Nov 1, 2021
you know, I should’ve guessed this would’ve happened. but I was naive enough to think that on a sunday, we would be normal…
seen from United Kingdom
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seen from Türkiye
seen from Australia
seen from Australia
seen from Maldives
seen from United States
seen from China
seen from Türkiye
seen from United States
seen from Italy
seen from Slovakia
seen from China
seen from United States
seen from Germany
seen from Kyrgyzstan
seen from United States
seen from United Kingdom
seen from Kyrgyzstan
seen from Netherlands
you know, I should’ve guessed this would’ve happened. but I was naive enough to think that on a sunday, we would be normal…
when midnights break their sleep - The Witcher
when midnights break their sleep by SummerFrost
Rating: 16+ Audiences
Word Count: 16736
Status: Complete!
Summary: The first Snapchat that anyone ever sends Geralt is a picture of his own irritated face.
shrike_princess: can u believe this dumbass finally got a snapchat bc a cute boy asked him nicely
"It wasn't even that nicely," Geralt says flatly.
AKA: The one where Geralt is a bartender and Jaskier sings karaoke.
Some Thoughts: This. Fanfic. Is. Hilarious. Also, another one of my favorite Jaskier iterations because he’s just such a little shit in this fanfic, and Geralt just doesn’t buy any of it. It’s basically 16k words of fluffy humor, and what more could you ask for? To be honest though, I really liked the pacing of this fanfic. The relationship of the two was developed so well, and the affection between the two was so sweet to watch unfold. It’s the kind of fic that you would read over and over again because it’s well written, hilarious, and just adorable.
The best part though? Geralt’s interactions with everyone else. Like yes, his thing with Jaskier is adorable and hilarious and is what you go read the fic for, but understated part? The fact that Renfri and Geralt are genuine bros, bartending together and just being sassy towards one another. The Yennefer-Geralt-Jaskier dynamic is also very palatable because Yennefer absolutely despises Jaskier, and it’s hilarious. This fanfic is worth it for the good vibes, and especially if you need a fairly lengthy fluff that doesn’t really get too overly sweet. There’s just the right amount of humor and pining to temper it.
Available on Site(s): Ao3
Part of a Series: Yes! Click here if you want to check out the full series.
Other Notes: Kudos: 3100+; Bookmarks: 700+; Hits: 16000+ (if you’re into those kinds of statistics). Bartender Geralt; College Student Jaskier; One Shot; Geralt’s POV; Modern AU; Alternate Universe; Bartending AU; Renfri is Alive; Polyamory; Happy Ending; Yennefer/Geralt;
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
“I’ve got talented hands,” James says, dropping his voice lower. “If you’re up for it, I could give you a more...personal demonstration.”
It’s a cheesy line, all things considered, but it goes right through Clint like a lightning strike, lighting up his nervous system in all the best ways. “Uh...”
“If you want,” James adds. “It’s up to you.”
“I want,” Clint says, probably too fast to be as smooth as he was hoping for. “Definitely.”
Bartender AU involving some smutty shenanigans in the back room. Beta’ed by the wonderful @clintscoffeepot. Thank you! Additional tags below the break. Rated E.
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Clint Barton
Characters: James "Bucky" Barnes, Clint Barton, Natasha Romanov (Marvel)
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bartenders, Tattooed Bucky Barnes, Praise Kink Clint, Soft Dom Bucky Barnes, POV Clint Barton, Oral Sex, Natasha Romanov Is a Good Bro, Clint Barton & Natasha Romanov Friendship, Bucky Barnes & Steve Rogers Friendship, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Bartender Bucky Barnes
Bar tending au! Bar tending au!!! Aaaaaaa i would SO read that!
BLESS i’m so glad you like the idea!! it’s coming, don’t worry!!!! 💖
L1-L1 WH80 - Chapter 5, Beer
"Traditionally brewed beer has become a luxury, but this one's pretty close to the real deal..."
VA-11 HALL-A AU. HonoUmi. NicoMaki.
Word count: 5.9k
[Ao3] [FF.net]
“Umi-chan, you’ve been starin’ at the counter for a whole minute now. If you just wanted my company that badly, you could’ve just asked.”
“S-Sorry.” Had it really been that long? Umi had asked Nozomi for a word as they finished opening the bar tonight, but now words failed to come out of her mouth. Where did she even start? Umi did not know about relationships, crushes or anything at all regarding love. Just thinking of the word made her heart run at a marathon pace and her cheeks turn red like Adelhyde.
“Clearly we’re not getting anywhere if you can’t focus, so concentrate and gimme a Mercuryblast,” Nozomi said as she swiped her card for the transaction.
“Right, Mercuryblast.” Nozomi was right, her train of thought was somehow going through several different rails at neck-breaking speeds. A Mercuryblast, one Adelhyde, one Bronson Extract, three Powdered Delta, three Flanergide and two Karmotrine. All on the rocks and blended. Umi stared at the blue mix as she poured it into its glass. Hadn’t Honoka ordered one of these? She even tried to make a dumb joke about it too. The blue also kind of reminded her of Honoka’s eyes, but the color was not quite right, it should be a deeper tone. Why was Umi suddenly so aware of this drink? And not to mention that-
“Umi.” Nozomi’s voice snapped Umi out of her thoughts and handed the drink to her boss. “So, what did you want to talk about?” Nozomi asked as she swayed her drink in a circular motion.
“I-I figured that you might have… more experience about this sort of topic,” Umi started and, to keep her hands from trembling, grabbed the first glass her hands found and started to clean it, the cloth wiping it faster with each stroke.
In other circumstances, Nozomi would have poked fun at the fact that Umi had ran out of dirty glasses and was simply occupying her hands out of anxiety. Instead, she put down her drink and listened intently.
“And even if you don’t have that much experience on it, even a little bit would be sufficient. I-I myself have not experienced it before, and I consider you a good friend and someone I can talk about this. N-Not like Rin isn’t a good friend either! But… this requires a bit more subtlety and I’d rather not have her talk about this to every client she serves and…”
Nozomi simply listened, and she considered a pretty good listener at that, but Umi had started rambling and dodging whatever she wanted to talk about. “Umi,” she called out for the second time.
Hearing her name again almost made her jump. “D-Did I start ramble?”
“Are you gonna have sex? Is this what this is about?”
If the glasses provided by the BTC had not been made as sturdy as they were, Umi’s grip would have certainly cracked and broken the glass she had been wiping right in her hands. “N-No!” Umi yelled, startling both Nozomi and Rin, who was standing on the other side of the bar. “It’s not about sex!”
“Well, what’s got you so worked up then?”
“It’s Honoka-!” The words slipped out of her mouth before she could catch them. Instead of being met with a smug and playful grin from Nozomi followed by a teaseful joke, Umi found a gentle smile on Nozomi’s smile.
“Honoka, huh? So you finally put the pieces together?”
“T-The pieces? What are you talking about?” Umi put down the glass, knowing that it would eventually crack if she kept it in her hands.
