little town

eden marques, 23. bartender at the billiard room

[edenmarques-blog]

michaelaeverett :

Michaela was still a stranger to Chicago. The city was bustling and she felt like there was still so much to be experienced. The half eaten sandwich she held in her hand was from a local deli that had been raved about to her a number of times back home. So far, she was pleasantly surprised.

Only moments after taking her third or fourth bite of the sandwich, it was knocked out of her hand by a bicyclist. Michaela jumped back out of pure shock. Only seconds later, a brunette woman was chasing after him at full speed. “I don’t think he’s going to give it back!” Michaela yelled, frowning as she stared down at her splattered sandwich. 

At least it wasn’t on her new shoes.

Frustration. It was all Eden felt bubble up inside of her while she slowed her chase to a stop, watching the thief get away with her device. She wanted to stomp and scream about it-- but when she turned to the girl whose sandwich had been ruined, her posture just dropped in defeat. “Yeah, shit. My brother’s gonna skin me alive when he finds out why I’m not texting back.”

Adjusting the bag strap on her shoulder, Eden looked down once more at the girl’s food. “Hey, I’m sorry about your lunch. Do you uh... do you have time to go back? I can totally get you another one. I think I’m gonna want one for myself, too.”

[edenmarques-blog]

carolinesmarshall :

Being a waitress, it was typical for Caroline to have pockets full of loose change, yet today she had left the house in such a rush she had only just remembered her purse. “Thanks, you’re an absolute star.” she quickly turned back to her two daughters, giving them a reassuring smile before turning back. “Just a couple dollars, please. You’d think I’d be more prepared but, I barely remember my head sometimes.”

Something in Eden’s head had her thinking the older woman needed jingling change-- the kind one would drop into a beggar’s cup or a take-a-penny dish. It was silly and presumptuous of her, and when she realized the little girls in the background were actually hers, she felt like a total asshole. “Yeah, that’s no problem! I think... I think I have a fiver in here somewhere...”

Instead of reaching for the depths of her bag, she fished around one of its side pockets. What she found wasn’t crisp, but it was five dollars. “Will this help?” she asked, holding out the bill.

[edenmarques-blog]

reinaxmorales :

“It’s two pieces, but that’s not cheating because I always chew two pieces of gum. One piece is like… It’s not even a real amount a gum. It’s just a stringy little bit of something chewy. You always need two pieces, especially if blowing bubbles is involved!” 

“I mean, you got a point. But that’s if you’re chewing like... Trident, or Orbit. Bazooka can give you big bubbles with a single block.” As she eyed Reina’s jaw, Eden couldn’t help but crave some for herself. 

“You wouldn’t happen to have any left, would ya?”

[reinaxmorales-blog]

Reina giggled as her bubble popped, pulling her gum back into her mouth she turned to the nearest person, carefully poking them. “Sorry to bother you, but did you just see the most circular and perfect bubble that’s ever been created via gum?” 

[edenmarques-blog]

Eden’s shoulders bounced a little as she giggled with the girl, nodding as she answered, “Yeah, I saw it. Did you do that all with one piece? Damn.”

[tommygrvs]

Shit. Her fingers desperately rummaged through her pockets and deep into her bag. “Hey uh…” despite Caroline being a functioning adult, asking someone for money was never something she enjoyed doing. “I don’t usually do this but, do you have any change? I thought I had enough money for the bus and…”

[edenmarques-blog]

The sole reason Eden still carried cash was to give tips to baristas. She’d break her twenties on the coffee and shove the change in her bag, letting the coins fall wherever they may. She didn’t stop to think about the inconvenience of retrieving those coins until after she’d offered help. “Of course! I’ve got change. How much do you need?”

[edenmarques-blog]

lccastillo :

Luis waited patiently as the bartender sauntered off for the ice. He was in need of kindness, even if he didn’t know it himself. She looked familiar. He’d never met her face to face, but… how did he know her? Ah, yes. It was all coming back to him now. He’d made it his mission to scope out all of the local competition and see which businesses were worthy of his father’s attention. Marques something? He sighed, grabbing the ice from her gently.

“You’re an angel, you know that?” Luis closed his eyes and offered her a close lipped smile as he pressed the ice to his nose. He winced slightly. “You don’t look so busy. Have a drink with me, Miss…?”

If Eden wasn’t already glowing under the bar’s light, Luis’s compliment made her shine. She tilted her head to one side and smiled; a way to convey an ‘aww, thanks!’ without opening her mouth. She was practically brimming with joy about the moment they were sharing-- and she knew the best way to make it last was to play it cool.

“Marques,” she finished for him. “First name: Eden.” Her lips pursed a little as she looked about the bar. Landon was out of town, and would be for days. With none of his loyal customers around to take notice and rat on her the next time he came in, she decided to accept the man’s invitation, and began mixing herself a personalized cocktail.

“I’d be happy to join you, Mr. Castillo.”

