Charlie sighed as she downed a shot of vodka and slammed the glass on the sticky wooden counter, grimacing as the burning sensation spread across her chest, up her neck, and onto her pale face. She frowned as she leaned back, adjusting her tube top as it began to sag ever so little.

"Ya good, toots?" Her friend beside her said, a grin on his lips as he crossed his long legs and leaned on his portion of the bar top. He cocked his head toward the crowd, "There's a couple of hunks that look like they wanna boogie" His smile widen, revealing a single golden tooth in a row of pearly whites.

The sulking girl looked at her best friend, dressed in drag but looking more gorgeous and feminine than she. Rather than a wig, his shoulder length dirty blond hair was curled into soft waves. He wore a black halter dress that barely reached mid thigh with long knee high leather boots. He was stunning, his makeup on point to highlight his best girlish features, especially in comparison to her wearing a red sweetheart necked tube top that showed off her midriff with skin tight dark navy skinny jeans and black heeled booties. Her long, voluminous golden hair cascaded down her back. Around her neck was a leather choker with an apple pendant. Her makeup only consisted of eyeliner and pink tinted lip gloss.

The blonde rolled her eyes, "I don't know why I let you talk me into this, Angel. Vaggie had every right to be upset with me! It's not like we broke up." She bit her lower lip, "A-at least taking some time away from one another doesn't mean it's official." Her lower lip began to tremble as she felt another onslaught of tears well up. "I didn't give her the attention she needed. I-I realized that now and I'm going to change it when she takes me back. She just needs some space is all."

Angle rolled his pink contacted eyes, black colored lips sneering, "Oh for fuck sakes, Charlie, she's had a spear up her ass since the two of yas started dating. It's been three years of her wearing the pants, getting what she wants, when you're the fucking workin' yer ass off to buy a house. I'm kinda pissed she guilt tripped ya like that when I know she's been wanting nookie from Cherri, that backstabbing bitch. Vags likes to talk shit to ya, but you need to grow some balls woman and fucking stand up to her."

Charlie pinched the bridge of her nose, "It's not like that. I'm surprise you actually care about any of this." She closes her eyes, envisioning her Hispanic lover face during the argument the night before. It had been true that the last year or so Charlie had focused more on work, picking up a second job even, to save up for a home and to get them out of the rat nest they lived in, or at least had been until Vaggie left to move in with Cherri. Temporarily, of course. Hopefully. She could have easily asked her parents to lend her the money for the down payment, as she came from a wealthy family, but Charlie liked to earn her living, rather than depending on old money and her nest egg her parents left her when she moved out. It hadn't been easy at first, but meeting Vaggie had changed all that.

"Only because you're my sugar momma and Cherri broke the code."

This caused the girl to shake her head and giggle half heartily as she crossed her arms and leaned on the counter again, "Of course."

Angel laughed and patted her back with one hand as he grabbed his mai tai with the other, swinging himself around to face the bar, "I'm kidding. You haven't had to bail me outta anything since I started working again. Thanks doll face, I owe ya big time for landing me that sweet secretary gig at your dad's firm. I'm glad he wasn't put off with my previous line of work, but damn... porn gets boring after a while. Go figure."

Charlie ordered herself another shot and sighed, "It's what's friends are for, right? I don't have many friends other than you and Vaggie anyway." She let out a shuddered breath, "Do... do you think she's hooking up with your friend?" She thanked the short red headed bartender and held the shot to her lips, "I... kinda saw how she'd been giving her looks when we had that pool party." Down went her drink again, though this time she kept a straight face. She noticed a slender brunette sit on the other side of the bar and blinked.

There was something off about him, like he wasn't supposed to be there. Perhaps it was his attire in comparison to the other patrons at the bar. He was dressed in a dark red, almost burgundy, fitted dress shirt with a black bow tie and from what she could see, suspenders. His hair was neatly combed, not a stray strand sticking out. He was smiling as he spoke to the other bartender. Hank was it? Or maybe it was Henry. She couldn't remember what she heard as the music was nearly deafening when she had arrived. Regardless, she noted he had a nice smile, but his eyes were something else. They were piercing, even half hidden behind a pair of wired glasses, like a well trained hunter, an apex predator. Whatever it was about him, Charlie felt a sudden chill run down her spine, telling her to stay away from him. He was bad news, despite the seemingly genuine smile that never faltered from his lips. The aura around him was dark, yet oddly inviting.

Angel groaned, "Who cares? You two are on hiatus which means you're free to get all the straight dickin' you've been missing since you decided, and wrongly may I add, that scissoring was better. Come on, let's dance a little. I'm trying to be your wing man here but if you're not gonna take my help, be my wing gal. Deal?"