“That you like her.”
Umi managed to keep her mouth shut and only made a muffled scream that was tame enough to not make Rin think that someone was getting murdered inside the bar. Thinking about it made her cheeks red, but hearing it from Nozomi heated up her entire face. “Y-Y-Yes, that… was I wanted to talk about.”
“So, what’re you planning to do?” Nozomi asked as she gently poked her drink.
“W-What do you mean what am I planning to do? I don’t know what I’m supposed to do!” Umi was starting to regret asking Nozomi for help. Was she not supposed to be wise, or at least a little bit knowledgeable about these kind of things? “I’m at a loss,” Umi said defeatedly.
“Well, do you wanna go out with her?”
“W-Well…” Umi blushed at the fact that now she was imagining Honoka, walking with her hand in hand. Embarrassment turned into a smile when she pictured Honoka smiling. “Y-Yes, I would.”
“Then just tell her,” Nozomi said curtly and began to drink her Mercuryblast.
Had all the time running a bar with marginal profit finally gotten to her boss? Or was she always this crazy? “I-I can’t just tell her!”
“And why not? I thought you wanted to go out with Honoka.” Nozomi only stopped drinking to talk and immediately continued with her Mercuryblast.
“Because what if she… what if she rejects me?” The thought stung much more than what Umi would have liked. “I… I don’t wish to make things uncomfortable. A-And she has a girlfriend already...”
“Oh, does she?” Nozomi raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure?”
“W-Well… I wouldn’t say I’m completely sure she has one, but that designer did seem to be her girlfriend,” Umi explained and sighed.
“Umi-chan, oh Umi-chan. You’re lookin’ at your cup half-empty again,” Nozomi shook her head. “A maiden in love shouldn’t be brooding! She should be gleefully happy, with butterflies in her stomach.”
“I do feel like I’m going to throw up,” Umi mumbled.
“Cheer up, Umi-chan. You’ve got nothing to worry about, you’re just overthinking yourself to death as per usual. You don’t have to tell Honoka, but the more time you let pass, the more it’ll gnaw at your head and the worse those butterflies in there will get,” Nozomi explained before getting up and offering her worker the now-empty glass. At least she now had something to actually clean. “Chin up, we’ve got a customer coming. I’ll be in my office,” Nozomi bid her farewell with a smile.
“And hey, if you really want that relationship, in the long run it really is about sex!”
Nozomi had taken refuge in the confines of her office too quickly and the steel shaker bottle that Umi threw in a blink of an eye panged against the office door instead of her boss’s face.
Umi glared at the door for a few moments before sighing and walking out of her station to pick up her shaker. Even if the conversation had seemed short and even moot, Nozomi was right: Umi would eventually need to talk to Honoka about this, her feelings were not going to simply disappear.
Once back in her station, Umi wiped the shaker as she began to ponder. She needed to come up with a plan. First, she should clarify what was the relationship between Honoka and Kotori. As much as it pained her to think that there was one in the first place, it would certainly put a quick end to this ordeal. There are plenty of people out there in Neo Tokyo that Umi had yet to meet after all. Going out to meet them seemed like a pain though, and none of the people who came to Lily White shone as bright as the police officer. Umi cursed internally, she was still overthinking everything like Nozomi had said, and she was not getting anywhere. She was in dire need of a distraction, something to clear her mind. More than ever before Umi cursed the lack of customers in the bar-
“Hello?”
Umi had lost count how many times she had failed to notice people in front of her tonight. Looking up, Umi saw Maki sitting in front of her, her designer clothes halfway hidden by contrastingly white coat she wore over them.
“Oh, um, welcome to Lily White,” were all the words that Umi managed to mutter out. With the way things had gone last time Umi saw the doctor, she was certain that she would not come back ever again.
“Uh, yeah,” Maki seemed almost as distracted as the bartender as she looked around the bar. “Has that Lilim come back?”
“E-Excuse me?” Maki’s sudden question caught Umi off-guard. “Do you know Hanayo?”
“Wha- Hanayo?” The doctor repeated in confusion before shaking her head. “No, I meant the idol. The singing robot.”
“Oh, Nico,” Umi should have realized sooner. “No, you made sure to scare her off.” The memories of that night were still fresh in her mind, of how unnerving it had been to discover that Lilim could be that upset.
“O-Oh.” Maki raised one hand to one of her bangs and started to twirl it. She was not sporting a ponytail this time, Umi noticed. In fact, all of her appearance seemed less taken care of, her clothes had wrinkles under the coat and even her makeup did a poor job to conceal the dark eyebags on her face. “A Sunshine Cloud, please.”
Umi nodded and began to prepare her ingredients. As she poured the halves of Adelhyde and Bronson Extract, Umi decided it was for the best to keep the client sober and refrained from adding any alcohol. “I presumed you wouldn’t be coming back,” Umi commented as the drink blended.
“Work’s been more stressful than usual, so I needed a drink,” Maki explained once the blending process was over.
“It has been getting colder, so I'm guessing more people come in with a cold,” Umi chit chatted as she finished preparing Maki’s drink.
“It’s a private hospital, people don’t come to us just for a cold,” Maki denied Umi’s idea as she took her glass. “I’ve been having problems focusing and concentrating.”
“And you thought coming for alcohol would help you with that,” Umi deadpanned.
“Yes,” Maki agreed and was about to take her first sip before slamming her drink onto the counter. “No, wait, no! That’s not what I came here for!”
Umi was impressed: she had not even started to drink and she was stammering already. “Why do you come to a bar if not to drink then?”
“T-That’s none of your business,” Maki mumbled before starting on her drink.
Umi had never been as good at reading people as Nozomi but years of experience had taught her enough to see through the red haired doctor. She had probably come to offer an apology, to her if not to Nico. It was a shame that the idol never came back, as annoying as she was. She did seem to genuinely care for the things she loved, like her family. Umi had not picked it up at first, but thinking back on those previous days made her realize the small changes in the Lilim’s demeanor when she talked about those things.
“So she really hasn’t come back?” Maki asked again, her glass lying empty on the counter. Her voice showed a cocktail of feelings, one too familiar for Umi when she had to deal with people who had tried to drown their problems with booze, but Maki was completely sober.
“Do I have a reason to lie about it?” Umi asked as she inspected Maki’s expression. It seemed vacant at first glance, but Umi knew better. “No, she hasn’t.”
Maki took a deep breath and let it out with long groan. “Great, I made sure to come early tonight in the hopes of finding her and apparently she’s been long gone. I won’t be able to concentrate fully in my work, I’ll probably have to put off some appointments and…” Maki’s rant grew quieter until her words her an inaudible mumble for Umi. “Grizzly Temple.” Her voice picked up just to order another drink.
Umi could not remember when was the last time someone had ordered a Grizzly Temple without a hint of irony in their voice. According to many, Umi included, it was one of the worst drinks in the BTC menu. Three Adelhyde, three Bronson Extract, three Powdered Delta and one Karmotrine. All blended. Once poured into its glass, Umi handed the order.