[edenmarques-blog]

@lgalvani

“There you are, honey,” Eden spoke with a soft melody. “One whiskey on the rocks.”

As she set the drink before the man, she gave him another look over. His order was boring, but going by the way he was dressed, she thought it more appropriate use the word classic instead. He was an old-fashioned man, ordering a classic drink. There were a few like him who came and went during her shifts.

“Anything else I can get for you?”

[edenmarques-blog]

safbelascos :

If there was one moment in her day that made Safiya feel at ease it was when she first got to see Eden. It wasn’t when she got Eden in her car, wasn’t even when she got to flirt with her before helping her into her apartment. Her favorite part of the day was when she got to first glimpse Eden without the girl noticing. 

There was something beautiful about seeing the person you cared about without them noticing you’re there. She could see the way Eden’s smile was so natural, so simple. So… there. Perfect in every sense. She could see the kindness in Eden’s eyes, that inherent friendliness that had first caught Safiya’s attention. 

By the time Eden saw her, she was already upon her. Leaning against the counter, elbows resting against the trim as she looked over her shoulder. Red lips upturned into a grin. 

“Is that right? And what’s my reward, babe?” 

“Your reward? Your reward...” She played around with the words in her mouth as she thought of her reply. “... Is my eternal love and affection.” A small, snort-y giggle (intended only for Safiya’s ears) escaped her face.

Whenever Eden tried to make a serious joke at Saf, she’d always end up making herself laugh. It was easy to lie and kid around with friends, family, even strangers. But when she was speaking to her girlfriend-- even before they became a couple-- there was a vulnerability in her heart that rendered her incapable of bullshitting. 

“Baby, your prize can be whatever you want. The love comes for free,” she told with a wink. As the bar counter was too wide for them to kiss, she reached a hand out to caress her arm. “I’ll be back in one minute.”

[vanmorganxo]

[edenmarques-blog]

Below are answers to the first SOLRPG Challenge.

What’s your full name?

“Eden Elizabeth Marques.”

When’s your birthday?

“January twentieth, 1993.”

Where were you born?

“Here in Chicago! Boring, I know, but I don’t think I’ll ever want to leave.”

Do you have any tattoos, piercings, birthmarks, or scars?

“My ears are pierced, and that’s it. I’ve always wanted a tat, though! I just can’t decide what the hell I want.”

What is your current living situation? Apartment, house, hotel, etc.

“I just recently got out of living upstairs to the bar, which is a huge relief for a bunch of reasons. Now I have an apartment in a building a block away. It has an elevator!”

What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever had to do?

“I don’t mean to get like, real or anything, but burying our parents was hard.”

What’s your favorite movie?

“Definitely The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. I know it’s a book, too, but damn that movie is good. I love freaky shit like that... and Rooney Mara makes industrial goth look sexy as hell.”

Do you have any hidden talents?

“I know I don’t look like a genius, but I’m really good at puzzles. I can do the Rubicks cube in like, ten minutes. And those mazes where you have to roll the ball into the goal without losing it.”

What do you like to do in your spare time?

“You mean, what don’t I do? I’m kidding-- but really, I’m never bored at home. If I’m not with Safiya, I’ll be doing my nails, cleaning, drawing, puzzling, gaming. I once tried to pick up knitting, but it didn’t go so good.”

What (negative/positive) habits do you have?

“Saf says I tend to ‘overshare’ sometimes, so I’ve been working on that. And I think I can include good manners as a good habit, right?”

Would you consider yourself to be introverted or extroverted?

“Extroverted! I gotta be, honestly.”

Are you a quick thinker or do you need time to process and analyze a situation before acting?

“It all depends. If it’s something I’m used to: quick thinking. If it’s new, I might need some time. I think everyone’s like that.”

You get 3 wishes. What are they? And no, you can’t wish for more wishes.

“Okay, I would love a mysterious third party supplying extra income for spending. Like, a sugar daddy I didn’t have to actually deal with. Unlimited data that’s actually unlimited... and.... I think I’ll keep the last one in my pocket. You never know.”

Are you religious in any way?

“My grandparents wanted us to be, but it was never actually a part of our lives. As a family, I mean. So, no, for me.”

[edenmarques-blog]

Just as well as she enjoyed watching the words fill the text box on her phone, Eden loved hearing the electronic clicks of the keyboard. She usually kept in one earbud while she went out, to keep the sounds to herself (and also to discourage any unnecessary greetings). When she did this walking on the sidewalk, she appeared oblivious, like all of her attention and awareness was funneled to her device. 

Because it was.

In a fairly busy part of downtown, she was firing off an onslaught of texts to her nagging brother. The pending reply bubble hadn’t flashed for two seconds before the phone was suddenly ripped from her hands, then the wire from her ear. 

“Th’ fuck–?” She spat in disbelief, looking up to see a man on a bicycle weaving between pedestrians at top speeds. Her voice cracked as she yelled and screamed after him.

