Remedy- Oliver Thredson x OC

The Beginning

Daphne brushed her soft brown hair in the glow of her bedside lamp. She hadn't been out to a bar in god knows how long, and she wanted to look her very best incase she met a gentleman to bring back with her. It wasn't too soon to start dating again, right? She often felt guilty for it, but she knew that her lover had been in the ground five months now, and he wasn't coming back to put a ring on her finger. She took a deep breath, finished smoothing out her locks, and reassured herself that this was okay.

Daphne wasn't one to pine after men, but these past few months had been rough for her. Obviously with the death of her lover, she had been lonely in more ways than one, and although it was looked down upon for women to want sex, she knew it was just misogyny and one day, everyone would understand that. For now, she kept the veil of the pure young woman who was seeking a husband during the day, but in the night the veil dropped and she was exposed for who she was- a woman who liked sex and didn't necessarily think men deserved more than that. She would never admit it to anyone, but she was relieved Adam hadn't had the chance to propose before his demise- she hated breaking hearts, and she loved collecting them. If there was a socially acceptable term to describe a woman who stole men's hearts but never surrendered to their marriage proposals, Daphne would be just that.

She sighed once more and undressed, searching through her closet for a more revealing dress to don on her outing tonight. She ended up choosing a black  dress that hugged her body and ended halfway down her thigh. The sleeves were tight around her arms until the elbow, where they then flared out and allowed for an encapsulating silhouette when she would be dancing later. The neckline was a short turtleneck, but there was a small mesh opening to reveal some cleavage in the center of the chest. Daphne zipped up her favorite pair of go-go boots and stuck her wallet and cigarette case into her small purse. She left for the bar with the intentions of getting free drinks all night.

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"Hey there, doll. You lookin' for a good time?" A large man shouted across the bar in Daphne's direction.

She smiled, luring him in. He was disgusting and she knew it, but the watch on his wrist suggested he could afford to pay for a few drinks. She had no intention of bringing him home with her, but let him sit next to her anyway. The bar was bustling that night, and she wasn't the only woman there weaseling stupid men out of their money. There was somewhat of an unspoken comradery  between women during these rituals, and if any of them began to feel unsafe the others would swoop in and pretend to be looking for them. Daphne was aware that someone would see if she found herself in a scary situation, so she wasn't worried about playing these men at all. She was used to it by now.

"So, what do you drink?" The large man asked. He smelled like cigars and coffee, presumably from being at work all day, but nevertheless it disgusted her. Daphne thought nothing more attractive if not good hygiene on a man, and although she didn't think she would have to search for that —the bare minimum— it was hard to come by in this small Massachusetts town.

Daphne grinned, tried not to inhale too much, and said plainly, "Cosmo... with sugar on the rim." She opened her purse and plucked out a thin, long cigarette. She looked out over the bar with the unlit cig hanging out of her mouth, looking for other men who fit her standards, physically. She wasn't going home with the man who smelled of cigars and coffee, and she definitely wouldn't settle for less than what she wanted. If not here, she would go to another bar across town... and even then, she had her own toys at home if it really came down to it.

Suddenly, a man was standing to her right holding a lighter. Except, with the way she was sitting, she came face to face with his tie. She quickly caught a glance of his lower region, despite her attempts at keeping her eyes averted, and then slowly traveled from his chest to his neck, his jaw, and his face. He was handsome. The man had a calm expression, he was white and had dark hair that was slicked back and styled in a professional manner. His nose was angular and a bit large, and his eyes were dark and hidden by his bushy brows. He wore glasses that had a thick black band on the top of the rims, and his suit was grey and ironed nicely. The biggest trait of this man that stuck out to Daphne was the fact that he smelled like cigarettes, cologne, and mint. She knew she wanted him.

"Hey pal, what do you think you're doing?" The burly voice of the man who had gotten her a drink bellowed.

She smiled, ignored him, and bent in to light her cigarette.