Gratuity
✨Pairing✨: mob!Ari LevinsonxBlack Reader
Summary🪄: He stops in your restaurant everyday, and both of you can’t wait.
⚠️: Rude customer, fluff💕
A/N: I really like the mob AU idea from some stories I’ve read here and I’ve always wanted to write my own imagine with that plot and finally had my own idea for a little series I could do with it! I hope you guys like it☺️!
“Looks like your friend is here,” your co-worker, Sherry, smiles playfully nudging your arm a mere seconds before the bell on the door dings of his arrival. Nine o’clock, as usual, sitting at one of the tables in front of the wide window with today’s newspaper to his right and phone in hand typing away at the screen. Today you see he decided to sport your favorite: his navy blue suit paired with a white button down underneath partially opened towards the top that you could see the gold medallion he typically wore. His black shoes shining even under the table from the overhead light hitting them just right.
The few months you’ve seen him come in, he never failed to look anything less than dapper. Then again that was usually the dress code for anyone coming into the restaurant, always well-groomed and flashing their wealth whether physically in the luxury brands and jewelry they wore or sometimes vocally if they were bold and arrogant enough.
That’s where he differed though.
There was always a small sense of intimidation with those you served having and coming from much less, but not with him. He was so down to earth and seemed genuinely interested when asking about your day or your weekend plans. Just being in his presence brought a comfort that you reluctantly had to leave whenever you had to wait on someone else or it was time for one of his meetings.
“Good morning Mr. Levinson. What can I get you?,” you smile, notepad and pen ready for his order. You probably didn’t need it since he tended to order the same thing every morning: coffee, black, with a couple slices of toast and some butter on the side. “What can I say, I like what I like,” he shrugged with a small chuckle when you pointed it out in one of your earlier conversations.
“Good morning, and I thought we talked about you calling me that?,” he smirks looking up from the sports section spread out on the table.
“I know, but I’m supposed to be-,”
“Professional. I understand angel.”
And there was that little nickname making your insides flutter and your body heat from being flustered. It’s also what made Sherry term him as your “friend” passing by last week and hearing the endearing name pass his pink lips.
“I’ll just take coffee today. Can’t stay as long as I used to.”
There’s a small, disappointed pang to your heart that you wouldn’t be able to talk with him like you usually could. Hardly anyone showed up in the morning, mostly coming for lunch and dinner so there were plenty of times he would invite you to sit with him, keeping him company for just a short while before you had to appear as if you were working.
It didn’t take any time for you at all to retrieve one of the coffee pots from the many coffee makers before returning to his table carefully pouring the strong smelling liquid into the white porcelain cup sat on top of the miniature plate.
“Anything else I can get you?”
“No this is perfect, thank you. You always take care of me angel,” he smiles blowing the steam from the cup as the praise hits just enough to have you bashfully biting your lower lip to hide your giggle.
“Y-You’re welcome. Let me know if you need anything mister- I mean Ari.”
“Um excuse me?,” a customer calls snapping his fingers from across the room. “I’ve been here for 10 minutes and haven’t even gotten a water yet.”
“That was a lie,” Ari thought slowly placing his cup down giving the man a once over. He saw him walk in all haughty dripping with self entitlement maybe five minutes ago, yet he has the nerve to get angry. And with you of all people. He wasn’t even sitting in your section, so really the impatient man wasn’t your responsibility. Knowing you though, he wasn’t surprised to watch you walk over apologizing to the undeserving, weak Wall Street minion trying your best to satisfy his needs.
“What else can I get you besides water?”
“No, I don’t want water. Get me a coffee with three creams and one sugar. The good kind not the fake stuff in the packet, along with the chef’s omelette. And try to have it out to me before you close,” the older, bald man orders sliding his menu to the side, completely ignoring your outstretched hand trying to grab it, before answering his phone.
Your quiet, “yes sir,” along with a heavy sigh had Ari boiling at how someone could mistreat such an innocent and sweet person like you just trying to do their job. Plus the annoying man just seemed to talk louder the longer his conversation ran interrupting Ari’s peaceful reading.
