the floor's sticky with regret and cheap
beer
lights stutter like they're about to confess
something
and the bass hits hard enough to
rearrange bad decisions
she's already in the middle of it
no hesitation, no apology
like gravity clocked out and left her in
charge
she moves, and the whole building follows
glasses tremble
bar stools lean in like drunks trying to
listen
even the bartender forgets who ordered
what
I'm posted up pretending I've got dignity
left
but she's dancing like she pawned hers for
another shot
and got a damn good deal
Hips talking shit to the music
hair whipping like it's got a personal
vendetta
boots stomping out every quiet thought in
the room
and yea
it's vulgar in the best kind of way
Like laughing too loud at a funeral
like swearing in church just to see if
lightning cares
like knowing tomorrow's going to hurt and
not giving a fuck
guys circle like moths with bad intentions
girls grin like they've seen this storm
before
and she just keeps going
unbothered, unowned, untouchable
in her chaos
I finish my drink like it owes me something
wipe my mouth with the back of one of those
bad decisions
and think
some people pray for salvation
some people drink for it
and some people dance like they already
burned the map
Summary: After they parted ways a year and a half ago, Osha and Jecki finally go on the Cantina date they planned. And let’s just say they’re not here to make friends.
Notes: With all apologies to Sam Smith. This fic is based on their song of the same name. CW for Alcohol Use (but not abuse). Written for @oshecki-week 2024. And no, I won’t explain the backstory. Read it on Ao3 or below the cut.
—
Better with the lights on—We can play my favourite song
There she was. Beautiful, bashful, brilliant Jecki Lon, walking into the Coruscanti cantina like she owned the place. It had been a year…ish(? two?) since Osha had last seen her, and the time had been kind to her.
“Osha! Glad you found your way here.” Jecki pulled up a stool to the high table Osha was sitting at.
“Yeah this place is pretty cool. Tucked away but not impossible to find. And the vibes…” Osha made a vague gesture to their surroundings. Neon glow bathed the entire room, dancing on the patrons’ skins, reflecting in the brushed chrome as blobs of color.
Jecki smiled, “pretty great right?” She motioned to the waiter, then asked Osha “drink preferences?”
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
“I don’t really care, to be honest.” In truth, she’d only loved one drink, a bottle of Andoan wine she received a comp for a truly harrowing shipment in CorpSec. Most other drinks were just fine.
The waiter arrived, “hey Jecki, new date?”
“More like an old friend. Can you get us the usual?”
Osha’s heart sank, just a little.
“Of course.” The waiter left.
“You have a usual order? For all the dates you have?” Osha was trying to make sense of Jecki’s life as she stared at her porcelain skin, currently tinted blue in the club lights.
Jecki laughed, “yeah, I’ve been around a few times, met a few girls. Sol gave me a lot more leeway after the incident.”
Looking at me, take one shot, two shot—Hit deeper, taste sweeter
The waiter brought over a flight of shot glasses—whiskey, by the look of it.
Jecki lifted one up and toasted, “to life.”
Osha followed suit, “to the light.”
The two women drank.
“Wow, it’s been a minute since I had Chandrila.” Maybe it was the atmosphere, maybe it was the company, but Osha actually enjoyed the sweet heat. “It’s good.”
“Glad you like it.” Jecki savored the moment. An aching eternity stretched between them, and she hoped to bridge it.
Good but it feels wrong—I can last so long
As the conversation continued, Osha let go of the tension she was gripping. “So what have you been up to lately?”
“You know, some typical Jedi business. But I was involved with a missing ship investigation.”
This intrigued Osha. “Oh? Can you tell me more?”
“Did you hear the news about the Free Enterprise?”
“Yeah, big colony ship from Eriadu, got lost in hyperspace. We still get news out in CorpSec.”
Jecki leaned in, “Tasi and I found evidence of sabotage.” Almost a whisper now, “The Techno Union transferred large amounts of money to a few crew members before the voyage left. Then they showed up to the destination and started their own mining operations.”
