come over to my place for a drink, no sex. So we can talk away from the blaring music and me constantly looking over my shoulder about the…fuck… the huge queue of people ordering cocktails."
Ymir was already getting up to join her co-worker after deciding she was taking the piss by asking him to man the bar by himself. She was stopped in her tracks by the touch of the blonde grasping onto her shirt before she pulled away. "You come back to my place. For one drink. Then I kick you out."