Chapter 11: Coffee Date
The job of a bartender held a variety of tasks and the one with utmost importance was of course ensuring the guest's joy and satisfaction. Smaller tasks, albeit not negligible in scale, consisted of managing the bar itself. Cleaning, organizing and keeping everything properly maintained took up much more work than the simple mixture of a single cocktail.
Usually there wasn't much time planned to care about this fundamental task due to the onslaught of everflowing guests, but right now, Shizuo had all the time in the world as he dragged a fresh piece of cloth across the spotless counter.
The music had dimmed.
Like dark chocolate mixing into white, the colors of the oval lounge had adjusted to a much calmer setting and the voices traversing the air could easily be pinned down to their respective owners.
Ordinary people, or rather ones of superficial ranks and status, had long left. It was the round table to the right of the lounge that held the last of guests.
Talking fluently in russian and not showing the slightest sign of fatigue his virgin wave kept his opponents attention high without showing the slightest hint of strain.
An occasional stubborn strand of hair slipping forth was tucked behind his ear and nothing but sweet flashes of innocent smiles decorated his expression.
Shizuo didn't need to ask to know that they were talking about business.
But what kind of business?
Drugs? Weapons? Human trafficking? As much as he liked to believe the opposite, he knew that his virgin wave wasn't exactly advertising children's sweets as his day job.
Was he bothered by that fact? Not really. But it still ignited a certain hint of curiosity.
The glass he had been bringing to perfection with a simple piece of cloth was gently placed back onto the shelf and aligned in perfect symmetry with the rest.
They had arrived at a state of tranquility.
Evelyn and him that is.
Standing next to Shizuo she held her gaze low and kept her limbs still. Everything was done, no task left to complete, nor any order left to be created.
A single glance towards the small watch wrapped around Evelyn's wrist told Shizuo the time.
6am.
The club had officially closed hours ago.
Of course they were both aware it was long past their closing hours, but who were they to throw out who might as well close the club forever?
Shizuo didn't mind having to wait. Too much of a day's time consisted of busy moments, of multitasking and regarding many options at once.
Having a peace of mind with nothing left to do or think about wasn't all too bad once in a while.
The faint music coming from the top floor, mixed with the unusual silence interrupted by low russian consonants and served an almost peaceful background noise.
But Evelyn seemed to be anything but at ease.
Agitation flared in her eyes every few minutes as she glanced at her watch. Impatience, albeit shown in such little amounts that Shizuo doubted anyone else but him had noticed, was radiating off her body.
"When are they waking up?" Shizuo whispered, low enough to ensure that he was not being heard by anyone but her.
Confusion was quickly brought to Evelyn's expression and she blinked in short surprise. "What?"
"Your sons," Shizuo elaborated, "They will be worried if you aren't home before school, right?" Recognition flared in Evelyn's eyes as she quickly regained her professional stance. A knowing frown spread across Evelyn's expression before she sighed quietly. "Seven."
Meaning she had an hour to get home before they woke up.
"You can leave if you want, I will lock the doors." Had Shizuo said he was going to set the lounge on fire Evelyn's reaction probably wouldn't have differed much.
A gentle frown barely hiding the worries she held appeared on her face as the woman turned towards her new coworker. "I can't, you have only been here for two days," she announced quickly with more confidence than Shizuo had expected.
"You don't trust me?"
Light offense flared in Evelyn's eyes before she fell for the trap that Shizuo had erected. "I do!" She exclaimed- and paused, because she realized the fatality of her answer.
The hook was simple. Either she took back her words of trust or she handed over the key.
Hesitation marked Evelyn's expression as she seemed quite torn between the two options Shizuo presented. But Shizuo's eyes were unwavering and the offer was still standing.
It was a deep groan following a last glance towards her watch that quickly set her into motion.
Metal clicked in a short protest as she pulled the key to the club from her pants' pocket.
"Thank you. I promise I will return the favor," she whispered quickly, and her body regained a burst of motion as she hurried to the now newly presented goal.
A quick nod was given as Shizuo let the key slip into the pocket of his pants.
Quick as ever Evelyn had gathered her belongings. Switched her uniform too behind a door hidden in the darkest corner of the room. Staff members only, was written on it and it included nothing more but a small chamber to keep their stacked goods and enough room to change clothes.
The Russians didn't even notice the woman leaving from as far as Shizuo could tell, and before three minutes passed Shizuo found himself alone.
It was funny, standing here with nothing to do almost felt like cheating.
Evelyn had been very strict when it came to their working hours and mentioned more than once that Shizuo was supposed to mark down every single minute of overdue time he spent at his job.
The humor of the situation was incredible, but it appeared the shadier the people were, the more generous and humane they treated their servants.
Maybe because they knew what a knife in the back felt like?
It was half an hour that had passed since Evelyn's disappearance when the Russians finally moved.
"Так хорошо." Louder than any speck of conversation held before the leader of the conversation nodded as he got up from his seat.
What Shizuo suspected to be his bodyguards followed right after as they mimicked the motion and quickly nodded towards his virgin wave.
A broad grin decorated the Russian's lips and he nodded as he changed back to their language. "I didn't think you were so smart."
It was a complement hiding an insult, Shizuo could tell as much and his eyes trailed to his virgin wave. Not a single muscle twitched at the comment as he merely smiled.
"How so?"
"Your attitude, the way you move. Your hips make you look like a woman you know," the Russian laughed, and his virgin wave's expression slipped to one of mischief.
"I guess your cane makes you look like a table then."
Keeping a poker face was hard for Shizuo with this guy around, but he did, even when the Russian showed a face too humorous to not react.