Osha and Jecki were now inches apart. Osha absentmindedly placed her hand on Jecki’s. “So what happened?”
“One of the Techno Union’s board members resigned and is currently awaiting a sealed trial.” Jecki’s face dropped. “We couldn’t find the colony ship.”
Osha lifted up Jecki’s chin, “Hey, you found the people responsible. Sometimes you can’t save everyone.”
“Yeah, but it still hurts.” Jecki was taking in Osha’s smile, “I don’t think they’re dead, just in a different place. Someplace we haven’t looked.”
Looking at me take three shot, four shot—Throat heat up, get sweeter
Jecki leaned back, suddenly aware of how close they were. She picked up another shot glass. “To the Free Enterprise”
Osha followed suit. “To lost ships.”
The two women drank.
The cantina atmosphere caught up with them. Jecki, despite her best efforts, continued to stare at Osha.
“What?”
“Your braids, I love how they change colors in the different lights.”
Osha blushed, “Well that’s the nicest thing anyone’s told me lately.”
“That bad out in CorpSec?” Despite her initiative, Jecki was still more than happy to deflect.
“I just don’t get off ships much.”
It's so hard babe, loving me—I'm like a whiskey, you can feel it
Hit so strong but taste so sweet—There's no loving me, no way
“Must be lonely then.”
“It’s fine. I do my job, I get paid. No complications, no attachments.”
Jecki chuckled, “I’m pretty sure that’s not what you were supposed to take from the code.”
Osha felt like she had to defend herself. “Look, I’m not good with people.”
“You’re pretty great with me.”
You say you need me, but you don't know me—I'm the dark type, forever lonely
Hit so strong but taste so sweet—There's no loving me, no way
“If you were gonna flirt with me like this, why’d you call me an ‘old friend’?”
“I didn’t know where we stood.” Jecki didn’t want to lose the moment. “I didn’t want to presume…”
“Jecki, I asked to get drinks with you at a cantina, and let you pick where. I thought it was obvious.”
Now Jecki was turning a bright shade of pink. “Well…” she started smiling, “…good, I hoped so.”
I know you know what it is—I can tell you know it hits
“Can you tell me something you like about me?” Osha still wasn’t sure she even deserved a date like this.
“You’re gorgeous and resourceful. I feel like I could talk to you about anything.”
With that, any façade Osha still had left crumpled around her.
Let your feelings go, you've been working so hard
Put the week down—Pray in a space with me, hand on my heart now
“Jecki…I…I don’t deserve this.”
“No, no, no, you’ve lost so much, you deserve just as much joy.” She reached out and intertwined her fingers with Osha’s.
“It’s just, you’re beautiful and a Jedi and successful and—”
Jecki cut her off, “—I’m everything you wish you were.”
“Yeah.”
“Well that’s Bantha-shit, because you’re everything I want. Well traveled, beautiful, resourceful, better-connected to the galaxy.” Jecki paused, then leaned in. “We can stop envying each other’s lives for a night and just enjoy the company.”
A thought, almost a whisper from Osha, “Stars, I need to kiss her.”
Jecki pulled her in and whispered back, “My lips are yours.”
The first moments were a quiet sonata, wholly different from the techno beats around them. Then it swelled into a jam session, an impromptu melody accompanied by tight harmony. Then it became a rock opera, a wall of sound drowning out the universe.
And the two women were stars.
Oh beat it up—I know how to mix it up
Let your body go with the slow as we grow with the weekend—Take five shots, six shots, oh
As the kiss broke, one of them inhaled “stars, she’s good.”
“Want more?” Jecki teased.
“Please.” It was the neediest voice Osha had ever used.
Shot glasses were grabbed. The two women drank.
As the symphony of kisses continued, they began dancing to the cantina’s music. Bodies pressed together, moving to the thumping bass line. Osha traced her hands up and down Jecki’s curves. Jecki draped her arms around Osha’s neck.
They were utterly enthralled with one another.