“Look, if you really want to apologize,” Umi started as she dug her phone out of her pocket, “she gave us her contact details.” Under normal circumstances, Umi would have never shared private information of her clients to other clients, but she did not want to witness another fight like that again. At least not in the bar.
“W-Who said I wanted to apologize to her,” Maki mumbled defensively before sipping her drink.
“So you don’t want it?” Umi took out a pen and was ready to write on a piece of paper. Taking a sneaky glimpse, she saw Maki staring intently.
“I-I never said that, just give me the number.”
Umi managed to control her eye roll and simply shook her head as she began to write Nico’s contact information.
“Officer Kousaka Honoka, presenting for duty!” Honoka’s loud announcement of her arrival made Maki jump in her seat as she pocketed the scrap of paper. The police officer cheerfully walked to the empty seat next to Maki and waved at Umi. The doctor eyed the officer for a brief moment before going back to her drink. “Evening, Umi-chan,” she greeted with a smile.
“A-Ah, Honoka.” Umi found it difficult to keep her face straight when she felt her cheeks flushing. “H-How are you?”
“Hmm, well, I guess I'm fine. Had a scuffle with a guy who didn't want to take his parking ticket.” She crossed her arms and shook her head disapprovingly. “The nerve of some people!”
“There's a fair share of people who'll refuse to pay additional fees,” Umi pointed out, “money can come short when basic necessities become more expensive every once in a while.” Umi knew better than anyone else about the importance of saving.
“A parking citation is basically pocket change,” Maki chirped in offhandedly before sipping her drink.
“Wow, you must be some kind of rich doctor.” Honoka’s joke only got a raised eyebrow from Maki. “A Beer please! Oh, and I’m Honoka, by the way.”
Maki inspected the officer once more before presenting herself. “Maki,” was all she said.
“Well Maki-chan, it’s a pleasure!”
“Wha- hey! Who told you you can address me so casually?” Maki asked defensively.
“Well, you only gave me a name to work with.” Honoka laughed and scratched the back of her head. “Would you prefer it if I was rude to you?”
“What’re you saying? You’re making no sense,” Maki mumbled and tried to take another sip before realizing her drink was empty. “Another Grizzly Temple, please.” Umi nodded and started to prepare Maki’s order as she finished Honoka’s.
“Yuck, Grizzly Temple, Beer’s definitely the way to go,” Honoka said to herself as she took her Beer and swayed it side to side like an excited child.
“Excuse me?” Maki turned to Honoka and glared; the doctor frowned even more when she saw how Honoka was too busy happily drinking her Beer to even notice her. “What’s wrong with a Grizzly Temple?”
“Hm?” Honoka put down her drink and looked at Maki in confusion. “What do you mean? It’s pretty awful-tasting, bitter and bland.”
“And you-”
“Here,” Umi interrupted Maki before things got out of hand and placed her order on the counter. “And you should stop,” she said and glaring at Honoka.
Honoka could only laugh nervously under Umi’s piercing eyes. “Sorry.” Honoka’s apology was vague enough to be directed to both the bartender and the doctor. Maki still looked unconvinced but went back to her drink. Umi was just glad she defused the situation before another fight blew up in front of her.
Umi took a deep breath and started to think. She needed to clear everything with Honoka so she could finally sort out her own feelings. Perhaps not in front of the doctor; hopefully she left before Honoka did.
“Oh hell no.”
Umi looked up to see that Nico had just entered the bar, any pretense of a grandiose entrance gone and replaced by a scowl directed to the doctor.
“Oh, Nico,” was the only thing Umi managed to say. Honoka gasped loudly while Maki looked back at Nico and visibly failing to not scowl back.
“The feeling is mutual,” Maki snarked as Nico walked to the counter, taking a seat next to Honoka. Well, rather than next to Honoka, it would be better described as taking the seat that was not next to Maki’s.
“Well, Nico managed to get a day off so she had planned to wrap it up on a happy note with a couple of drinks! So…” Nico flipped one of her twintails and with a mocking smile she looked at the doctor, “why don’t you just leave?”
“Hi! I’m Honoka, big fan-”
Maki frowned and her finger once more began to twirl with her hair. “Actually, I’ve been meaning to see you-”
“Well, Maki-chan! If you wanted to see Nico sooo badly, why don’t you just lift that mug of yours to look at a billboard or something?”
“Excuse me? I go out of my way to come here to apologize and-”
“Oh, now the oh-so intellectual redhead wants to apologize to Nico! Yeah, and while she’s at it, I’m sure she wants to insult her family, just like she did to her career!”
“Umm.. Umi-chan…” Honoka could not help but to have shrunk her shoulders as the women at her sides began to yell.
“Hey! Take that back! I-”
“Well, where’s my apology? Nico’s waiting-!”
“Enough!” Umi slammed her hands on her mixing station loud enough to silence Nico and Maki. “If you’re going to fight, do it outside. Your pointless bickering is scaring the other customers.”
“Pointless bickering? She’s the one who started it!” Maki huffed and turned away from Nico.
“I-It’s fine, Umi-chan.” Honoka laughed nervously and she slowly sat back up.
“Please don’t kick out Nico? She’s really sorry for getting into another fight with a dumb woman,” Nico apologized before glaring at the doctor.
Umi audibly groaned and pinched the bridge of her nose. If this kept on going, she would have to remove both of them from the premises and that would certainly kill any sort of mood for talking with Honoka.
“Um… Maki-chan said she wants to apologize, so why don’t you just let her?” Honoka asked Nico.
“Because she insulted Nico! And she’s so arrogant and full of herself-”
“So what? She came here to apologize. Isn’t that good enough for now?” Honoka pressed on.
“N-No! Because-”
“Because what?” Honoka pressed on. The genuine curiosity in Honoka’s gaze made Nico and her pride falter. Nico tried to come up with something to say but nothing would come out of her voice receptors.
“F-Fine, okay! Nico gets it!” Nico threw her arms in the air before turning away and crossing them. After an annoyed sigh, she turned back to Honoka and Maki. “Fine, Nico’s all ears.”
Honoka turned around to look at Maki, who looked back at her from the corner of her eye before turning away. “And?”
“I-I’m not going to apologize to that robot.”
Nico gasped offendedly, but before she could say anything in return, Honoka interrupted her. “Hey! That wasn’t nice. You said you came here to apologize, so why are you insulting her again?” Maki simply huffed in response. “You’re just giving her an actual reason to be angry now, you know? And then she’s going to leave, then you would’ve come here for nothing, and then you’d feel bad for insulting her again and how you’ll never see her again and-”
“Fine! I get it!” Maki quickly turned around and covered Honoka’s mouth. “Shut up, will you! I’m sorry!”
Honoka leaned back and took a quick glimpse at Nico before going back to Maki. “Sorry to me or her?”
“To her! A-And to you too, I guess,” Maki mumbled as she started to twirl her finger in her hair once more.
