Tulip handed Varia a bag for her previous clothes to be placed in as she looked herself over once more in the mirror. It wasn't hard to see some conflicting feelings flickering not only in Varia’s eyes, but in her posture as well. Whiskey could tell she wanted to look and feel attractive but there was something holding her back, he just couldn't place why someone would deny themselves any kind of confidence. He smiled playfully as he took hold of Varia’s hand and placed it on his arm like before, seeming happy to be her escort back to the lounge.
“Wait, I still need to pay for...”
“Don’t worry about it. Since your grandma donated them, it's no cost to give them back to you. Before you try to argue, trust me I can see it on your face, I’m the boss bitch in this shop and I’m saying it's good. I;m not gonna fire myself for helping a girl feel like she's dressed for the night. Now, go have a good one, and if Whisk here gives you any kind of crap, you let me know.”
Varia smiled genuinely, waving in gratitude to Tulip as Whiskey led her out of the store and back down the street. Whiskey walked with the same natural confidence he had before, but soon shifted his bravado into something softer. He moved his arm from the gentleman's hold to placing his hand around Varia’s shoulders comfortingly.
“You don't have to go to the lounge if you're not comfortable, you know. I can call you a new cab and..”
“No no, the lounge isn't why I’m nervous. I just.”
Her thoughts trailed for a minute as they arrived outside those tall wooden doors. The grain pattern almost seeming to move like a mockery of sophistication while Varia could feel her own mental shadows calling her a try hard and fake, not fitting into such a place. She felt his hend tighten gently on her shoulder, her own hand seeming to rest on his instinctually before seeming to snap back into reality.
“It might be for the best that you not walk in with me. My friends might have heart attacks if I showed up with a guy out of nowhere.”
“Are your friends the jealous types?”
His voice held a taunting nature as he ignored her comment and opened the doors to lead her inside. Beyond those doors, high vaulted ceilings with warm lights, floors of the same dark wood as the entrance stretched deeper than the building looked like it should be. The music flowed with simple ambiance instead of the usual pounding bases common in clubs. The place felt both calm and electric all at the same time, some having people interact quietly, other groups were loud and entertained, even a few people walking toward what looked like reserved party rooms with smiles wide and relaxed. Varia’s gaze roamed a bit more before finally seeing her friends at a table near the bar, Lana having a guy seemingly doting on her with wine bottle in hand, while Devi was in the lap of one throwing back a shot.
Devi was the first to notice Varia, and began waving her over playfully toward her. Devi’s sudden motion got Lana’s attention, her gaze seeming to freeze on Whiskey for a moment before looking at Varia, a half smile on her lips as she took another sip of wine from her glass.
“Girl you made it, why you wearing a suit though and not a dress or even a skirt? You know, looking ready to party.”
“Devi, be nice, she looks cute. Don't listen to her V, she’s already a few shots in for the night. Glad you found something you liked, and you even found a toy for yourself that's fun, isn't it Merlo?”
Lana’s voice was playful yet dismissive as she looked from Varia to the guy beside her, resting her hand on his face like a queen taunting a servant. Merlo nodded almost hypnotically to her words and her touch before looking at the mentioned friend and freezing. His eyes locked with Whiskey’s before he moved to sit straighter beside Lana.
“Mister Whiskey, sir.. Um I’m sorry where these girls upgraded to your clients? I swear I didn't mean to..”
“No Merlo, they weren’t assigned to me tonight, though seeing as these lovely ladies all seem to have some company, perhaps I can join so Miss Varia isn't singled out.”
Whiskey’s voice was carefree as he spoke, pulling back a chair first for Varia, then himself beside her. Devi and Lana exchanged a small glance to each other before continuing to talk as if no interruptions happened. The two reminisced of vacation trips and parties they went to, once in a while giving small apologies to Varia about her missing the fun for work. Varia would tell them it was fine and they shouldn't feel bad talking about fun times. Drink by drink, hour by hour the night rolled from stories and gossips to slurred flirting with anyone who would listen. Devi was bouncing from one guy to the next, treating the lounge like a body shot bar and embracing every bit of the attention. Lana was acting pouty and shameless calling to Merlo for attention and demanding he stay with her not just here but to go to her apartment after.
“Are you sure you’re actually having a good time here? You seem more concerned about your friends than you are about your own relaxation.”
“Its mostly just a habit, I’m not a big drinker so I don't really cut loose like they do, and I wanna make sure I can remember everyone getting home safe.”
“Answer me honestly, these two are too smashed and… distracted, to pay attention to what you say anyway. So I do mean answer me honestly, when was the last time you got to have fun instead of being responsible?”