The song drew to a close. After kissing Osha’s neck and cheek a few times, Jecki whispered, “can I come back to your hotel room?”
“Follow me.” Osha grabbed Jecki’s hand and pulled her out of the bar.
It's so hard babe, loving me (It's so hard)—I'm like a whiskey, you can feel it
Hit so strong but taste so sweet—There's no loving me, no way
The two ran, hand in hand, a few blocks along side streets. Osha’s room was up one flight of stairs from the hotel entrance.
Clothes started coming off before the door even closed.
“I need you right now. You’re incredible, Osha.”
“Jecki, already? You haven’t even experienced half of me yet.”
Osha fell into her bed and pulled Jecki down on top of her yet.
You say you need me, but you don't know me—I'm the dark type, forever lonely
Hit so strong but taste so sweet—There's no loving me, no way
You hadn’t even entered the said bar that your whole body was screaming you to go back home/ It was really tempting but you knew that somehow your friends would know about you not going and take you back to it another time, on their own. And you didn’t want to be under their radar.
The little bell above the door clung as you opened. Who you guessed to be the bartender came your way, a bright smile on his lips.
“Hello. Are you here for the Meetik event ?”
“Mh, yes.” You answered shyly.
He asked for you to follow him upstairs and quickly welcomed you on the rooftop of the building. It was beautifully decorated. Many green plants, comfy couches and chairs to sit, small lights and candles in numbers everywhere. A bar and a table covered in food were settled in a corner.
According to the number of people, everyone - or almost everyone - was there. And it stressed you again.
Everyone was talking to someone else, in small groups or face-to-face ; some were really impatient to find “Love” it seemed.
You went around the crowd to the bar and asked for a (soft drink) ; surrounding by strangers, you felt it wouldn’t be a good idea to alcoholise.
“I don’t think soft will help you ease.”
“I beg your pardon ?”
You watched next to you to the man who talked. He held his empty beer to the barman and asked for the same thing. When he had it in hand, he leaned on the counter in a way to face you.
“I said that you look nervous.” He took a swallow of his beer. “An alcoholic drink would hep you calm down. What’s that think women drink ? With white wine.”
“Kir ?” His tongue clicked to say you found it. “Not every women drink that.”
“Never saw a man sipping one through.”
He had a point.
You watched him as he took another sip of his beer and out it back on the counter. But your eyes suddenly drifted to behind ; you swore you saw him in good company when you arrived. The man was easy to notice in the crowd with triple pierced ear, a soft scar crossing his brow and eye on the left side of his face and short green hair. And now that you were closer, you noticed a beginning of roots, which colour was between a dark blond and light brown.
“Weren’t you... talking with that woman ? Shouldn’t you go back to her ?” He followed your eyes and fell on the said woman.
“I was. Or more like she was talking. About her make-up tuto account on Instragram. Or was it her friend’s one ? I stopped listening half-way.”
You chuckled at his disinterested behaviour.
“It’s true that talking about alcohol is much more interesting.” You said in a sarcastic tone.
But to your surprise, his answer was sincere, as well as the small smile on his lips.
“I am willing to talk about anything, even a make-up Instagram account, as long as my interlocutor is interesting.” Your lack of answer made him continued. “Long and awkward silences are good too.”
“S-sorry. I didn’t know what to answer.”
That’s how you met Zoro, Roronoa Zoro.
The conversation was going on naturally between the two of you, from a topic to another. And you were so engulfed in your talking, and at ease with him, you forgot about whatever was happening around. You even got for a (alcoholic drink) ; you somehow felt like you could trust him, and not only because he was a rookie policeman.
Time passed quicker than you thought and around 1AM, the bartender came to tell you the event was finishing and everyone going back home. Zoro and you had just left the bar, you were now on the pavement about to pull apart.
“Mh, (Y/N); do you have any project for tomorrow ?”
Tomorrow was Sunday. If lie-in was considered a project then you had one.
“I don’t.”
“I know a bar that closed at 5.”
