Shivering; he entered the first bar he came close to for shelter. It was a newer building, the exterior was dark lavender and the inside was dark aside from the dim lights that lined the bar and the strobe lights which Kenny assumed was a dance floor. He sauntered over to the bar and sat on the dark wooden barstool. The bartender turned.
"What do you want fella?" he seemed bored as he wiped a whiskey glass clean.
"Got anything warm?" Kenny asked, blowing on his hands to warm them up.
"Do we look like a cafe? We're a club not a Starbucks." Kenny was taken aback by the harshness of the bartender.
"Sorry man but that wind is a fuckin' killer and my hands are frozen." He retorted. The bartender sighed and placed the cup on the rack with the others.
"Then I guess it's lucky for you that the boss decided to get festive and put Peppermint Perth on the drink list for the season." The bartender hissed.
"Great, I'll take one of those." Kenny smiled smugly then returned to warming up his hands. There was a crash, loud enough to be heard over the blasting music, from the kitchen of the bar.
"God damn newbie doesn't know how to do anything." The hateful bartender spat as he turned to make Kenny his drink. Kenny looked over to the large kitchen door as it swung open.
"Go clean the bathrooms; at least you can't break anything in there." A heavily accented voice yelled at the man being shoved out the door. As the man miserably slumped toward the washrooms, red curls peeking from beneath the black club bandana caught Kenny's attention.
"Poor guy." Kenny muttered as the bartender slid his drink in front of him.
"That kid's been causing trouble since he got hired but the boss insists he stays." The bartender's tone was venomous. The man sauntered by the bar with a sigh. Kenny turned and caught the backside of him; his long red curls were drawn back into a ponytail. Kenny turned back to the bar and sipped his drink, lifting the cup in both of his frozen hands. "So? How's the Perth tasting?" the bartender asked gruffly.
"It's great dude." Kenny said, carefully nursing the alcoholic beverage.
"Great news, I'm sure the boss'll love to hear it." The bartender's lips twitched up into something that could classify as a half hearted smirk.
"Who runs this joint anyways?"
"I do my good man." A large hand weighed heavily on Kenny's shoulder. He turned and saw a man with chestnut coloured hair wearing a dark purple suit.
"And you are?" Kenny's brow quirked.
"Eric Cartman." The man in the suit replied, removing his hand from Kenny to shake.
"Fat ass?!" Kenny burst into shocked laughter.
"Ay! Shut up poor boy!" a small grin snuck onto Cartman's lips as he laughed heartily himself.
"You've lost weight." Kenny looked him up and down in the dim light. "A lot of weight." He laughed again.
"I thought you were long gone Kenny, yet here you are, the same as the day you left." Cartman's grin faded.
"Yeah, shocker huh?" Kenny said, taking another sip of his drink. "So I couldn't help but notice the red head you have working for you." The blonde smirked from behind his cup. Cartman looked down to the other end of the bar.
"Yeah, she's a real catch isn't she? Too bad it's not her natural colour." Cartman frowned a bit. Kenny followed his gaze and saw the red haired lady tending the bar further down. He cursed himself internally for not noticing her earlier.
"Damn dude, that sucks." The orange clad man sipped his Perth, finishing what was left.
"Cartman, can I take off early?" The newbie stood inches from Kenny.
"Yeah whatever Jew boy, go home." Eric seemed displeased with his employee. The man sighed and left in the same solemn manner as before.
"You're a little harsh on your employee's dude." Kenny watched the newbie slowly fade from the dim light.
"Kenny, Kenny, Kenny." Eric placed a hand back on the blonde's shoulder. "You have to be tough with these people if you want anything done and besides, the Jew and I have been like this since we were kids." Kenny's eyes widen in false shock.
"You mean that was Kyle?" he feigned a surprised tone.
"Don't tell me you didn't recognize his Jew fro."
"I couldn't really see it under that bandana." Kenny shrugged. Eric tapped his chin in thought.
"Well, I guess it isn't much of a fro anymore since he grew it out." Kenny nodded and looked into his empty cup. "Have another Peppermint Perth on the house." Cartman motioned to the grouchy bartender to get Kenny a free drink then patted the blonde's shoulder. "I'll see you around poor boy." He smirked before venturing off into the darkness of the club. The bartender came over to Kenny with a fresh drink.
"Here you are fella, on the house like the boss man said." He slid the Perth in front of the blonde.
"Uh, thanks but I think one was enough." Kenny smirked nervously, not wanting to upset the grouchy bartender.
"Then what the hell am I supposed to do with this?" he grumbled. Kenny shrugged.
"Drink it? Cartman won't notice." His smirk became a sly smile. The bartender hitched a brow.
"I guess you're right, anything else I can getchya then?" he asked, putting the cup behind the bar.
"You don't know where that newbie lives do you?" Kenny asked, taking advantage of the situation. The man scoffed.
"Unfortunately he lives in the same apartment building as I do."
"Can you tell me where that is?" he crossed his fingers. The man's eyes narrowed at him.
"Are you a stalker?" Kenny shook his head and a grin formed on the man's face. "A police officer? Did the newbie do something illegal?"
"No no, He's just an old friend I haven't seen in awhile." Kenny laughed apprehensively. The grin fell from the man's face.
"Oh, well here's the address then." He scrawled it on a napkin and shoved it toward Kenny who picked it up and stood from his seat.
"Thanks dude." He waved and left. The man sipped the drink and watched him leave.
