Tending Bar

AN: This chapter is simply setup. I promise all the naughty things and more will happen, ya just gotta be patient!

    She stands outside the seedy bar on 4th Avenue, nervously pulling her skirt down further. Perhaps she should have worn something less... revealing for her first day as a bartender here.... The place had a bad reputation for hosting criminals and maniacs.  She sighed, a job was a job and she needed the money. Chin in the air she pushed into the building, striding past several colourful customers as she made her way to the bar.

    The fella behind the bar gave her a cursory glance, one eyebrow raising curiously. "I don't think you're in the right place, miss."

    A figure dressed in blue whistled, shouting out in a rough, Australian accent. "Whatcher sayin' Bill? Gams like tha' are welcome here!"

    She darted a glance at the rugged redhead, blushing in embarassment and tugging her skirt again. "Bill... My name's Rose, I called earlier about the job posting?"

    The bartender sighed, rubbing his face as he cast a glance at the rowdy rogues sitting along the bar. "Sorry Miss... Rose, you look an awful lot younger than you sounded on the phone. I'm not sure if this is a good fit... Our clientele is... Rougher than average..." He looked concerned. The girl looked barely out of college.

    She squared her jaw, crossing her arms in front of her chest stubbornly. "I'm not some silly schoolgirl, Bill.  I need the money, please ..." She tried to keep the desperation out of her voice, aware that she'd drawn more attention to herself than she'd hoped to.

    The man from before piped up again, a leering grin on his face. "Give her the job, mate... We'll be polite ta little Rosie..."

    She whipped around, glaring fiercely at the Aussie. "Don't call me Rosie."

    He laughed, elbowing the brightly garbed gentleman beside him. "What a firecracker, eh Jesse?" His companion laughed awkwardly, running a gloved hand through his spiky hair.

    Bill shook his head, admiring her spunk. "Let's give it a trial run, Rose... If they don't chase you out of here in a week, you've got the job."

    She grinned in relief, holding out her hand to shake his. "Thanks so much, you won't regret this! I'm a hard worker!"  Bill took her hand, giving it a firm shake before pulling away.

    "Why don't you head into the back, start with washing dishes. It'll keep you away from the fellas until we've discussed policies and such, we'll go over that after close, got it?"  She nodded and skipped into the back, thrilled to finally have a way to pay her bills. There's no way the skeevy patrons would drive her away.

    Once the bar was closed Bill gave her the general rundown of operations as they cleaned the place. She'd never have a shift without a male counterpart, she should speak to the patrons as little as possible.  She nodded. "I'm serious, they come here cuz we don't see 'em, or know 'em. You speak to the cops, just once, and they'll hunt ya down. They're criminals... don't ever forget that. We here at the bar just sit at the fringe of their world. They're a rude, lecherous bunch, but most'll leave ya be cuz you're working for me."

    He continued on, telling her which of the "customers" were worse than the rest, who to avoid, who to just disappear into the back if they came in. She took mental notes, cataloguing it all in a mind well practiced from years of waitressing.  "Got it, Bill. I'm blind and deaf unless they break shit, and then I'm a helpless female running to fetch the big bad man of the house." She grins and holds up a hand to stall his response. "I mock but I promise I'm not taking it lightly. I need the job, I'll do as I'm told."

    Bill was... unsure how to take her and her apparently odd sense of humour. He grunted. "See that you do. You need an escort home?"

    Rose shook her head. "Nah, I just live a couple blocks up, over on Third. No worries." He nods and locks up behind her as she waves and makes for home.  She doesn't get much further than the street corner when she hears the sounds of someone puking in the gutter. She knows that she should just keep on toward home, that this was none of her business, but she just couldn't. Instead she turns to see the offensive man from the bar earlier.

    She hesitated again. Now she knew she should move along. This was one of the Rogues that Bill had warned her about. A thief, a criminal... quite possibly insane. Not to mention an unrepentant lecher of the worst kind. She sighed, shaking her head. "Damn my eyes..." Cautiously she approached the man, one hand in her coat pocket where she kept her pepper spray at all times. "Sir...? Sir, are you all right?"

    He turned bleary eyes towards her, wiping a trickle of vomit from his chin with his sleeve, and gave her a wobbly grin.  "Right as rain, dove. Just 'ad to clear out all th' excess poisons from th' Merican swill they serve 'ere."  As he stands up she steps back, wary of him even in his drunken state. She was trying very hard not to be foolish here.

    He gave her one of those once-overs that just screamed 'I'm picturing you naked' and a satisfied smile. Rose frowned, crossing her arms in front of her. "Well if you're fine then I'm done here." She turned to leave, only to feel a large hand land on her shoulder. She stiffened, terrified but ready to scream, kick, whatever it took to deal with what was coming next.  What did happen was completely unexpected.

    Digger patted her shoulder affectionately. "Yer a good lass, checkin' up on me like tha'. Not many would, specially around here. Now get on home afore someone real troublesome comes along." She nods without turning around, too stunned to say anything else as she scurries down the street.  

    Harkness smiled, watching her tight arse wiggle under the short skirt as a man in green and orange came out of the alley just beside them. "Honestly, Digger. I do not understand why you're bothering to play this game with her. There are plenty of women out there."

    He shook his head and slapped Mirror Master hard on the back. "Yer a good sport, Sam. But ye'll never be the ladies man like me if ye don't learn a few tricks.  Trust me, that lassie'll be putty in mah hands within a week or so." He gives his pal a lecherous grin and they head off to their hangout to continue the night's festivities.