A few seconds later, you returned with his coffee prepared just as he requested, and then again with his food smelling just as delicious as it looked.
“About time,” he grumbled before tucking his napkin beneath the collar of his wrinkled shirt and picking up his fork and knife already slicing through the folded egg.
“Let me know if-,”
“What is this?!,” he asks dropping his utensils on the table that ultimately clattered all the way to the black floor. “I didn’t want onions!”
“I’m sorry sir, but you didn’t say-,”
“Can you do anything right?!,” he sighs, “Guess they just hire anybody today.”
“Would you like me to get you another one without them? Or something else?,” you ask doing the best you could to hide your annoyance and frustration.
“No, I want you to sit out front and look pretty,” he sarcastically retorts, “what do you think?”
“Let me get the chef for you,” you reply moving towards the kitchen.
“You do that.”
Ari had seen and heard enough.
———
“Alright, what seems to be the problem?,” the chef, Frank, asks following you out to the dining room floor. To your surprise though, the customer was no longer there, just Ari drinking the last of his coffee before folding his newspaper.
“I thought you said there was a customer mad about his order?”
“Oh that guy? He seemed to change his mind while you were back there,” Ari answers digging in his pocket for his wallet. “Actually started to like onions after the first bite.” Sure enough looking at his plate, it was completely cleaned without a crumb in sight as if he licked those away too.
“Huh, well good for him. No issue after all,” Frank sighs patting your shoulder before returning to his position in front of the stove. You’re still left confused, wondering what made him change his mind after getting so angry over something so minuscule. However not for long as Ari hands you some folded up bills along with his ticket in the black, leather folder. Standing so close and being face to face with his chest, you can smell the deep patchouli mixed with citrus wafting off his clothes that has you suddenly weak feeling as if you need something to lean on.
“S-So um same time tomorrow?,” you nervously chuckle trying to rid the melting feeling from your head and legs.
“Afraid not. I have a full day tomorrow starting at eight, so I can’t stop by,” he answers, noticing the slight dim in your usual glow that makes warmth spread across his whole chest.
“I am having a party for the opening of my office tomorrow night that I’d love for you to come to. You can even bring a friend or friends.”
“Oh, um okay. Yea I think I can make it,” you shyly smile making a soft one spread across his bearded face as well.
“If you can’t or need a ride, just give me a call,” he replies handing you a matte black business card with only his name and number in a simple yet bold, gold font.
“Will do.”
Just as he strides towards the door, thick back muscles perfectly showcased from the tailored suit, your voice calls him back walking up to him holding out the money he left, no longer folded.
“You left $500,” you whisper, “I think this is meant for something else.”
The slightly calloused yet also soft feel of his hands manually closing yours as he leans in next to your ear along with the gentle rub of his beard on your cheek has a short, surprised gasp escaping your lips that you’ll surely be embarrassed about later.
“I know what it was meant for angel,” he answers. Deepened, husky voice vibrating your eardrum with his whisper. Backing away, there’s a smug grin on his face at how shy and flustered he has you. You didn’t see it though, currently unable to meet his eyes as you focused on your breathing and the floor beneath your feet.
“You have a good day Y/N.”
“Thanks. Y-You too Ari.” Leaving you with a small wave, your eyes follow him through the window until he’s no longer in view and you can somewhat regain your normal breathing. You tried to distract yourself with cleaning and getting ready for the impending lunch rush as you pick up his discarded cup carrying it to the other table that once sat the disgruntled customer to collect his plate and cup also.
Something catches your eye though at the top corner of the white, square plate that you know wasn’t there earlier.
Your finger delicately glides along the small crack until the chipped piece gives way leaving a v shaped gap about an inch long in its place. On the table cloth just above the plate was a single red droplet while next to the gap the same red stain seemed to have been spread a bit leaving behind more so of a line. There was no ketchup nor hot sauce on the table that could cause the stain so you couldn’t help but wonder,
“Is this blood?”
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