He had obviously not expected the retort, but gladly he seemed to take the clear insult with humor instead of offense.
"I suppose it does," he answered with hallowing laughter and extended his hand in a sign of good will. "I will leave the rest to you."
A quick nod was given, the hand shaken as it had been offered, and with that the Russians finally left.
Inexperienced silence filled the lounge as the music from above had set to classics instead. Vivaldi? Ludovici? Shizuo couldn't quite tell which arrangement it was, but the piano was the main act of it.
Circling back to the bar his virgin wave finally unscrewed the business smile he had been holding up for the past few hours and slipped into his seat with a deep sigh.
"Bartender. Coffee please. Make it strong. Three beans, large cup. No sugar, no milk." Shizuo snorted at the way his virgin wave gave the perfect instructions for not the barista machine made to serve guests, but the smaller version meant for emergencies.
He obviously didn't want to cause Shizuo any extra hassle by using a machine he would have to spend extra time cleaning after he left at this hour. It was thoughtful, much more than Shizuo would have anticipated, and so he circled to the barista version on purpose.
"At this hour? What about sleep?" he asked while his virgin wave's eyes followed him. Protest seemed to linger on the verge of his lips, but he quickly left off Shizuo's decision to create more work for himself as he sighed.
His elbow was brought forth onto the counter as he let his chin rest in his palm.
"I'm not sleeping today."
Light amusement traveled in Shizuo's voice as he argued. "Healthy."
The freshly grinded coffee beans found their way into the iron casket pushed into the machine and his favorite guest watched with amusement.
"An all-nighter isn't gonna kill me." A short pause followed in which Izaya looked around. It was late. He was aware of that. But he had thought he had seen the female bartender around just a few minutes ago. "What about your colleague?" he asked and turned towards the dancefloor, but she appeared to be gone.
"Sent her home."
Light surprise flashed across Izaya's eyes, then a grin.
"From junior to senior in three days? Should I pity you or congratulate?"
Pity was obviously the first choice considering it was Shizuo who was made to stay behind, but he showed nothing but a shrug and smiles.
"It's not like anyone's waiting for me."
Ah?
Hesitation marked Izaya's motion for a second as he reached for the beverage this bartender had placed before him.
For a second he looked for a hidden joke in those words, but something about the bartender's expression told him he was not kidding.
So he was alone, huh?
Adjusting his posture Izaya circled the coffee cup he had been given and glanced up from his lashes.
Somehow the curiosity he felt earlier only tripled at this newfound information.
"Could I interest you to spend me some company then?"
He was rewarded with a smile and positive reply. "You don't want to drink your coffee in peace?"
"My head is buzzing and the second I step out of this club it will worsen," Izaya declared and took a first sip of his ordered beverage. The coffee tasted amazing. As everything that this bartender made.
"More work?" the bartender asked, and somehow Izaya couldn't help but smile against the rim of the cup.
"I like the way you phrase it like I'm not doing something shady."
A short snort was given and with that the bartender turned. Eyes full of curiosity followed the blond as he answered Izaya's request by pulling another cup from the shelf.
Milk, sugar, cream and most importantly-
"Cocoa?" Izaya snorted as soon as he recognized the mixture the bartender was preparing for himself.
"I don't like caffeine," the bartender announced with a simple shrug as he submerged a golden spoon inside the special chocolate treat.
A doubting glance was all that followed as Izaya put down his cup. "And next you will tell me you are the holy spirit in disguise."
Shizuo grinned, "Maybe I am?"
Raising one hand as if to declare his attendance in class, his virgin wave closed his eyes for a second as if he were pledging.
"Atheist here, that's not gonna work."
"That means you still believe in something," Shizuo pointed out, and a quick smile slipped from Izaya's act.
"Humanity's tendency to make dumb choices for example."
"No grand entity?" He shook his head and stirred his coffee in slow circles.
"It's not god who created humans, but humans who created god."
Shizuo hummed, "So if you met god sitting on his throne asking what you believe in you would say nothing?"
A sudden smirk forged into a cheshire grin glanced up at Shizuo from alluring lashes as his virgin wave spoke with not a shred of insecurity.
"I would say, I believe you are sitting in my seat."
Shizuo had learned that his favorite guest was never short on exceptional answers, but this one had taken him by surprise as he couldn't help but snort. "Tell me where do you get this much confidence from?"
He wasn't really looking for a true answer. After all there was no real way to point out the exact moment that gave something as abstract as that emotion.
And his guest was aware of that.
His eyes flickered up and a smile played along his lips.
"You should know you aren't half bad yourself."
Shizuo hummed, "I seem confident?"
His virgin wave laughed and subconsciously pushed the coffee away by a hand's width as he leaned over.
"You don't seem confident, you are. There is a difference," he pointed out and Shizuo snorted.
"How so?"
Izaya shrugged. "A lot of people trying to seem like they have their life together do so by showing off everything they are worth." The lawyer appearing earlier thinking he was the hottest shit on the market was only one of many examples of that kind. "You don't," Izaya added, "That's enough of an indicator for your personality."
A cheshire smile spread across the bartender's lips at the bold assumption.
"Oh? Do tell me, what am I like?"
to be continued~
YOOOO xD Sorry for disappearing like that, I was suffering from pneumonia the past three weeks and quite out of it tbh xD Usually I have no issues with a bit of fever but a constant of 39 degrees really fries your brain hahahaha
Anyway~! I'm back and I hope you liked this chapter xD I promised you a date for two and here we are~ You can look forward to its continuation on Saturday hehe C: