AN: This is the first fic that I have posted in a LONG time, and it’s actually low key stressful doing so. I really want to get back into writing, so we’ll see how this goes.
It was a dark and stormy night, and I was completely soaked to the bone. Did the forecast say it would be raining tonight? Of course not. Today was not working out to start. As soon as I walked into the practical interview at Hydra, I knew something was off, but it was just a yellow flag…till the owner Brock Rumlow let me know that my “tits would be perfect for the job, but would look a lot better without the shirt and the bra.” After that, I immediately excused myself, tears stinging the corners of my eyes as I tried to keep it together, and coldly walked out the door. And right into a massive storm.
“This is just fucking perfect,” I complained to myself, wrapping my arms around my chest, trying to keep some degree of modesty as the rain-soaked through my clothes and bag, “fucking…perfect.” My teeth were chattering, could hear the squish of my socks in my shoes, and all I wanted to do was go home.
“Come back in, sweetheart!” I heard Rumlow yell after me as I walked down the street, “Least, let me keep you warm till the storm passes!”
“Fuck off!” I yelled, not turning back around. In a sick way, he was right, the rain wasn’t letting up, and I had another mile at least to walk before getting to the train station. As I kept walking the only thing on my mind was find somewhere warm
“Hey, you look soaked, are you okay?” A voice called after me, and I froze again, thinking that it was someone from Hydra still, but no other woman would be crazy enough to work there.
“No. I’m freezing and soaked; I just had the worst job interview EVER and just want to be warm.” I rambled, turning around and saw a redhead staring at me concerned from underneath an owning. “Sorry, it’s been an awful day. I had an interview over at the bar Hydra? And the owner…ugh, he just was the worst.”
“Well, if you were looking for a job, you should’ve stopped here first. No pervs here.” She chuckled, pushing the door behind her open, “Come in real quick, at least till this lets up?”
“You’re a lifesaver.” I sighed, following her into the bar, “I’m Freddie, by the way.”
“Oh, thank god you’re here, Freddie!” I slid under the bar and pulled my hair up into a quick messy bun to see a very desperate looking Tony.
“Tony, I love you, but get out from behind the bar, or we will lose customers.” Natasha laughed, coming in from the kitchen, “Wanda called in sick and with it being Tuesday and all…” Tuesdays were my night off, but they were also some of the busiest nights – Tequila Tuesday, $3 shots of Tequila.
“I would never abandon you guys.” I laughed quickly, taking the orders of the three guys sitting in front of me, “How’s it going?” I asked as I poured their shots, not looking up to see who it was.
“Aw, come on, you don’t even want to chat us up first?” I stopped dead in my tracks, hearing that voice again. It had been three months since I got a job at The Compound and three months since that horrid interview with Rumlow, “Glad to see you’re putting your ass to good use this time.” I sighed, placing the glasses on the bar in front of me, trying not to slam them.
“Shouldn’t you be at your own bar?” I asked, giving them a quick smile trying to keep things civil, despite the fact all I wanted to do was kick them out.
“Shouldn’t you be nicer to us? Seeing how we are paying customers?” Rumlow asked, giving me the most sickening smile, “What happened to that southern hospitality I’ve heard so much about coming from Georgia.”
“Aw, then bless your heart, so sorry that I haven’t been as sweet as a Georgia peach to ya.” Nothing like adding in a little southern flair with a completely deadpan expression
“God, I wish you would’ve stayed with me. I would be able to slam you over the bar and fuck you till you couldn’t walk and all you could do…” “I would advise you not to finish that sentence.” A man sat down next to Rumlow and his friends, “The lady looks extremely uncomfortable, and I have no issue with getting thrown out if that means I get to break your hand.” I had never seen the blonde before, but he looked like a god. A true Greek god.
“Thank you,” I whispered as the three men left, and I felt a huge weight lift off my shoulders, hoping that I would never have to see them again, but I figured that I would.
“How long has that been going on for?” He asked, smiling up at me, or nearly down at me. He looked like he was at least 6’5-6’6 and built. I had seen a lot of guys out there working in a bar, but this was something else. He was something else.
“Five months. It’s no big deal, I’m used to it by now, so don’t worry about it.” I smiled, wiping down the bar a little bit and cleaning up the used glasses, “What can I get you? Tequila?” I offered.
“Oh no, I’ll just take a beer for now.” He chuckled, and even his laugh was perfect, “My name is Thor, by the way.”
“Freddie, stout?” I asked, not pegging him for anything but a dark beer kind of guy.
“Guinness. Thank you.” He just kept smiling, “How long have you been working here?”
“Five months now, ran into Natasha after a horrible day and ended up meeting with her and Tony and got a job here.” I quickly filled his glass, getting as close to as perfect as I could. As I filled the glass, I could feel his stare against my body, and I was weirdly okay with it. I was tired of guys always flirting with me and ogling at me, but this was different.
“Well, I guess I have a new favorite bar.” He chuckled, taking the beer from me, “I’ll be your very own regular and even get my brother and some of my friends to come along. I promise we tip well.”
And tip well he did. Thor bought three drinks, fifteen dollars, …and tipped thirty and gave me his number.
“So who was the guy?” Natasha asked as we closed up for the night, “I think he may already be in love with you!” She teased, locking the door behind her. Three months into working at the Compound, Natasha and I moved in together, and it made things a lot easier and a lot safer when we were coming back from a long night at work.
