AN: This got way out of hand. I blame the awesome prompt. Apologies for the generic American bar.
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Desmond took a deep breath as the bouncer waved the others through behind him. It smelled like booze- sugary sweet and hoppy mixing together, curling around the mass of bodies covered in perfume, cologne, and sweat. It was still relatively early, so the tang of fabric softener and detergent hadn’t quite worn off of everyone’s clothes and the bathroom floors were probably still pretty dry. The music made the air pulsate and Desmond realized that it almost felt like home.
Shaun came up and stood beside him, leaning against the wall and eying the crowd around the bar, trying to find a promising gap.
“I suppose this is all rather comfortable for you, isn’t it?” Shaun asked, mostly to himself but Desmond nodded.
“Yeah. Those four are in a group,” he said, gesturing to a pack of mini-skirted girls wobbling on their heels and stirring their drinks and laughing loudly. “Should get a clear shot once they leave. I’ll grab a table.”
“Can I get you something?” Shaun asked, realizing too late that it sounded like he was coming on to Desmond. “Or if you want to go up later, that would also be fine,” he added to make it seem offhanded and casual.
Rebecca popped up between them, her dark, messy hair not quite coming to Desmond’s chin.
“Lucy and I found a table but we’re kind of being assaulted. It would be cool if we had a man around to scare some of ‘em off,” she said brightly over the music, elbowing Desmond playfully. He grinned.
“Great timing. Shaun was just offering to buy me a drink.”
Shaun opened his mouth to object but Rebecca’s laughter drowned him out.
“And I’ll have whatever you’re having,” Desmond added, clapping Shaun amiably on the shoulder before disappearing with Rebecca into the wall of people that surrounded them.
Shaun swore.
__________________
Desmond slid in next to Lucy, gently bumping against her.
She smiled.
“It’s nice to have a day off,” she admitted, settling in for one of her short, efficient conversations. “Things were starting to-”
She was cut off by a flutter of fabric, hands, and hair near Desmond. Rebecca raised an eyebrow at Lucy from across the table.
A brunette was sitting on Desmond’s knee, peeking back over her shoulder to give him a pout that must have felt sexier than it looked.
Without missing a beat, Desmond tucked a loose strand of hair behind her pierced ear.
“What’s wrong, beautiful?” he purred.
Lucy rolled her eyes.
“My boyfriend dumped me.” The girl’s eyes were shining and her tongue seemed to stumble over the words. “He just called me this afternoon and was like ‘later, bitch.’” She mimed talking into a phone, long acrylic nails clacking together.
Desmond waved a dismissive hand. “Well he’s an idiot.”
“Yeah?” she simpered, wiggling her ass a little.
“Yeah,” Desmond confirmed.
Holding four beers, Shaun almost walked past the table. His gaze brushed over the brunette with the speed of unfamiliarity. Rebecca called his name and he turned, looking confused.
“Sorry, I didn’t…” he trailed off, nodding to Desmond who was in the midst of rolling the chain of the girl’s necklace between his fingers and quietly asking her things that made her laugh and blush.
“Yeah, I know,” Lucy said crisply as she reached over to grab the ginger ale. “Thanks, Shaun.” He had a great memory. She’d briefly mentioned liking it once months ago and it sure beat water when surrounded by people who didn’t have to drive.
“You’re welcome.”
Two girls sauntered up.
“We’ve been looking everywhere for you!” one shouted. The brunette shrugged.
Should I Walk By Again? [1/?]
Desmond took a deep breath as the bouncer waved the others through behind him. It smelled like booze- sugary sweet and hoppy mixing together, curling around the mass of bodies covered in perfume, cologne, and sweat. It was still relatively early, so the tang of fabric softener and detergent hadn’t quite worn off of everyone’s clothes and the bathroom floors were probably still pretty dry. The music made the air pulsate and Desmond realized that it almost felt like home.
Shaun came up and stood beside him, leaning against the wall and eying the crowd around the bar, trying to find a promising gap.
“I suppose this is all rather comfortable for you, isn’t it?” Shaun asked, mostly to himself but Desmond nodded.
“Yeah. Those four are in a group,” he said, gesturing to a pack of mini-skirted girls wobbling on their heels and stirring their drinks and laughing loudly. “Should get a clear shot once they leave. I’ll grab a table.”
“Can I get you something?” Shaun asked, realizing too late that it sounded like he was coming on to Desmond. “Or if you want to go up later, that would also be fine,” he added to make it seem offhanded and casual.
Rebecca popped up between them, her dark, messy hair not quite coming to Desmond’s chin.
“Lucy and I found a table but we’re kind of being assaulted. It would be cool if we had a man around to scare some of ‘em off,” she said brightly over the music, elbowing Desmond playfully. He grinned.
“Great timing. Shaun was just offering to buy me a drink.”
Shaun opened his mouth to object but Rebecca’s laughter drowned him out.
“And I’ll have whatever you’re having,” Desmond added, clapping Shaun amiably on the shoulder before disappearing with Rebecca into the wall of people that surrounded them.
Shaun swore.
Desmond slid in next to Lucy, gently bumping against her.
She smiled.
“It’s nice to have a day off,” she admitted, settling in for one of her short, efficient conversations. “Things were starting to-”
She was cut off by a flutter of fabric, hands, and hair near Desmond. Rebecca raised an eyebrow at Lucy from across the table.
A brunette was sitting on Desmond’s knee, peeking back over her shoulder to give him a pout that must have felt sexier than it looked.
Without missing a beat, Desmond tucked a loose strand of hair behind her pierced ear.
“What’s wrong, beautiful?” he purred.
Lucy rolled her eyes.
“My boyfriend dumped me.” The girl’s eyes were shining and her tongue seemed to stumble over the words. “He just called me this afternoon and was like ‘later, bitch.’” She mimed talking into a phone, long acrylic nails clacking together.
Desmond waved a dismissive hand. “Well he’s an idiot.”
“Yeah?” she simpered, wiggling her ass a little.
“Yeah,” Desmond confirmed.
Holding four beers, Shaun almost walked past the table. His gaze brushed over the brunette with the speed of unfamiliarity. Rebecca called his name and he turned, looking confused.
“Sorry, I didn’t…” he trailed off, nodding to Desmond who was in the midst of rolling the chain of the girl’s necklace between his fingers and quietly asking her things that made her laugh and blush.
“Yeah, I know,” Lucy said crisply as she reached over to grab the ginger ale. “Thanks, Shaun.” He had a great memory. She’d briefly mentioned liking it once months ago and it sure beat water when surrounded by people who didn’t have to drive.
“You’re welcome.”
Two girls sauntered up.
“We’ve been looking everywhere for you!” one shouted. The brunette shrugged.
“I told you where I was going,” she whined.