Honoka looked at the Lilim, and under her gaze she gave in once more. “Fine, okay. Nico accepts your apology.”
“There! Was that so hard?” Honoka asked with a smile. “Bartender! A round of Beers for everyone!”
“I shouldn’t, but fine. Just this once.”
“Nico won’t say no to a free drink!”
Impressed would be an understatement of how Umi felt about Honoka; she had managed to calm both women and reconcile them despite how stubborn prideful they were. She had been planning to talk with Honoka but she found herself at a lack of words again.
“Three Beers,” Umi mumbled as she placed the three glass mugs on the counter.
Nico looked at the beer curiously, inspecting it from side to side and even lifting the mug to look at its bottom side. “I’ve never had a Beer that wasn’t canned.”
“Canned beers aren’t that bad, but these ones are way better!” Honoka lifted her drink and waved it, spilling a slight bit of its contents.
“In comparison to the ones I prepare, canned beers are watered down,” Umi explained.
“Craft Beer’s better,” Maki mumbled before taking a small sip of her Beer.
“Oh, you’re just full of unnecessary comments, aren’t you?” Nico glared at the doctor for a second before starting to chug her Beer.
“Whoah! That’s the way to go, Nico!” Honoka cheered on the Lilim as she petite girl kept chugging and chugging until the mug was empty. “You’ve got spirits, Nico-chan! That’s what I love about you!”
“Oh, you’re a fan?” Nico was all too pleased of having impressed another fan and smiled. She flipped her hair once, took out a marker and placed it right above the empty mug. “Do you want my autograph?”
“Oh, no no no, I couldn’t-”
“For free! For being such a good crowd for Nico’s Beer drinking.”
“No, I couldn’t have it on Umi-chan’s glass. It’s not mine,” Honoka clarified. Nico was left with her mouth wide open, not in her lifetime had she had an autograph declined for a reason like that. “Oh, you could autograph my phone!” Honoka suggested as she pulled out her phone from her pocket.
“Sure, love! Can Nico get your name?” Nico asked before jotting down her signature in Honoka’s phone. Before handing it back, Nico unlocked the password-less phone, something unfitting for a police officer, Umi thought, and activated its camera. “Wanna take a photo?”
“Oh, yeah! You bet I wanna!” Honoka nodded with excitement and placed her fingers just like Nico did.
“Hey hey, redhead! You too, pose! Get in the shot too, Umi!” Nico commanded rather than asked and the sparkling joy in Honoka’s eyes made it difficult for either of the two women to say no. To get everyone in the shot, Nico got off her seat to get a better angle and Honoka wrapped an arm around Umi’s shoulders to pull her close. Umi could feel the heat rise up to her ears and could barely move to do the Nico’s hand pose or even face the camera. Maki reluctantly put her hands like Nico before the picture was taken.
“Wow, thanks!” Honoka said with excitement as Nico handed back the phone once she made sure to send the picture to herself.
“Don’t mention it.” Nico grinned and patted Honoka’s shoulder. “And you, Maki-chan?”
“W-What?” Maki asked with slight suspicion and put the mug of Beer between her and the Lilim when she approached her.
“Gimme your phone number.”
“What? Why would I do that?”
“So I can send you the photo too, duh.”
“Who said I wanted it?” Maki glared at Nico who seemed unfazed by her defensiveness.
“Stop being so stubborn and give it to Nico! And maybe you can invite Nico somewhere to apologize properly and not in some shoddy bar in the middle of nowhere.” Nico finally glared back.
After a few moments of staring down at each other, Maki sighed and pulled out a card and a pen from her purse. Writing down something on it, she began to wave it at Nico. “Here, take it or leave it.”
Nico snagged the card and began to read it “Dr Nishikino Maki… Nishikino Medical Center… wait, this is a business card!”
“And all of my contact information is there,” Maki pointed out and turned back to the counter.
“You’re gonna have the great Nico Nii book an appointment?!”
“I wrote my phone number on the back of the card, idiot.”
Nico flipped the card. “Oh, and so it is,” Nico mumbled and pocketed the card. “Fine, well, Nico got a free drink and a pretty girl’s number, she’d say it’s been a pretty successful night.” Maki choked on her Beer when she heard Nico’s comment. “Well, Nico should leave. She needs to scout out for a nice and expensive restaurant~,” she cheerfully said her farewell and skipped out of the bar.
“I’m going to regret doing that,” Maki groaned and rested her head on the counter.
“Well, at least you’re not gonna regret not apologizing anymore!” Honoka pointed out and gave Maki a thumbs up.
Maki smiled a little bit. “Yeah, I guess so.”
Umi couldn’t help but to wonder how Nico and Maki’s first interaction would have gone if Honoka had been there.
“Ugh... I need to go,” Maki said as she slowly pulled herself up from the counter. “I have work tomorrow and I hadn’t even planned on drinking too much tonight.” Too much, she says. “It was a pleasure, officer.”
“Please, my friends call me Honoka,” Honoka corrected her and smiled before offering Maki a hand to get up. Maki blushed a little but was drunk enough to swallow her pride and take the help, even if she did not need it.
“It was nice meeting you, Honoka,” Maki said once more and waved at Umi. “Um, thanks for the drinks. They were as good as I remembered them.”
“Thanks for your patronage.”
“Bye bye, Maki-chan!” Honoka waved goodbye at the doctor and turned back to Umi once she was gone. Taking out her phone, she gleefully stared at the autograph. “Man, what a night.”
“You could say that again,” Umi mumbled and, without realizing it found herself staring at Honoka. If only more people could be like her the world would be a much better place.
“I got a selfie with Nico! And her autograph too!” Honoka hummed happily. “I’m glad she didn’t ask me to name some of her songs because I don’t remember any of their titles.” Umi would have laughed if she was not the same, but in her defense she had only heard Nico’s songs once.
Now that the two of them were alone, ignoring Rin on the other side of the bar, Umi had to steel herself for now was her chance. Her chance to find out about everything and if it all went well she could have something to look forward to beside Lily White. All she had to do was clear up all the things Umi did not know about and ask Honoka about her relationship with Kotori. What could be the worst thing that could happen-
“Hm? My relationship with Kotori-chan?”
Umi froze. Had she been thinking out loud all this time? The confused look on Honoka’s face was all the confirmation she needed and this was probably the worst thing that could have happened. How much had she even said? Her thoughts were scrambling to remember anything but the pit that she was suddenly feeling in her stomach could not let her think. Was the bar always been this stuffy? Umi could not breathe no matter how air she tried inhale.
She could only hear faint sounds of Honoka as she stepped away from the counter and out the door to the back alley.
Umi just had to ask. How hard was that? Apparently too hard because everything that could have gone wrong had gone wrong. Nozomi and Rin were right, she overthinks everything and now that had screwed everything up. At least out here she could finally breathe fresh air. Well, at least as fresh as it got in Neo Tokyo, certainly fresher than inside the bar. Umi pressed her back against one of the alley’s wall and slid down just before touching the ground. Hugging her legs, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath of the fresh night air. Fresh and cold air. Temperatures had been dropping with each day and tonight had gotten to the point where one could see their own breath. Umi left her coat inside, but going back to get it right now… Umi could stand in the cold for a couple more minutes. Going back in there after leaving Honoka like that would be-
“Umi-chan? Are you okay?” Honoka walked out of the bar’s back door and into the alley.