“His name is Thor – sweet guy and got Rumlow off my back. Oh! And gave an amazing tip!” I laughed, shoving my phone in my purse as we walked down the street, nearly skipping down the steps to the subway. “I am sure it’s nothing though, he seems like the guy who would help an old woman across the street, so I doubt I am special.” I shrugged, not wanting to put much stock in a guy giving me his number.
“Would you stop with that!” Natasha chastised, “You are beautiful and amazing and have the coolest tattoos ever so shut up!” She continued smacking my shoulder.
“You’re just saying that because your boyfriend is my tattoo!” I laughed dodging her next slap to the shoulder, “speaking of…I’m due for a new one.” I shrugged thinking to the next tattoo that I wanted.
“FREDDIE!” I heard a voice yell and quickly spun around, and I couldn’t help but hear Natasha laughing next to me.
“Your knight in shining armor is here.” She teased
“Shut up.” I groaned and shook my head. Thor and I had been texting since I met him – I waited three days, of course, so not to seem too eager and made up some excuse about work that he probably didn’t believe. “Hey, Thor – so are these your friends you were telling me about?” I asked, walking over to their table, trying not to seem too excited.
“Guys – this is Freddie. She is the greatest bartender in the world. Freddie, these are my boys, James, Steve, Quill, and Peter!” I could barely keep a straight or professional face as Thor drunkenly laughed, pointing out all of his friends, and they all gave a wave of some sort.
“So, who is driving him home tonight?” I asked, giving the group of a coy smile, because if none of you volunteer, Thor give me your keys.” I continued holding out my hand, waiting for either a response or a set of keys.
“Freddie, baby, darling, don’t do this to me.” Thor pouted, and I rolled my eyes, “I am fine, it takes a lot more for me to get drunk.”
“Uh, not how this is going to go. Keys, or let me know who is driving you.” I kept smiling, waiting for the response I was looking for, and finally, a set of keys were placed in my hands.
“I can drive back with the others.” A younger looking guy smiled, and based on how they were introduced, I assumed it was Peter.
The rest of the night went on as standard, no sign of Rumlow or any of his guys, Thor, and his friends were acceptably loud and obnoxious, and everyone seemed to be in a great mood. I kept finding myself looking back over to Thor’s table and quickly looking away as soon as I thought Thor was looking at me. What I didn’t know was Thor was looking at me as well.
As the night slowed down and we started to clean up, Nat quickly pulled me aside and back into the kitchen,
“You. Thor. Need to get together, like yesterday.” She said, quickly crossing her arms over her chest, “He has been staring at you all night, and he won’t stop talking about you! And not in a creepy way or a lovesick puppy way!”
“Oh please, I am sure he is just a big flirt,” I rolled my eyes, going back to the bar to finish cleaning up for the night, “I mean, have you seen him? He is perfect, and I am a piece of white bread.” I shrugged, dropping the remainder of the shot glasses into the sanitizer tub.
“You’re perfect too.” I looked up and saw Thor sitting in front of me, smiling like an idiot, “And no, you’re not a piece of white bread. White bread doesn’t have tattoos.”
“Uh. I…uh, need to finish cleaning up.” I stumbled over my words before quickly running out of the room into the kitchen and through the back to deal with anything I could clean up before going back in there to face Thor. “Idiot, I am a fucking idiot.” I signed running my fingers through my hair, trying to build up the resolve to go back in, “God damn it.” I pushed the door back open and walked back into the bar, resolved not to let this get to me.
“Sorry about that – I am still giving you a ride home?” I stated, but at this point, it was much more of a question than a statement. I had no idea what he was going to say at this point, seeing how I completely freaked out on him over a single compliment.
“Of course.” Thor smiled, holding up his keys, “You left them on the bar, I don’t want anyone stealing them from ya.” He laughed, and I sighed, hoping that everything was fine between us.
“Alright, let’s go then,” I smiled, taking his keys back before heading out the door, locking it behind me since Nat had already left by the time I got back from my little moment of panic.
“Wait, one thing before we go.” Thor grabbed my hand, and I stopped looking up at him, “I do seriously think you are perfect. I love your tattoos, I love watching you deal with drunken frat boys on a Saturday night, I love the way you look away when I catch you looking at me.” Thor continued, and I wanted to melt into the background or at least run away.
“Oh, come on, don’t give me that.” I looked away for a second extremely embarrassed, “You’re an attractive guy, Sexiest Man of the Year attractive. And I am not. I am a bartender, and that’s about it.”
“I appreciate the compliment.” He continued leaning down the foot difference between us and lightly pressed his lips to my forehead, “And even if you are a bartender, you are the most amazing and beautiful bartender that I have ever met and want to take you out to dinner.” He continued quietly running his fingers across my jaw, and I could feel my heart rate speed up, almost making me dizzy.
“Thor. If you are going to kiss me again, for the love of God, just do it.” I whispered, looking up at him, our faces barely inches apart.
“Just waiting for you to ask.” He smirked and quickly kissed me, pushing me back against the door and wrapping one arm around my waist, pressing his body against mine. For someone a foot taller than me, this felt perfect
“I’ll drive you home now. I don’t work tomorrow if you wanted to grab dinner?” I offered still a little breathless, but aware of the fact that I should not be making out with someone outside of my workplace.
“I’ll pick you up at seven. I know a perfect place.” Thor smiled, kissing my cheek this time before turning and walking down the street. I quickly followed after him since I was the one holding the keys. “Unless you’d rather spend the night at my apartment.”
“I like slow.” I laughed, following in step with him, “So I’ll pass on the apartment for now.”
“Fast, slow, I don’t care, I’ve got you now, and that’s what matters.” He kissed me again before continue to walk off to where ever he and his friends parked his car.