Charlie turned around on her bar stool to look at the crowd then at her friend. She smiled a little at him, "Sure, dancing sounds like fun. Let me just get an actual drink. I don't plan for a one night stand, but whatever happens, happens for you."

"That's my girl!"

Charlie laughed, turning back to the bar, not noticing the man staring at her intently, "Hey, Niffty?"

—-

"The usual?" The bushy browed bartender grunted as he filled a whisky glass with some ice, "Double or triple?"

"Huskers, my good man, you know me so well. Triple, please."

"Shit day at work?" Husk was fairly decent sized man with broad shoulders, a stern face with salt and peppered hair slicked back with a slight pompadour. He wasn't much of a people person, but considering his trade, he had to at least be somewhat amicable towards others. He only bothered to converse with few regulars, such as the brown haired gentleman who sat at the far corner of the dive bar. He set the glass down and took the offered credit card to open up the tab.

"Something like that, I suppose. The interviewee I had was nothing short of a train wreck, if you ask me. What was supposed to be a show about the recent pandemic we're experiencing ended up being about nothing about conspiracy theories and the Illuminati. A quack he was!" He chuckled behind his closed fist.

Husk snickered as he wiped downed the counter, "That sucks. I'll be sure to listen to the recording on my way home. So, anything new with you?"

The brown haired man removed his glasses, hanging them on his shirt pocket, and sighed in exasperation as he leaned forward, though the eerie smile he always had on his face never fully dropping, "No, not particularly." His eyes settled on a pretty blonde on the other side of the bar who was talking to Niffty, the other bartender. She was pretty, but also looked like someone kicked her puppies off a bridge in front of her. What would she look like with a real smile?

He thought about Husk's question, analyzing his current predicament. He had called it quits with his fiancé Mimzy, a night club owner and burlesque dancer, after a heated argument about her possessive and clingy behavior that had led her to threatening one of the interns at his studio. It had also been the final straw for him too when she accused him of infidelity with their long time friend Rosie.

Alastor wasn't perfect, despite what others would say about him. He and Mimzy had met through a mutual connection some years ago when the both of them were heavily enthralled with the underground workings of gang wars and trades. However when they realized it wasn't a life they wanted to raise a family in- well, her more than him- they had supposedly put that behind them and settled into a more peaceful, domesticated life. If anything, he would have thought she'd figured out all this time he was still contracted for certain jobs that appealed to his violent bloodlust and would have argued about that, rather than the young, barely out of high school intern who happened to know how he liked his coffee. Straight black, in case you were wondering. He couldn't help that the poor dame was rather affectionate and admired him like the daddy she never had. Alastor never once, not ever considered, doing anything with her. She was entertaining at best.

"I've been coming here how long?" He heard himself say as he continued to watch the blonde and her friend move toward the dance floor once Niffty handed her the drink she ordered. Immediately, several frat boys surrounded them. He noted how one snaked his arm around her waist and she stiffened ever so slightly, but her face remained calm.

Husk, who was cleaning glasses at the basin near Alastor since the bar back had called in sick for the night, crinkled his nose in thought, "About... ten years? I was still a bouncer when you started coming around."

"Such a long time. I come here at least twice a week, yes? I've never seen her around. Maybe the effeminate fellow she's with once or twice before." He took a sip of his whisky, resting his cheek on his left hand.

Husk looked over his shoulder, spotting Angel then looking at the girl he was with. "Eh, probably just turned twenty-one. Didn't think you'd like 'em young or even knew you were into girls. So many have thrown themselves at you but you ignored them or flat out told them to fuck off. Could have sworn you were gay or something. Hard to tell since you're always fucking smiling."

Alastor shot him a look, his smile tense, "Is that how you talk to a paying customer? I should talk to your manager." His grin widen as his eyes narrowed, "Better yet, maybe I'll have to remove that tongue of yours."

Husk shrugged, "Nah, just you. Anyway, any new jobs?" He lowered his voice as he leaned forward, glaring at his patron, "You haven't paid me for the last clean up."

"Hey Al!" Came a bubbly voice. The duo turned to look at the short red headed bartender.

"Ah, Niffty darling, I was wondering if you'd give me an ounce of your attention tonight. How are things with you and the Baxter fellow you were gushing about last time?" Al turned his attention to Niffty who was working on some martinis as Husk moved to serve other guests. The crowd was starting to pick up as the night dragged on.

She giggled and blushed, "It's been good. Better than you and Mimzy." She looked at him, "You know she can't keep her mouth shut. She's convinced you'll come crawling back to her after that verbal beat down."