“Hey! Hey!! That fucker stole my phone! HEY!” 

As quickly as her high-tops could carry her, her feet pounded the concrete in vain.

[edenmarques-blog]

@safbelascos 

Eden was drained. She hadn’t had the chance to look in the mirror or even check her phone, and she could just tell there would be rings of mascara under her eyes when she got home. There was something hard lodged in her teeth that’d been there since that morning, and the flats she’d chosen to wear left her with bloody, stinging heels where the skin had worn away.

But just as she was about to make a complaint, her troubles quickly evaporated as she looked across the bar. It had slipped her mind that Safiya agreed to rescue her that night-- and her shift was over in a mere two minutes.

“Hey, Mama,” she cooed as her girlfriend drew close. “I missed you bad. I think you’ll have to carry me out of here tonight... I really fucked up my feet.”

[vanmorganxo]

[edenmarques-blog]

lccastillo :

At first, Luis struggled to maintain composure. No, he wasn’t sad. Emotionally? He wasn’t hurt. He was fucking livid. He hated himself for letting Logan get away. He needed to be dealt with - no one disrespected a Castillo like that. His father had taught him better than that. But then Jackson came into play… and he couldn’t hurt him like that. Not again.

Luis glanced up at the bartender, offering her the best smile he could muster. “It’s swollen? Ay, carajo,” Luis mumbled underneath his breath. He hadn’t looked in a mirror in a while. He must’ve looked pathetic. “That would be swell. Gracias,” he said, holding the glass filled with tequila in one hand. He was already starting to feel it - the logical thing would be to put it back down. But instead, he tossed it back without thinking anymore about it.

With a nod, Eden slipped away to the back to find sandwich bags. She’d spent nearly all her time hidden away from the front of the house when she first started working, but now, it was like that chapter of her life was a dream. Stepping into the back was a quick, necessary thing from time to time. Her real place was serving the drinks at the bar, soaking up rumors and stories like vital sun rays. 

She emerged with two plastic baggies, tucking one within the other to be sure the ice wouldn’t leak through any holes hidden along the seam. The smile that crept across her face seemed innocent enough... but in her head she was praying  that his orders would keep on coming. She filled the bags with ice from the bar’s cooler, tied it up, and offered it to Luis along with a napkin.

“Here, love. Just let me know when you think you need more. The ice or the tequila.” 

[edenmarques-blog]

nikfinch :

Eden was a girl that Nikola enjoyed. A bartender at The Billiard Room, she’s seen a lot of mafia and gang related incidents, but she still had a sense of naivety and wonder about her. It was refreshing to have around. Most people Nikola knew were jaded and bitter. Eden still had life in her. 

“Lots of practice,” Nikola said with a wink. “Also, I’m not up tending bar all night.” The waitress came back with her coffee she took a large sip. “Coffee also helps.”

“I’m actually off to visit my dad,” she answered. Not really providing more details than necessary.

“Well your job ain’t exactly a cake walk, honey.” She didn’t say it with any sort of malice, or judgement, but it was clear Nikola’s job was something she’d thought about before. Deeply, some nights. “I don’t think I’d sleep at all trying to keep the peace in this town...” 

So much for maintaining a light atmosphere. The words tumbled out from her mouth before she could even think about them first.

“I’m sorry, that must’ve sounded bad. I didn’t mean anything by it.”

“So, what’s your dad like? D’you guys have something fun planned?”

[lccastillo-blog]

The blow that Luis had received to the nose? It still fucking stung. Even hours later. He’d decided to stop at the Billiard Room. Going home wasn’t at the top of his list. He wanted to get hammered. He’d pushed everything back until Sunday. He’d need tomorrow to recover from the hangover he’d have from being out all night. Oh, and his nose. It wasn’t broken, thankfully. But it was sore. He was resting his head on the counter, eyes closed momentarily. He looked… well, pathetic. His shirt was covered in his own, dried blood. People had asked questions, but he didn’t feel like talking about it. He raised his head up, speaking directly to the bartender. “Mas tequila.”

[edenmarques-blog]

Originally, Eden wasn’t scheduled for a shift that night. When Landon asked if she could cover a new girl’s shift, she just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to add a few extra hours to her paycheck. There was no way she could have foreseen what would unfold that night. Truth is, she didn’t really want anything to happen that night. The week had been long enough as it was.

But as she stood pouring Luis Castillo his third glass of tequila, her morbid curiosities began to break her down. She didn’t mean to keep glancing at him, but it happened. She’d seen plenty of men come around the bar wearing blood like brooches on their jackets, but the man who sat before her wasn’t any Joe. And it was his own blood he was sporting. 

She wanted the whole story.

“Baby,” she finally cracked, starting her dialogue with a genuine, nurturing tone as she slid the glass back to him. “How about I tie you up a bag of ice? It takes two seconds. You’re too handsome to keep your face so swollen...”

[justdoitforthestory]

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