Restaurant staff Hollanov. Shane as sommelier and Ilya as barman.
Shane’s job is to be precise, work in a sophisticate context where his area of expertise IS his job and his opinion on what he knows best (wines) (call it his hyper fixation if you will) is extremely high valued. One sentence coming out of his mouth will make clients spend thousands on a bottle. Because he said so. He’s the shit and he knows it.
He doesn’t even have to be too friendly or charming—his knowledge and expert hands opening bottles and pouring wine do enough.
The cellar is his safe space. Quiet, cool, categorised.
Also, winery is an exact science. Dates, locations and processes are hella important. Every vineyard and bottle has its own unique characteristics such as tones, flavours, conservation etc. Everything falls into categories. Do i need to say more.
Ilya waits at the bar next to the dining tables. He’s incredibly talented in making everyone order which and how many drinks he decides. He also knows which drink suits people best. ‘Hmmm you like fruity with little umbrella on top, I can tell.’ ‘Earthy tones, but not too dry. I have local whiskey for you.’ No one denies him—part because he’s always right, part because he’s so fucking hot.
He likes to show off his cocktail shaking skills and is naturally flirty with his customers—a detached, mysterious and intriguing man that makes you order one more just because. Shane knows best than to be jealous. They follow each others with their eyes all shift long.
He also loves to create new cocktails and has a few signature ones. He also produces his own homemade schnapps.
He smiles and chats with clients but he also pays attention. Unattended drinks, unwanted company, escalating tensions or when it’s time to stop drinking. It can take one second for him to square his shoulders, cross his (ridiculously beefy) arms and jump in. The bouncers like to joke that sometimes he does their job.
Their jobs are exhausting and they leave the shift with achy backs and heavy eyes. They always work the same shifts, though, so it’s not bad at all. They love their jobs and if they have a free moment they’ll drop by the bar/cellar just to say hi.
Their jobs translate into love languages so well. Ilya likes to try Ginger Ale cocktails for Shane (he loves the little umbrella) and Shane likes to spend ridiculous amounts of money on a bottle that perfectly reflects Ilya’s taste. They drink it together in their quiet moments—a favourite is after sex.
Their holidays are spent in California, Italy, France, Spain, Australia. Exploring vineyards and discovering new flavours and annotating everything for when they’re home.