Varia looked at her friends before lowering her head slightly with a small, embarrassed shrug, her eyes locking with her drink glass instead of anyone else. She could feel Whiskey watching her closely, he was polite enough to keep space as she tried to process an answer but not really finding one. Whiskey took in every minute movement, the way her breath caught, the tension becoming nerves as she began fidgeting with her drink. He could practically see the guilt, shame and uncertainty plastered to her face with every small flicker of her eyes.
“If I can be truly honest, I don't know how much I should really say to someone I just met. But… yeah, it's been more than just a while I don't really know what's fun or not anymore. I work, I go home, I survive.”
“How about this, come back here next time you need a break and I’ll give you a better tour of the place? Think on it for a bit before answering, I’m going to ring up your group’s ticket for closing. It's amazing how time flies in good company.”
Whiskey stood up and charmed his way around the table collecting cards from Devi and Lana and heading to the register. As the other men around the table took the hint, they all began to walk their separate ways and finish off their own night, leaving the girls to themselves. Lana gave a flirty wave to Merlo as he walked to stand with Whiskey, before turning her attention back to Varia with a look of annoyance on her face.
“Thanks for the warning by the way.”
“Exactly, Devi and I were waiting politely for you to come back, and you pick up some synth rando on the street? If you wanted to bring a date you should have said something, we were gonna have girl night remember.”
“Lana, you and Devi both had boyfriends at the table when I showed up, and Whiskey isn't a date, he works here too.”
“Lana and I were gonna send those guys away for us girls to chat after you showed up. But since your bot invited himself we couldn't suddenly send them away, it would have been super rude. We felt blindsided and trapped with that V.”
“I’m sorry you two, I didn't know he was going to sit too. I swear.”
Lana and Devi looked at each other, a small smirk creeping on their lips before they leaned close and gave lazy side hugs to Varia.
“Oh, we can't stay mad at you. You’re like a kid, you don't get out much anymore to know better.”
“How about this, you go get our cards for us, and we’ll get the cab ready to take us all home. I think I’m more than ready to get out of here. Hey Merlo! Come walk me out, I know you're off the clock boy toy.”
Voices like honey over rose thorns as they talked to Varia, before Lana’s voice hollers over everyone to the guys at the till. Merlo looked at Lana then Whiskey, before heading to her side and picking her up gently to carry her out like a treasure with Devi stumbling close behind. Varia let out a sigh before walking to the bar top and taking a seat near the till, resting her head in her hands as she shakes her head in frustration.
“They really do just leave you behind a lot, I hope Merlo is getting another card for their tab and not just letting them leave.”
“Let me guess, both of their cards declined.”
Varia’s voice was already hollow as she reached into her pocket and pulled out her wallet. The annoyance was obvious in her movements as she flipped through a few cards to pull one out and set it on the counter. Whiskey looked at the card for a moment before taking it and turning his posture back to the register, his eyes however kept watching Varia as he could see her transition from upset to defeated with the situation in barely any time.
“Can I get a receipt for the whole tab please. I can talk to the girls later about paying me back if I have actual numbers to show.”
“You and I both know you’re not going to have them repay you. You don't have to keep being around people who don't appreciate you as a person you know.”
“I’ve only met you a few hours ago and I saw you get left behind twice, left out of the banter and inside jokes, about to sit alone at a full table, and now you’re picking up the check. Did I miss anything?”
“Theyre good people, they just kinda forget its not easy for me to keep up.”
“At the risk of upsetting you, can I be honest?”
Varia looked at Whiskey as he leaned on the counter, handing her card back and reaching under the counter to grab a coat and western hat, slinging the coat over his shoulder and placing the hat on his head as he walked around the bar to her side.
“You have friends in their thirties trying to act like they’re still college girls without a care in the world living off someone else's money, while you are being responsible and respectful. What do you get out of this friendship?”
Varia looked at him for a moment, feeling her cheeks go hot, not sure if it was anger or embarrassment at being called out with her situation. She had already been questioning herself about her stance with them, but knowing a stranger could see the proof in plain sight she could feel a piece of her break, knowing she couldn't keep up the denial. She lowered her head as she began to walk to the door, Whiskey beside her each step of the way. He could see it all but wanted to let her keep what pride she had and not push her further. Whiskey was well aware how a truth like that could leave you one thread pull from unraveling and didn't want to be the one to make her cry, especially in a public setting. He opened the door and froze along side Varia, the two watching in disbelief as they saw Devi, Lana and Merlo closing the cab door and drive off with Devi hollering out the window in a tipsy joy as they all waved at Varia as they vanished down the street.
Whiskey didn’t hesitate before pulling off his hat and placing it on Varia’s head, the size helped hide her face from the world that just seemed to shatter in an instant. He wasn't a fan of being right in situations like these, but it was hard to ignore when every sensor he had told him this was inevitable. Varia didn’t argue the makeshift shield of his hat as her eyes were still locked with the memory of the car just leaving without her. She could feel a new kind of cold sinking in as the burn of fresh tears began fighting to fall from her eyes.
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