“H-Honoka?” Umi quickly stood up and dusted the rear of her skirt. It was not like she was sitting on the floor, but a fetal position was not one she wanted to be seen in. “W-What are you doing here?”
“Your co-worker told me you went out for your break, and when I asked if I could come out here she insisted I gave you a few moments and then gave me your coat too. Here,” Honoka explained and handed Umi her coat. The bartender stared at it dumbfounded for a few seconds before taking it. “Do you have panic attacks frequently?”
“U-Um… no. Last time I had one was before a BTC test back when I was in training…” Umi said as she put on her coat. She felt a slight shiver from its unworn coldness but it was better than not wearing it. Back then, Rin and Nozomi had helped her calm down in time to take the test she had forgotten to study for and in the end she breezed through the test, something she still felt embarrassed about.
“How are you feeling now?” Honoka asked before pressing her back on the wall too, next to Umi.
Umi took another deep breath and watched her breath dissipate in front of her. “Better. Thanks for asking.”
“Hey, don’t mention it.” Despite the cold temperatures, Honoka’s smile warmed Umi as always. Out in the alley actually felt warmer.
Neither spoke another word, falling into a comfortable silence. Only the faint bustling of the city reminded them that there was a whole world out there.
“Thanks for checking up on me, Honoka. A-And sorry for leaving you like that,” Umi apologized.
“It’s fine, it happens to the best of us.” Honoka’s comment made Umi smile. “Kotori-chan has had them sometimes when she stresses too much.”
Kotori again. It felt like a pang on Umi’s insides, but even so, now was the best time to ask her. Finally be able to cope with her feelings.
“U-Um, Honoka?” Honoka looked at Umi with such attentiveness that it almost hurt to make such a strong question. “W-What is your relationship with Kotori?”
“Kotori-chan?” Honoka repeated with a confused look. “Well… we’ve been friends for a long time. We’ve been through a lot of things together, highs and lows, we've known each other since we were little kids. She was even my first kiss!” Honoka reminisced with a blush and a chuckle.
Oh. Somehow, it hurt so much more than Umi had been expecting. She supposed that deep down she hoped that there was no relationship at all between the two, as awful as it sounded.
“But…” Honoka continued, looking down at the ground and kicking a littered can, “it really didn’t work out, we only dated for like a week or two. Thankfully we’re still friends and hang out a lot. Truthfully, I don’t have much going on my life so having Kotori-chan as a friend has helped me out a ton.”
Oh. Umi had never felt such a whiplash of opposite emotions in a such a short span of time, but leave it to this police officer to make it happen.
“What’s up? Are you interested in her? She’s pretty cute! She cooks the most amazing sweets, has a lovely voice, always looks out for you, she will pretty much give you free clothes if you date her…”
Umi was not sure at what point she had stopped listening, instead having focused on taking a deep breath and steel herself once more.
“No, the one I’m interested in is you, Honoka.”
“And then one time-” Umi had managed to silence Honoka. Whether it was a good or a bad signal she did not know but she tried to not let it get to her. Not now. “I uh… r-really? Me? Not Kotori-chan?”
“I don't know why you keep thinking that I’d want to date her. I barely know her, but I know that these complicated feelings I’ve had since you showed up are about you, and that… t-that I want to… d-date you.” Umi did her best to power through the embarrassment of her words.
“Well, because Kotori-chan is so much better than me. I’m clumsy, dumb, trusting to a fault, and-”
Umi shook her head and took hold of Honoka’s hand tightly. “Then, please, trust me on this. On my feelings. I… I like you, and if possible… w-would like to date you.”
Honoka could not help but to swallow some of her doubts when Umi’s gaze was as serious as it was. She felt heat crawl up to her ears, growing self conscious of how much Umi was staring at her. “Kotori-chan only managed to up with me for like a week, you know?”
“I’m not Kotori.”
“Then… I think I’d like to see you more often. Outside the bar.”
“Are we… not outside the bar?” Umi asked, confused. She could not help but to look around the alley. “Or do you mean-”
Honoka interrupted the bartender by giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. “I meant on dates.”
It took a couple of second for Umi to realize what had just happened, her face flushing red. “H-Honoka!” she yelled and pushed Honoka away.
“Y-Yeah?” Honoka laughed heartily, seeing Umi’s face as red as it was.
“T-Tell me if you’re going to k..! To…! To k-kiss me,” Umi’s roaring voice quickly turned the meekest Honoka had ever heard Umi talk.
Honoka laughed some more, much to the bartender’s dismay. After wiping away a tear, Honoka took a deep breath to compose herself. “Umi-chan, can I kiss you?”
Umi’s blush only got worse, something neither of them were aware was even possible. “A-Actually being asked is worse. Please don’t ask if you can kiss me.”
“Then… I can?”
After another deep breath, Umi sighed and nodded. “Y-Yes… you can.”
Honoka smiled, and despite her embarrassment, Umi smiled back. Honoka took hold of one of Umi’s hands, their fingers entwining as she leaned closer to Umi. Closing her eyes, Honoka kissed Umi on the lips, this time savoring the moment, her other arm pulling Umi closer.
The sudden noise of the back door sliding open startled both girls, breaking the kiss to find Rin staring with her mouth wide open.
“Oh! Sorry, keep going!” Rin waved at them and backed up. “Nozomi! Umi-chan and the cop were making ou-!” As the door closed, the soundproofed walls of L1-L1 WH80 cut off the rest of the cat boomer’s announcement.
It would also soundproof Umi’s pending fury upon her co-worker.
“Umi-chan, could we stay like this for a bit?”
Well, all of that could wait. She knew that if a police officer ever asked her something, the best course of action would be to simply agree with them.
A/N: And it's done! Thank you so much for reaching this finish line alongside me. This is my first multi-chapter fic that I've managed to finish, and honestly, it feels pretty great. It also feels like I've lifted a huge weight off my back and can now guiltlessly write other thingies. Some actual Christmas ideas and prompts have taken the back seat this past week so I could finally finish this. All the feedback that I received was a huge motivation to continue this AU I came up with half a year ago, so I truly appreciate all of you.
L1-L1 WH-80 is done! This last chapter came out as the longest one yet (actually each chapter got progressively longer) and I think this is chapter alone is my longest piece yet, coming out at almost 6k. A number not too impressive when compared to others but this is a new benchmark for me, hopefully one that I'll surpass one day. If the ending was disappointing, I apologize for not living up to the expectations. I always wanted to finish it up in the back alley, a setting that was also present in VA-11 HALL-A. The only one I couldn't get a chance to recreate was Jill's apartment, but I didn't want to take the story outside the bar.