First, you were speechless. But then you burst out laughing.
You expected him to invite you to get out, but no. He was thinking about extending the night a bit longer. He didn’t seem to understand your fit of laughter, yet waited patiently for you to calm down. When you were done giggling, you looked back at him and nodded.
“Yeah. Yeah, why not.”
“Cool.”
OK, maybe you didn’t dislike bars that much anymore. At least when you’re in great company.
Yikes, how basic am I? Going to the bar for a date has got to be the easiest idea out there. I mean, what’s there to write about? You show up, get some drinks and talk to one another. Before you know it, you're $30 poorer from a pretty lacklustre experience. But there is one way to make this a story you two won't soon forget. One simple way to turn the bar date completely on its head.
The Date
Now before we get into this, let me say one thing first. This idea is only meant for couples that have been together for a while. I don't recommend this as a first, second, or even fourth date. That ok with you? Cool, let’s get into this. Technically this date idea is exactly how you pictured it. You’re going to go to a bar, get some drinks, and talk a bunch. However, the whole approach is completely different. But first, you must decide on a bar. You could go simple and head to a bar downtown, or if you're up to it, go to one during Karaoke or Band night. It’ll liven the experience up a bit for sure, but definitely not required. My personal favourite is these new speakeasy bars that keep popping up everywhere. You know, the ones that pretend to be hidden, with a secret entrance and everything. If you've never heard about these before, you're in luck! Take a second to search if there are any hidden bars in your area. I’ll wait.... Did you find one? They're super unique and provide a great experience. Now that you've picked a bar, it's time to role-play.
“Do you come here often?”
The idea here is pretty simple. The moment that you enter the bar, you two are going to pretend like you don't know each other. Wait, that's it? Hold on now, it gets better. Yes, you're going to role-play; which can introduce some very interesting scenarios. I want you to try and ‘pick up’ one another so to speak. Use your best pick up lines, buy each other drinks, play some pool, or show your significant other up in a game of darts . Pretend like you're meeting each other for the very first time! Ask each other silly questions that you already know the answer to (or maybe have forgotten), and even play as a different persona. For example, if I went on this date with you, I wouldn't be a humble college student with a super amazing blog, no instead I would be an out of country tourist traveling across the world (bad fake accent and all). Its even better if you're at a Karaoke bar, as you can dedicate a song to that good looking person over at the bar, even though you've known each other for a while. The cornier the better, because you two are the only ones in on it! It'll definitely be a fun story to tell all your friends and family.
Wrap Up
So that's my take on one of the most basic date ideas of all time. In my opinion, the more you put into it, the more you'll get out of it. It'll also be a blast to brush up on your “pick-up”. I recommend awarding a drink to whoever can come up with the most ridiculous opening line. And it’s going to be really tough to not break character, but I believe in you! So think you have what it takes to win over your significant other for a second time? There’s only one way to find out.
They met beneath a flickering neon sign
that buzzed like a tired summer insect
The bar of drunk hearts is humming
with off key anthems and laughter
spilled thicker than the drinks
Glasses clinked like small confessions
strangers swayed in orbit
gravity loosened by cheap whiskey
and songs everybody pretended not to know
but sang alone anyway
Outside, the night waited
cool and steady as held breath
streetlamps painted the pavement gold
and the word felt briefly softer
edges blurred but not broken
He offered a jacket
she offered a smile that wobbled
at the corners like a flame in the wind
they walked without quite touching
close enough to share warmth
far enough to keep the moment fragile
Taxi tires hissed on wet asphalt
the driver didn’t ask any questions
city blocks drifted past
closed shops, dark windows
a cat slipping between shadows
At her door, the music was only memory
a distant pulse behind their ribs
the night had wrung then honest
two hearts unsteady but awake
aware of how quickly hours vanish
No promises were poured
no forever spoken aloud
just a quiet thanks
a careful goodnight
and the echo of laughter
still ringing
like glasses raised
in bar made for
drunk hearts