Alastor barked with laughter, "Please, dear, you know that's unlikely. I haven't felt this liberated in what feels like eons. I hadn't realize what kind of hell I was living in until I packed my bags and left. The motel hasn't been too shabby, but I think it time I left town and started somewhere fresh. I put in a transfer for a sister station back home in Louisiana." His eyes wondered back to the young woman who caught his eye earlier, carefully studying her body language as she was awkwardly grounded against two guys, her face indicating her discomfort as she hid behind her cup. Her friend was oblivious as he twerked again his dance partner. The other guy was in a for a rude awakening. "It's been fun here, but I do miss home and visiting mother."

He felt something stir in him as he watched the golden hair beauty. Alastor wasn't much for relationships, and he had only been with Mimzy because he got used to her hanging around, plus the prospect of having to deal with one person and getting that sweet loving without a second thought of what he could encounter seemed reason enough for him to agree to marry her. He never proposed, not traditionally at least. She one day declared they should get hitched, live the life Bonnie and Clyde never had the chance to, and he simply went along with it. Clearly that was a mistake he would never make again, and perhaps the only one he ever made to begin with. How long had it been? Eight years to the day? He knew her for nearly twice as long. The price he paid for getting comfortable.

Alastor cocked a brow as he watched the scene unfold. Her companion had been whisked away toward the restroom, no doubt to do unspeakably grotesque things with his dance partner. This left the girl alone with the other two. She was like a deer caught in headlights as her dark eyes widen, a blush spreading across her face as she moved away, shaking her head and attempting to laugh off whatever offensive comment they had whispered to her. She returned to the bar, and like a smart girl, placed a napkin over her glass as she waved Niffty down.

The two bros looked at one another then sat on either wide of her, close enough to not let anyone come between them, but not be fully on top of her. They didn't engage in conversation with her, not with her attention on Niffty. He felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise though as they ordered drinks when the short bartender was ready. His hand twitched as one slightly jerked his head toward the girl. If Alastor saw correctly, he wanted whatever it was she was having. Instinct told him to not look away.

It struck him as odd though that he was suddenly protective of the unknown girl sitting at the other end from him. Her skin was pale and unblemished, her eyes big and expressive. Details that never interested him about any other woman he'd been with, not even Mimzy. He had seen similar scenarios many times, and not at this particular musty, decrepit bar with the cheap booze and dim lights. It was always crowded, mostly college students from the dorms near by. Alastor only came because of his associates and to observe. Watching the guys strike out miserably was always fun, and rarely did if ever get violent, not that he was ever compelled to help a damsel in distress. Husk was always quick to the rescue if a fight broke out.

Their eyes caught for a moment and he felt the wind get knocked out him. What kind of whiskey did Husk give him? Maybe he should see the doctor in the morning for the sudden sputtering of his heart and the summersault his stomach was doing as she smiled kindly at him, her expression soft and angelic, reminiscent of the first rays of sunlight after a storm.

Beautiful.

He returned the smile and waved, chuckling as she blushed and looked away. He already missed her smile, and her eyes... lord have mercy, she looked as gentle and docile as a doe. The stags trapping her in place had got to go. Especially now that one put his arm around her shoulder. She shrugged it off and got up, taking the water bottle Niffty gave her and left her half empty drink on the counter. Good girl.

Alastor watched her as she walked around the bar, and was surprised that she continued until she reached him.

"Is this seat taken?" She asked, talking loud enough to be heard over the thumping of music, pointing to the stool beside him. Her voice is as sweet, like a wonderful melody forever engrained in his mind. Despite the stench of booze and sweat in the air, he could smell her perfume. Lavender and apple blossoms with an undertone of cotton candy.

"Be my guest, mon cher." He glanced at the two glowering boys. He would have to keep an eye on them.

"T-thank you. Um, hi... I'm Charlie. Sorry to bug you, they were bothering me but I didn't want to cause a scene. I thought I was going to suffocate with the amount of shitty axe they had on." She settled in and avoided eye contact with anyone as she held her water bottle with both hands on the counter, "My friend is busy at the moment and you seem like you'd be the less creepy option around here. No offense."

Alastor laughed, causing Charlie to smile shyly and look at him from the corner of her eye, "None taken, dear. Looks can be deceiving unless you're those two block heads. I never understood the flipped up polo collars. Silly fashion." He pivoted in his seat to face her, "Alastor. Pleasure to meet you... Charlie, was it?" He liked the way her name rolled off his tongue. "Mind if we shake hands?"

She extended her right hand. It was soft and warm in his larger, calloused ones. So delicate. So fragile. He was afraid she would break if he held her incorrectly.

"First time here?" He inquired as he let go, much to his dismay.

"Yeah," she heaved a sigh, "My friend was trying to make me feel better but I think it would have been best to just stay home and eat a pint of rocky road with a glass of wine and watch cheesy rom-coms."