Oh hey, and apparently I took so long a VA-11 HALL-A sequel was announced. Yikes!
I would love to revisit this AU and explore other characters and other parts of this setting, so look forward to that at some point in the future :)
I’d like to thank @bcheddar13 @saberin @master-thief-gray-shadow and @grayneigh for helping me out a ton by beta-ing this project for me.
Hopefully I'll get to post something before the 31st, but if not, happy holidays everyone.
Home - Chapter 5
Pairing: Shiro/Keith
Rating: Teen
Summary: Keith ached to ask where they were, but kept his mouth shut and his eyes glued to the sea of stars fading in and out, each one a facet of a diamond catching each other's light. Reading the stars, Keith understands. Or he thinks he does. Maybe Shiro brought him to the moment, and their coordinates were irrelevant. They were away. That’s all that mattered.
The stars danced to the muffled guitar strums, tinny from Shiro’s speakers, and beer fizzed on his dormant tongue. He rolled his head to Shiro, completely blissed out and drunk off of the night sky.
“What does it make you think of?” Keith murmured. He set his can down, and the sound of metal on metal was deafening over the car radio’s hum. “The stars, I mean.”
ooooof I’m sorry I didn’t get more asks out last night y’all. I died last night after work. but y’know what I did think of while I was there?
gay bartending au, where spinel is a new regular at your bar and you want to figure out where this new stranger is from and what her story is. cause she definitely looks like she’s got a wild one.
L1-L1 WH80
In the year 20XX, Neo Tokyo is plagued by manipulated mass media, a corrupt police force and inflation of basic necessities. Every person is infected with nano machines for tracking and suppression purposes. Sentient androids called Lilim live alongside humans. But this is a story about the everyday lives of those who deal with all of this on a daily basis. “L1-L1 WH80” is a small bar owned by Nozomi, affectionately called by its regulars and employees as Lily White. Far away from downtown and any business districts of Neo Tokyo, it’s a place to drink one’s worries away. Alongside Rin, Umi is a bartender for Lily White. Clientele is low but fascinating, whether Umi enjoys their company or not. Get comfortable and listen to Neo Tokyo's residents' stories alongside Umi with a drink or two. It's time to mix drinks and change lives.
VA-11 Hall-A AU. HonoUmi.
Chapter 1 - Fluffy Dream
"A couple of these will make your tongue feel velvet-y. More of them and you'll be sleeping soundly."
Word count: 3.5k
Next Chapter>
[Ao3] [FF.net]
“You know, you of all people should be the first one to get here.”
“Now now, Umi-chan!” Nozomi laughed off Umi’s stern voice and look as she walked down the alley leading to the bar that they had been running together for several years now: L1-L1 WH80. “Besides, it’s not like we have any customers during opening hours, right?”
“And?” Umi crossed her arms, still dissatisfied with how nonchalantly Nozomi was treating her own bar. “What if there were?”
“Well, they’d have a handsome bartender to pass time with.” Nozomi giggled as she finished unlocking the door to the bar and walking in.
“A bartender who cannot bartend,” Umi mumbled as she followed Nozomi into the bar.
As the lights lit up the place and Nozomi began the daily routine of turning on every appliance in the bar, from the television screen above the bar to the jukebox in the lonely corner, Umi made her way to her mixing station and booted it up. To this day, Umi was amazed how sturdy of a machine the mixing station was. Cleaning aside, it worked as good as new, despite how… rowdy some customers have gotten in the past.
“Well, I’m gonna be in my office in the back. Yell at me if ya need something,” Nozomi said as she passed by the counter and disappeared into the room past the “Employees only” door.
Umi began to scrub the different shaped glasses absentmindedly, the opening ritual of the bar never took too much time nor it needed too much attention, so Umi had to resort to thoughtless chores to pass the time until a customer arrived. L1-L1 WH80 was honestly in an awful part of the city, several blocks away from the nearest commercial sector, and far too many blocks away from the closest tourist area of Neo Tokyo. The lack of any customers in the first thirty minutes after opening hours was a testament to this, but Nozomi insisted in obtaining this location. Ever since she had gotten the idea to run her own bar, Nozomi wanted it to be called Lily White, but the most affordable way to open a bar was to go with the British Trademark Council, and they only handled names with coordinates. So L1-L1 WH80 it was. Umi tried to ignore that even if one had the… creative liberty to pronounce numbers as letters, it would be named-
The sound of the metal door sliding open derailed Umi’s train of thought completely as she lowered the glass she had been cleaning and looked up. “Welcome to Lily Weighty- I-I mean…”
“Lily Weighty?! Hahaha, what’s up with thyat?” Rin was not shy to laugh at her coworker's blunder, something that Umi was not too pleased with.
“You’re late. Almost half an hour late.” Umi frowned as the second bartender for Lily White showed up.
“I have a good reason!” Rin ran up to the counter and slammed her hands on it, something that did not startle Umi but did get her to frown even more.
“And what is it?” Umi asked unamusedly before raising her hand and pulling down Rin by her ear. The one above her other ear. She wanted to punish Rin, but not too much.
“K-Kayochin!” Rin pointed at the door, a Lilim stood right outside the bar. She gave Umi a small smile and a wave.
“Ah, Hanayo.”
“Mhmm! C-Can you let go nyao?” Rin whimpered as she struggled to get out of Umi’s grasp. The moment Umi let go, Rin sighed in relief and rubbed her cat ear. “S-She said that she wanted to come so I waited for her shift to end,” Rin explained and waved at Hanayo to come in. The Lilim bowed at Umi before entering, Umi reciprocating with a simple nod.
Rin, all too pleased with herself now, took a step back from the bar before cracking her wrists and locked her eyes on the bar rail.
“Rin, don’t you dare jump over the-”
But Umi’s warning was too late, for Rin had already jumped over the counter, safely landing behind it and next to Umi.
“Rin! Don’t ever do that again,” Umi was about to grab Rin again, but she stepped away just before she could do so.
“You’re nyat the boss of me!” Rin humphed.
“Nozomi!” Umi called out for the boss of her.
“What’s up!” Nozomi’s voice rang back from her office before she came out to see what was happening.
“Can you please tell Rin not to jump over the counter?”
“Rin-chan, if you break somethin’ it’s comin’ out of your paycheck.” Nozomi put her hands on her hips and frowned.
“O-Okay…” Rin mumbled and her ears drooped.
“Didja break anythin’?” Nozomi asked. Rin shook her head. “Then next time, lemme know when you jump it again. I wanna see it.” Nozomi grinned and gave Rin a wink. “Ah, Hanayo-chan. Welcome to Lily White, hope you have a good time.” Waving their customer goodbye, Nozomi walked back into her office.
“Umi-chan, you gotta record me next time!” Rin’s mood had been lifted sky-high with Nozomi’s request.
“No. And here.” Umi handed Rin the glass she had been scrubbing and a clean cloth. “Scrub clean all of the glasses. Punishment for being late.”
Rin groaned in response but did not say anything back, still happy thinking about the next time she would jump over the counter. “Sorry Kayo-chin, duty calls.” Rin gave her an apologetic look.
“Don’t worry Rin-chan. We can always talk later.” Hanayo smiled and approached the counter, sitting in front of Umi.
“It’s always a pleasure to see you, Hanayo,” Umi resumed scrubbing glasses as Hanayo approached the bar.
“It’s been a while, I hope everything’s been fine.”
Chatter like this always seemed like empty courtesy for Umi, but the way Hanayo spoke so softly and the way she looked at her was always so genuine that she could not help to make the exception for her.
“Well, Nozomi was late as usual. And then Rin got away with her stunts, as usual. I find myself surprised thinking about how this bar has been running for so long and-” Umi went silent, stopping herself before she went on a rant. “Sorry, I began to ramble.”
“It’s fine Umi-chan. You’re the glue that sticks Lily White together. Someone needs to keep those two in check.”
Hanayo’s words made Umi smile. She supposed she was right. “Can I get you anything?”
“Hmmm…” Hanayo tapped her finger on the chin, making small dink sounds every time she did so. “Can I get a Fluffy Dream?”
Umi nodded and began to input the ingredients in her mixing station. Three parts Adelhyde, three parts Powdered Delta, and four parts Karmotrine. Hanayo had deceptively high alcohol tolerance so Umi always put additional Karmotrine in her drinks. Even though Umi assumed most Lilim were designed that way, the first time Umi had seen Hanayo outdrink Nozomi would never leave her mind. “Here,” Umi handed Hanayo a green and sweet cocktail right after Hanayo put her card over the scanner to finish the transaction.
“Thanks,” Hanayo replied alongside a smile before taking a sip of her drink. “Is… Rin-chan always late?” She asked in a quiet voice, not wanting her friend to overhear them.
“Well…” Umi began to think of the times that she had been left alone behind the counter multiple times, but only very few of those occasions Umi had needed help with customers. “It is not often that I need help with bartending during opening hours, but she’s usually only late by a couple of minutes. It’s nothing too bad, really.”
“Really? That’s a relief…” Hanayo let out a sigh before sipping on her drink. “Rin-chan has not always been… the greatest when it comes to responsibilities and stuff like that. I know that Nozomi-chan won’t just fire her or anything but... “ Hanayo trailed off, running her finger across the rim of her glass. The sound of the glass and the metal finger made for an odd sound.
“But it would be nice for her to commit to her responsibilities?” Umi finished her question.
“Yeah, it always worries me a little that she’ll run out of options someday.” Hanayo confessed, glancing at Rin from her peripheral vision.
“If she does, I’ll do all I can to help her out.”
“Thanks, Umi-chan. It means a lot to me.” Hanayo smiled and took a long sip of her Fluffy Dream, finishing the rest of her drink. Hanayo put down her glass and slid it towards Umi.
Umi took the glass and put it in the sink to clean it later. “Can I get you anything else?”
"I’ll have… a Moonblast. Make it big,” Hanayo requested after taking a glance at the drinks menu on the screen behind Umi.
“A big Moonblast.” Umi repeated, mostly out of habit rather than confirming the order. Big, so twelve Adelhyde, two Powdered Delta, two Flanergide and four Karmotrine. Ice and blended. “So, how was work?” She asked as the mixing station whirred the drink until it became blended.
“Oh, kids will be kids.” Hanayo giggled. “You-chan made Yoshiko-chan cry when she took away her favorite toys and they didn’t want to make up until their moms came to pick them up. Oh! Thanks.” Hanayo hadn’t noticed when her drink had been served but she quickly took a gulp out of it.
“You’re welcome,” Umi replied before she ran the tap water to clean the glass Hanayo had just used. She knew that kids could be… unreasonable, but Umi would not have the patience to be in Hanayo’s line of work. “By the way, are kids not… unsettled by your looks?” She had always been curious about this, but she did not mean to pry too much on Hanayo’s private life, especially regarding the fact that she was a Lilim.
“Well, they always stare at me on the first few days. Most of them get touchy, especially on the joints. Then they ask me if I’m a robot. I don’t mind though!”
“Well, the key difference between a robot and a Lilim is that Lilim are fully designed to learn and feel emotions. Robots are just machines.”
“I always have to explain that, and then they start asking if TVs and phones are robots. You would think it’d stop being funny the first time it happens.” Hanayo giggled, reminiscing of the kids she had had to babysit before. “Kids are amazing, don’t you think? They’re always full of energy and curiosity, and above all else, innocence. It’s hard to find such pure things in this world anymore.”
“Not even the alcohol is pure anymore,” Umi commented offhandedly, earning a chuckle out of her client. Hanayo talked of kids so passionately, it truly showed that her class of Lilim was designed for social interactions. She even looked like the kindest of mothers.
“Umi-chan! Stop hogging Kayo-chin!” Rin groaned rather loudly, still scrubbing glasses until they were sparkly clean.
“Stop coming late then,” Umi replied and rolled her eyes. “Okay, I’ll let you have Hanayo. But you still have to finish with those glasses.”
“Yay! Aye aye captain!” Rin saluted before waving at Hanayo. “Come sit over here!”
“It’s always nice to talk with you, Umi-chan,” Hanayo said before changing to a stool in front of Rin.
“Welcome to Lily White,” Umi said out of habit when she heard the metal door open.
“Hey, bartender!” Umi’s new client boasted quite an attitude for her size. Umi had to suppress the urge to sigh. It was going to be one of those clients. Umi was able to take a better look at the client as she walked towards the counter. She looked like a DFC Lilim, and a rather young looking one at that. Her voice sounded much smoother though, like a CH1A. Like a human.
“These walls are soundproof, right?” The Lilim asked quietly as she looked around, inspecting every corner of the bar as if she was looking for something.
“Soundproofing isn’t standard in BTC bars but because we’re in a… less commercialized area, our walls are soundproof,” Umi explained, still inspecting the Lilim in front of her. There was something familiar about her, something she could not pinpoint. Maybe someone else she knew had black hair like hers.
“So this bar is soundproof because it’s a shitty area for a bar and you can’t make a ruckus for everyone else in the neighborhood. Got it.” The Lilim’s tone of voice did little to impress Umi.
“So,” Umi did not mean for her voice to sound so loud, “can I serve you a drink?”
“Oh! Uh, sure. You can serve me a Gut Punch. That is your cheapest drink, right? Yeah, serve me one of those awful things.”
Umi eyed the Lilim one more time before she started to mix her drink. She did not even look old enough to drink alcohol. Well, she was not human per se, but there were still laws that regulated Lilim drinking.
“Here you go, miss…” Umi took a look at the cashier to read her client’s name. “Miss Yazawa.”
“Please, no one calls me that! I’m everyone’s favorite idol! Nico Nico Nii!” Nico put on a smile that looked as fake as the “natural ingredients” in her mixing ingredients and posed with her hands above her head. It only made Umi feel like she received a quite literal Gut Punch.
