Downtown (auston matthews x oc)

-six-

𝖠𝗎𝗌𝗍𝗈𝗇

From the moment he noticed Nora Mallone on the other side of the bar, Auston couldn't keep his eyes off of her. They'd made eye contact just once before Nora glanced away, and she hadn't looked back for the past forty-five minutes. Admittedly, he was pretty drunk by then-which made him all the more bothered when he saw a guy approach Nora's table and sit down with her and her friend.

Justin apparently noticed the darkness in his glower, because he leaned over to ask, "Who are you staring at right now?"

Auston shook it off, pounding back the last of his beer with a shrug. "Nobody," he muttered, though it was hard to say if Justin believed him.

"Who's trying to go home with somebody tonight?" Justin goaded Auston and the others.

Bunts, as always, was the first to reply, "Oh, I'll definitely be going home with somebody tonight."

Apparently it was then that Mitch managed to track down the subject of Auston's glare. "Is that Nora?" he exclaimed over the pulse of the music. "I gotta go say hi." A little unsteady on his feet, Mitch made his way through the crowded dance floor until Auston saw him reach the table on the other side. There, Nora smiled up at him and said something, but Auston didn't miss it when the guy beside Nora gave her a playful nudge on the shoulder.

Against his better judgment, Auston got up, setting his empty glass down on the table and turning his hat around to get a clearer view in the club lighting. Justin asked where he was headed, but Auston offered no response-opted instead to follow the same path Mitch had taken only moments earlier, all the way to Nora's booth.

Mitch, even friendlier than usual, slapped Auston's chest. "There's my guy!" he shouted. "You all have to meet my friend right here." As he said it, Mitch had to catch himself on Auston's shoulder in order to avoid tumbling to the ground.

Yikes. Mitch was in even worse shape than he thought.

"What's up, man?" the guy in the booth greeted, standing up out of his seat and offering Auston a hand. Auston had a couple inches on him-and probably a good forty pounds.

Not that it matters, Auston reminded himself. You're not lining up a hit on the guy.

Mitch offered the introductions. "Auston, this is one of the wonderful bartenders here. Rick."

The guy corrected with a chuckle, "It's Trick-with a T."

What a stupid fucking name, was all Auston could think when he shook his hand.

"And lovely Nora," Mitch moved on, gesturing towards her. She stared up at Auston with wide eyes, so he offered her a little nod. Mitch moved onto the girl on the other side of the booth and stammered, "I'm sorry-I don't think I got your name."

She giggled. "It's Lex," she told him, before looking to Auston and repeating, "Lex."

"Lex," Mitch echoed with a smile. He grabbed a hold of Auston's shoulder again. "You know what we should do?" he yelled. "We should all sit together."

Nora and Trick exchanged a glance with one another, which sent another wave of jealousy through Auston's chest. Lex jumped up from her seat, nearly tumbling into Mitch as she exclaimed, "That sounds so fun!"

She nearly dragged Trick and Nora to their feet. Begrudgingly, they followed Mitch back to the Leafs' section, where Bunts immediately rose to offer Lex his seat. She thanked him with a grin-one which didn't go unnoticed by Nora, who went quickly to sit beside her, glaring up at Bunts. Lex almost immediately started conversing animatedly with Justin and his wife, but when Auston glanced at Nora, she was no longer looking at Bunts-she was looking at him.

Before Auston could react, Trick stepped in his line of sight, facing Nora to say something that Auston couldn't hear. It made her laugh, which was all it took for Auston's annoyance to overtake him altogether. Without a word, he left the group on the couches and returned to the bar for another drink.

The bartender that approached him was tall with wide-set hips and auburn hair. As she prepared his drink, Auston couldn't help staring at her ass, which looked like it might burst right through the skintight leather skirt she wore. She didn't look anything like Nora, though Auston reasoned that's exactly why he should want her.

Fortunately, she seemed more than interested. "This one's on me," she told him with a smile.

He chuckled, tracing the lip of the glass with his finger. "You're too kind," he remarked.

"Auston, right?" she asked, voice barely audible over the music. He nodded as he took a sip from his drink. She added, "I'm Henley."

"I like that name," he mused. "You working all night, Henley?"

She sighed, nodding solemnly. "Unfortunately," she admitted.

Auston clicked his tongue in disappointment. "That's too bad," he told her.

Henley's eyes moved up and down his body, as if she were searching him for something more-some other indication that his playful tone wasn't just in her head. "I've got a break in a few minutes, though," she declared with a little shrug.

The words were music to Auston's ears. He tossed back the rest of his drink and asked, "Got anywhere private in this place?"