"Just went through a breakup, I take it?" He finished the last of his whisky, "I can relate. I too recently broke off an engagement." He wasn't sure why he felt compelled to over share his private affairs. Alastor was usually very reserved and only allowed others to know what he wanted them to.

"Oh, I'm sorry." She genuinely sounded sad for him, "Must have been tough."

He chuckled, "No, not really. It was eye opening. Huskers, my good man. Another round for me please?" He turned to Charlie, "Did you want anything? Perhaps a soft drink?"

Charlie blushed, "It's ok, thank you."

"Are you sure? Please, I do insist if you want anything, put it on my tab. Husk, do put this little lady's current tab on mine."

"Alastor, no! You don't have to do that." She placed her hand on his shoulder, "It's ok."

He turned back to her, "Nonsense. Use what you save to treat yourself to a nicer bottle of wine. It pains me to know someone broke your precious little heart, dear. And please, you can call me Al."

Husk was confused as he refilled Alastor's glass. In all his years, he had never seen him flirt, let alone talk to anyone at the bar. He usually drank half a bottle or so then left, making only small talk with him or Niffty. Did he pregame before coming?

"This guy bothering you, miss?" Husk said, earning a heated glare from his friend.

Charlie giggled, "No, it's fine. Thank you, Al. That's sweet of you." She visibly relaxed.

Husk continued, "Well, if this creep needs the boot, you let me know, ya hear?"

"Husk..." Alastor said with a warning tone, "Don't soil my image before we have a chance to get acquainted. Mind your manners."

This made Charlie laugh, "I don't think you're a creep. We can sit somewhere else. I think that booth over there is about to open up."

Alastor nodded, "Splendid idea. Husk here should focus on his job rather then butt into our conversation. Shall we?" He slid of his seat and extended his arm out to her. Charlie took it without hesitation, setting aside her earlier sentiments that he was bad news. She was mistaken, he was actually rather sweet.

Just as they arrived to the table when the previous occupants left, Niffty rushed over to them to wipe it clean. She winked at Alastor and managed to convince Charlie to get a strawberry margarita. For the next hour, the duo talked about almost anything and everything that came to mind, laughing and enjoying each other's company. It was 10:30pm by the time Angel stumbled over to her, swaying slightly as he wiped his nose with the back of his hand.

"H-hey... I think I'm ready to leave when you are." He was shaking and sweating, eyes darting around as he breathed heavily. Alastor raises a brow as he recognized the signs of a slight overdose.

Charlie shot up from her seat to help him balance himself, throwing his right arm over her shoulders. "Angel! I thought you were..." she sighed exasperatedly, turning back to the amused man at her booth, "Hey Al, I'm sorry. I need to get him home as soon as possible. It was great talking to you. M-maybe I'll see you next time?" She was glad the nearest ER was a few blocks away. They wouldn't need an ambulance.

Alastor had to admit he was disappointed their impromptu date was cut short, but the drag queen looked like he was going to keel over any moment. "Yes, of course. Do you need help getting... him... to your car, or an ambulance?"

She shook her head, "It's ok. So long as he's still standing I'll be ok, and um... this is nothing, sadly. We used the valet so it won't be too far of a walk. Thank you, Al, it was nice meeting you. Are you sure you're ok paying for my drinks?" Her heart dropped. 'He won't be here, not after this. I shouldn't even bother.' She looked over and saw Husk and Niffty whispering to each other.

"Likewise. And yes, think nothing of it, dear. I'm here usually in Wednesdays and Fridays, perhaps we can catch each other then?" He stood, "Please, let me help."

Charlie shot him a look that surprised him and stopped all movement, "It's fine." He plopped back down in the booth.

"Charlie..." Angel groaned, leaning into her to whisper the best he could, "I don't feel too well. I might of bumped too much. I-I need to sleep it off."

"No, I'm taking you to the hospital. Vaggie will take care of you." She whispered with irritation in her voice.

Charlie carefully guided him out of the building. Alastor uncharacteristically frowned, feeling as if the sun's warmth was taken from him. He wasn't necessarily attracted to her for anything long term, but he wouldn't mind seeing her again. The whole time he kept staring at her lips, wondering what they felt like. They looked soft as flower petals. The way her eyes danced with glee every time she laughed or giggled at something was delightfully endearing.

He was surprised that the dark part of him didn't surface. Normally he liked making innocent people like her break. No... he wanted to keep her pure. She was too good for this world, for him, but heaven be damned anyone else hurt her. A shame she never gave the name of her lover for him to pay a visit to.

Movement caught his eyes and Alastor noticed the guys from earlier begin to head out of the bar as well, their eyes trained on Charlie. He grinned sinisterly as he got up to follow them.