Erwin settled on a stool and tried to decide what he wanted to drink. He wasn't much of a drinker. He finally decided on beer and sought out the bartender. When the man appeared out of the back, Erwin's jaw dropped.
He was easily the most beautiful man Erwin had ever seen. Small, compact, and muscular in a strappy tee, the bartender had coal black hair in an undercut and skin like alabaster. On that perfect skin was ink. Stunning ink. His entire left arm was a full sleeve from wrist to shoulder and a large, intricate dragon writhed across his broad back. A broad, white magnolia flower spanned his right delt with a red ribbon inked underneath with the name 'Kuchel' on it. Underneath his left collarbone was 'Sina' in elaborate Old English script.
Erwin had to swallow the excess saliva in his mouth.
"What can I getcha?"
"Uh ...a draft, please."
"Which one?" He gestured to the bank of taps close by.
"Surprise me."
The man grabbed a glass and began to fill it with Budweiser. Erwin tried to discreetly ogle him without seeming like a creep.
The foamy glass hit the bar with a tap in front of him and Erwin took a big swig. Levi studied him curiously. He wasn't a college student. A professor, maybe? He was dressed in nice chinos, a button-up shirt, and a bright blue tie that brought out his brilliant eyes. He was pretty damned good looking, Levi decided.
"Good?"
It must have been because Erwin drained the glass. "Excellent."
"Another?"
Erwin nodded, wiping foam off of his mouth. Levi set down the second glass. "Four dollars for both." Erwin rooted around in his pockets and brought out all of his cash and dumped it on the bar. It wasn't much, Levi noted.
Erwin noticed that the man carefully straightened the four ones out, turning them so they faced the same way.
"What's your name?" he blurted.
Levi blinked at him. "My name?"
"Yeah, I'm Erwin." Erwin held out a hand. Levi looked at it impassively. "Levi."
"Levi," he repeated then blushed when Levi stared at him. He slowly withdrew his hand. "Uhm … keep them coming."
Levi nodded and moved off, giving Erwin a curious glance over his shoulder.
Erwin drank and watched Levi for a while till the alcohol hit him. He began to feel better, more relaxed. He wouldn't worry about his money problems for a while, he decided. He'd just sit here in this friendly, quiet bar and drink. Why not? Plus the view was excellent.
Erwin noticed after a while that there was something weird about Levi. He wore black nitrile gloves every second that Erwin saw him. None of the other workers did. He also cleaned, well, obsessively. As soon as a patron left the bar he sprayed down the countertop with a bleach solution (Erwin could smell it) and spent a good minute wiping down with a clean towel. He never used the same towel twice.
As Erwin watched, Levi stripped off his gloves and washed his hands at the sink at the other end of the bar, his back to Erwin, thoroughly drying them on a clean towel, discarding it, and donning new gloves.
How odd.
Erwin had enough beers till he felt like he'd have trouble walking to the bus stop. He got up unsteadily and gathered up his remaining cash.
"Leaving?" Levi inquired politely.
"Yes, but I'll be back." He smiled and Levi was struck again at how handsome he was.
"You're not driving, I hope."
"No," Erwin chuckled ruefully, "Can't afford a car or cabs. I take the bus."
"Well, see you next time then, Erwin."
Erwin went out, a tad unsteadily, absurdly pleased that the handsome bartender had remembered his name.
After a week Levi was almost resigned to the fact that he would have to get a roommate. He'd hit every business within walking distance—he absolutely couldn't get on a public bus—with zero success. He was washing his single dish and fork from lunch (a can of tuna with mustard) and talking to Rose.
The little cat had settled in nicely. She never came to him for affection or rubbed on him or anything, but she would sit close by on the torn linoleum and keep him company.
"Do you think you'd be OK with a roommate?" he asked her. She looked at him brightly. "He'd have to be clean, you understand. We couldn't have someone who was filthy." He put down the tuna can for her to lick and she went to it with gusto.
Rose was also gaining weight and her fur shone now. Levi had taken to bathing her once a week on Sundays and she appeared to have realized that it was going to happen and accepted it phlegmatically. Her belly seemed to have gotten even bigger, if that was possible, and she'd developed a distinct waddle. Levi, who had actually coaxed himself into touching her with his bare hands, would amuse himself by fondling her sides and trying to pick out kitten parts through the skin while they watched TV. Rose seemed to be inured to this weird habit and never failed to purr and knead the couch when he did it.
"Ohh, that's a head! Wow, that's a big 'un."
Rose regarded him fondly, claws extending and retracting as she kneaded.
That Monday, Erwin was at work when Pixis came up to him in the break room. Erwin, who had been stuffing his face with the complimentary biscotti that was out, started guiltily.
"Erwin, I want you to meet our newest employee, Krista. She'll be in charge of the dining room."
Krista smiled sunnily up at him. She was an adorable thing, tiny and blonde with a frilly dress on that belied her age.
"Pleased to meet you, Erwin."
They shook hands, Erwin's huge one completely engulfing her small one, and he grinned back.
"Take your time and look around, Krista," Pixis said, "Get used to the place. Your shift doesn't start for 20 minutes. I'll leave you two kids alone. Damned ice machine is kicking up a bitch."
Pixis left and Erwin fidgeted. There was a biscotti crumb on his tie and he brushed it off.
"So what does a front desk clerk slash concierge do?"
"Oh, uh, I supervise the bellhops, check people in, take reservations, call people cabs, and so on. It's not hard. Well, except for the people part."
Krista laughed, a happy, bubbly sound. "The people?"
"The guests. If something's wrong they come to me."
"Ohhh. Do you have to deal with rude people a lot?"
"Every. Single. Day," Erwin said with a grimace.
She laughed again and Erwin decided that he liked this girl.
"So what does your job entail?"
"Similar. I oversee the dining room—not the food of course. That's Chef's job.—Seat people, make sure the plates and cutlery are well stocked and clean, that the tables are perfect; the tablecloths, the flowers, the tealights. I'll also be responsible for fielding any non-food complaints."
"Oh, joy."
"I can't wait," she said wryly. She picked up a biscotti delicately and took a minuscule bite. "Are you married?"
"What? No!" Erwin laughed nervously, "haven't found Mr. or Ms. Right yet."
"Well, you could date people."
"I'm embarrassed to say that I can't even do that. I'm too poor. I swear I need to find another apartment. Mine's too expensive and they just raised the rent."
"That's terrible. How much?"
"$200."
"Whew! I'm glad I still live with my folks. I probably will for a while. I just graduated from U of T."
Erwin nodded. That would make her 22 or 23. Erwin was 34.
"Well, let me get back to the desk before something catches on fire or blows up."
Krista laughed again and bent to scribble something on a napkin. She handed it to him and looked him in the eye. "I don't care if you're poor. Call me sometime."
