A Bittersweet Deal

To the Bar

Lucifer drags Joey along until they make it to a bar. Joey stops at the entrance.

"Come on, you aren't chickening out are you?" Lucifer crosses his arms.

"No," Joey shakes his head. "I just, I'm not sure what to do in social interactions."

Lucifer sighs loudly. "You are so lucky I'm here. Just follow my lead." He turns on his heels and walks in with confidence. Joey reluctantly follows after him.

The first thing Joey notices is the noise. People are talking loudly to be heard over the music. Joey immediately starts shrinking in on himself, trying to make himself unseen.

Lucifer puts his arm around Joey's shoulders. "Come on man, stand up strait. You have to look confident."
Joey straitens but eyes the bar wearily.

They sit at the bar. The bartender is a pretty young woman with dark brown hair and piercing blue eyes. Even though there are many other people who have been there before them she heads strait for them.

"What can I do ya for?" She asks sweetly? She is clearly checking Lucifer out.

"Scotch for me and my friend here," Lucifer winks at her. She hardly even glances at Joey.

"Coming up," she goes to get their drinks. Joey slouches and starts picking at his jacket sleeve.

"Joey, come on now, look like you want to be here. No one is gonna want to talk to you when you're scrunched over like that." Lucifer scolds, much like Joey's mom used to do.

"But what if I don't want to be here. I'd be okay if no one talked to me." Joey sighs, but he does sit up slightly.

The bartender hands them their drinks. "Humor me then," Lucifer sighs, taking a sip of his drink. Joey grabs his.

"The name's Lila," The bartender purrs, leaning over the bar.

"I'm Luke," Lucifer smiles with ease. He nudges Joey.

"I'm uh Joey," Joey says softly.

"One second," Lila turns to get someone else a drink.

"You alright Joey?" Lucifer asks. He notices Joey's obvious discomfort.

"Yeah I'm fine, just I'm not used to this whole socializing thing." Joey throws back the scotch and grimaces at the burning in his throat.

"There's the solution," Lucifer smiles ruefully. "Time for you to drink up." He signals Lila.

"I don't know if that's a good-"

"It's the best idea!" Lucifer exclaims. He orders more drinks when Lila makes it to them.

Many drinks later Joey can feel his mind getting fuzzy. Lucifer and Lila are flirting up a storm so Joey sits there like the awkward third wheel.

A very obviously drunk woman stumbles up to him.

"Hey sweetie," she slurs, her breathe smells like very fruity alcohol. In his drunken state this woman looks very pretty to Joey. Were he sober, he would have noticed the crappy job she did at bleaching her hair and the horrendous spray tan she should not have gotten. Her eyes are also rimmed red from being drunk.

"Hi," Joey murmurs.

"I'm Amy," she says stroking his arm.

"Joey, nice to meet you," he smiles politely at her.

"So what do you say you and I get out of here," she gives him a very suggestive wink.

Joey fidgets slightly in his seat.

"I promise ill make it good," she presses close to him. Most of him is saying no, but a small part of him is telling him to live a little. He goes to open his mouth when a small commotion distracts him.

"Lila! Get off your lazy ass and get to work!" A man yells from a doorway behind the bar. The whole place falls silent aside from the music.

Lila flushes red. "How many damn time do I gotta tell ya not to flirt with these drunk assholes."

"I-I-I'm sorry Bryan," she whimpers.

"Hey you wanna say that again fuck-face?" Lucifer stands. Bryan glares at him. Joey becomes a bit scared for Lucifer, because Bryan is a big guy. He seems like the kind of guy who works out every day.

"I told her not to flirt with you fucking drunk assholes." Bryan growls.

"You picked the wrong ducking night to fuck with me." Lucifer slightly chuckles.

Joey grabs his arm. "Don't, let's just leave."

"Yeah," Bryan scoffs. "Listen to your boyfriend, fag."

"You know what, you aren't even worth it. I'm gonna leave your confidence intact for tonight. See you in three months." Lucifer turns and stalks out. Joey quickly follows after him.

"Why three months?" Joey asks when he catches up to Lucifer.

"In three months he is going to choke on a burger. And he has a one way ticket strait to hell." Lucifer clenches his fists. "I really hate dicks like him. They abuse women and think they are better than everything in existence."

"It'll be okay," Joey awkwardly pats his arm.

"Thanks man," Lucifer chuckles.

"So are we going home?" Joey asks hopefully.

Lucifer barks out a laugh. "Of course not! The night has just begun!" Joey inwardly groans.