“Right… Nico.”
“See? Now you’re getting it!” Nico grinned before she sipped on her drink. The moment the mix entered her mouth she made a disgusted expression and put her drink down. She certainly seemed like one who would not be able to handle such a strong drink. “Hey! This is actually awful!”
“Well, maybe you should not have come to a bar, Nico.”
“What are you blabbering about? This doesn’t have any alcohol in it!” Nico pointed at her drink before putting it on the other side of the counter.
“We don’t serve minors here.” Umi explained with a stern voice, ignoring the drink she had been returned.
“Minor?!” Nico gasped offendedly before she got off her stool. Umi kept her stern look, even if Nico looked shorter without her seat. “I am a fully developed Lilim!” she exclaimed before slamming down her identification on the counter.
Umi frowned and looked down at the ID card Nico had set down. Her assembly date was… “You’re older than me,” Umi thought out loud. “Forgive me, you just look so-”
“Young? I know I do, lady! Not every Lilim opts in for the upgrades.” Nico’s tone made Umi think she was not too fond of said upgrades. “Now, can you spike my drink, please?”
Umi was not too fond of Nico’s wording but complied anyways. Instead of adding Karmotrine, Umi threw the drink into the sink and mixed a new one. “Say, Nico. Have we met before?” Umi’s curiosity got the better of her.
“Oh? You mean you don’t know me?” Nico’s smug smiled made Umi think she was about to regret asking. The Lilim tied up her hair in twintails with a couple of ribbons, flipped one of them and cleared her throat. “Nico Nico Nii! I’m Neo Japan’s number one idol, Nico Yazawa! Nico Nii loves every single one of you, and remember to buy my latest collab CD with A-RISE!”
Umi was dumbfounded. Not in her entire bartending career had she seen a circus act been performed in Lily White. Frankly, this could all have been a dream for all she knew.
“Hmm? Captivated by Nico’s charms?” Nico’s wink snapped Umi back into reality. Pleased with herself, the Lilim went back to her seat and took the drink Umi had prepared for her and took a sip of it. “Wow, this is still fucking awful.”
“I added the alcohol though.” Umi frowned, wondering if she had messed up the drink.
“I know, I’m just saying this is awful.” Nico stuck out her tongue in disgust before taking another sip.
“Why order it then?”
“Because it’s cheap,” Nico answered quickly.
“I thought you said you were an idol,” Umi asked, still confused. Did Nico really do all that act to pretend to be one?
“I wasn’t always one! Nico Nii’s story is a humble one, which you can buy in audiobook form for just a thousand yen!” The Lilim had gone from sad to complete business mode in a matter of seconds. Umi had to admit that her vocal range was impressive. Nico frowned when she did not get Umi moved not even by an inch and sighed. “Or you can get it for free for a Moonblast.”
“I’m not giving you free drinks, Nico.”
“Fine then! Just give me my Moonblast.” Nico huffed and crossed her arms dejectedly. Her pout flipped to a happy and excited smile once Umi handed her her drink.
“Do you like Moonblasts?” Umi felt compelled to ask, seeing how excited Nico was about drinking hers.
“Of course!” Nico smiled and put her drink down just to make her pose. “They’re sweet, happy, pink and girly, just like Nico Nii! It also helps that they’re not too expensive.” Nico’s voice of nostalgia made Umi raise an eyebrow. So far the only genuine thing about her.
“So what brings an idol to Lily White?” Umi asked as she cleaned the glass she had used for the previous drink.
“Lily White?” Nico tilted her head, puzzled. “I heard you say that before. Wasn’t this bar’s name just a code or something?”
“Well, yes, but the owner of the bar really wanted it to be Lily White. Hence the… less than ideal location,” Umi explained.
“Oh, well, that works out for Nico you know. Nico needed a lowkey place to drink her worries away. Too many eyes in the other districts! And this is nearby… ish to my home.” Nico explained as she took another generous sip of her drink. “Nico doesn’t get too much privacy nowadays,” she mumble into her glass.
“Well, as a bartender I promise to keep everything you say here a secret.” This was true with most bartenders and somewhat obvious but Umi figured that saying it out loud might comfort the idol a bit.
“Just what Nico needs! A private therapist that only charges me a Moonblast per hour.”
“Oh, if you want someone to chew their ears off, we have someone over there with four of them.” Umi pointed at Rin and Hanayo on the other end of the counter, who had been too busy talking with each other to notice the newest patron of the bar.
Nico gasped when she saw Rin. Her crimson eyes were fixated on those cat ears on her head. “A cat bomber…”
“Cat boomer.” Umi corrected her.
“A cat boomer! That’s what Nico said.” Umi did not manage to control her eye roll, but thankfully Nico was not looking at her. “Aren’t those cute? Nico sometimes has to put on animal ear headbands, but nothing beats the real deal.”
Rin turned towards them, Nico’s lack of subtlety catching her attention. She excitedly turned to Hanayo and tapped her shoulder with enthusiasm before pointing at Nico. Hanayo made a sound Umi was not even aware Lilim could make, but after exchanging some murmurs with Rin, the two girls approached them.
“N-Nico Yazawa!” Hanayo gasped once she was on the stool next to Nico’s.
“Oh, a fan!” Nico’s voice was more than saccharine. Umi was glad she did not have to hear her speak like that all this time. “Finally, some recognition in this abandoned lot of a bar.”
“Me too-nya!” Rin was practically bouncing in place out of excitement. “Kayochin knows everything about you and we always listen to your songs!”
“And that last album with A-RISE was amazing!” Hanayo nodded one too many times.
“Oh oh! Your next song should be about cheeseburgers! And and and about waffles!”
“Hey, what are your names?” Nico asked as she rummaged through her pocket.
“Rin!”
“A-And I’m Hanayo!”
“Got it.” Nico grinned as she pulled out a marker and wrote her signature on her glass and on Hanayo’s, much to the other two’s rejoice.
Umi sighed, noticing the marker was a permanent one too. Tonight was going to be a long night.
“Is this place still open?”
“We’re closing up the bar, sorry!”
“Oh, okay. I’ll come by earlier next time then.”
“Come again!”
“Who was that?” Umi asked her coworker as she stepped out of the restroom.
“A client I hope, she looked like a cop…”
“She wouldn’t have left if she had come as a client. Let’s hope she comes back later.”
Thanks so much to @saberin, @master-thief-gray-shadow and @grayneigh for helping me beta this! This is another passion project (that sounds pretty lame) of mine! I've always wanted to write a bartending AU and VA-11 Hall-A is an amazing setting for some delicious AU. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I'm enjoying writing this. Hopefully all the terminology isn't too confusing, I tried to explain it all without relying too much on exposition. If you have any questions feel free to send me an ask!
Please support Sukeban games by checking out VA-11 Hall-A Cyberpunk Bartending Simulator over on Steam or their website (also now available for PSVita)! It's super good if you enjoy Visual Novels and good writing. And great music.