Mia arrived to Outlaw for her first day of work with a thrum of nervousness making itself known in her chest. She went in through the front door and waved hi to John, already stationed at the bar, before returning to rubbing her hands together, trying to rid the cold from her fingers. A couple of other servers were arranging the tables for service; the petite Black woman in her headwrap that Mia had seen the day before, and a taller brunette, freckles splashed across her rosy cheeks.
"Hey, Mia," John said, stepping out from behind the bar. He held his hand forth to the two women in the dining room. "This is Tilly-" he said, gesturing to the woman in the headwrap, then to the brunette "-and Mary Beth."
"Hi," Mia said, waving from her hip.
"I saw you yesterday," Tilly said, her dark eyes glancing up and then back to her work wiping tables. But Mary Beth stepped forward, clasping Mia's hand in both her own.
"It's so good to meet you, Mia," she said kindly, "I'm looking forward to working together."
"Me too," Mia smiled, appreciating the warm welcome.
John steered her toward the front, to a little nook off the bar, nestled from view. "Susan, my battleaxe counterpart, my girl Abigail, and Lenny are the front-of-house on day shift, you'll meet them sometime."
"Your girl, like, Jack's mom?" Mia asked.
"Yeah."
"Didn't know she worked here."
"You see my problem. We're two ships passing in the night," John groused. A computer in the corner of the cubby glowed dully, which John booted to life. "Do you know how to work this system?"
Mia squinted at the screen, then nodded. "Yes, we had the same one at Stagecoach."
"Good. It's an antique, but we're full of antiques around here." John gave a pointed look to Dutch sat at the bar, who Mia hadn't even seen, so well did the man fit in with the dining room's luxurious surroundings.
"Hey," Dutch mock-warned from over his scotch. "How'd you like your evenings back to spend with Abigail? I'd be happy to arrange."
"Don't tempt me, Dutch," John laughed, nudging Mia toward the kitchen door and then waving her through. He led her past the bustling kitchen and toward the lockers, where he handed her a lock and key and opened the door to an unoccupied one, then helped her out of her coat.
"Thanks," she said, taking the coat back to hang it inside the small metal cubby, adding her purse and locking them up.
"Here's your apron," he said, handing a black half-apron to her, gesturing on himself how she should wear it; astride her hip, almost invisible against her black blouse and skirt. Once she'd finished tying it on, he waved her back towards the kitchen, stating, "C'mon, I'll introduce you to the kitchen."
"Meet saucier, sous, and pâtissière," John said as they re-entered the larger room, pointing in turn to an olive-complexioned man with a thin moustache, a blonde woman with a shaved half-fade, the rest of her hair in bouncy curls, and a vibrant redhead, her navy apron dusted in flour.
"We have names, jackass," the blonde stepped forward. "I'm Karen Jones," she offered her hand to Mia. "That's Javier Escuella on sauces, and Sian MacGuire, who does our bread and desserts." Mia smiled at Karen and introduced herself, her eyes scanning for the notably absent Arthur, his large presence in the kitchen missing from the station Mia'd seen him at yesterday.
"Karen's usually expo, so she'll be the one to yell at if you don't get your shit fast enough," John added.
"I yell back," Karen winked.
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The Night Shift: A Red Dead Redemption 2 AU
Fanfiction[ Arthur Morgan x OC ] Mia North needed a job. Kicked out of the apartment she shared with her (now ex) boyfriend with nothing but the clothes on her back, she'd found a new one for half the size and twice the rent. When she applies for a nighttime...
