Standing Broken Before You

Chapter 1: The Little Things

Vash was a stripper. It seemed to be the only thing he could do for long periods of time. The life of a stripper wasn't anything less than improv, a taste of speed and sweat, a buzz, a rush, a feeling, a spark inside, and a spotlight. To him it paid the bills, it passed time, it stayed the same, it didn't cause trouble, and most of all it was a position, a job. A job is "a piece of work, especially a specific task done as part of the routine of one's occupation or for an agreed price." Most importantly it was something that you could quit, something he could quit. Nothing more.

Vash was talking home from the corner store after picking up a loaf of whole wheat bread. He stopped right where he was, stance tall and rigid, and then took a few steps back. He bent down and admired the tree roots poking out of the sidewalk, fighting for a place up above.

"Right there with you little guy," Vash said as he whistled his way around the corner to his apartment complex, slightly swinging the bread with every step he took.

Once he got back home he was determined. He had been waiting all day for this moment, sandwich time. When Vash wasn't eating a homemade TLTAPOC (turkey lettuce tomato avocado pickle onion cheese) sandwich he was either having a TLTPC, a TLPC, a TC, or a PBJ. No matter which one the TLTAPOC was his favorite by far and today he had all the ingredients to make one!

He started by lying the bread, next the lettuce, next the turkey, next the cheese, then the onions, the pickles, the avocados and since he was about to eat this one the other piece of bread he added mayonnaise, ketchup, and pickle relish he put both pieces of beautifully stacked bread together and onto a plate. His masterpiece was finished. He took his creation and a glass of ice water, sat on his couch, and feasted. It was the perfect meal, the sauces were dripping down his face, and he got the crunch of the pickle and the full taste of the relish, it truly was a masterpiece.

The next day he showed up at his 11 am to 6 pm barista job at Starbucks shift. It was about halfway through the day and it was all pretty much the same "pumpkin spice latte and an extra pump of that without that", not that same old same same old wasn't dull but it was easy, and any kind of easy was a win on Vash's part.

It was around.... Who was he kidding, it was exactly 4:48 pm and it was that time of day again when Vash's sweet wholesome innocent smile weres off, and its time to exchange it with the thighs on the floor babydoll young vinilla and innocent smile (two very different smiles). Finally, another person came in and looked like they were ready to order. It was a tall man with a cute little princess of a girl next to him.

"Nico! Can I please have the pink one again!" she asked resiliently as her grungy braided pigtails bobbed up and down. That sure put a smile on Vashes face faster than she could say Nico.

"Of course, one chocolate cake pop and one small strawberry lemonade please and thank you"

"Name?"

"Nicholas"

"Your drink will be ready in a few minutes," Vash said as he smiled at the man Nicholas and his cuter-than-cute kid.

Vash made one of the drinks because he had nothing better to do and his friend Meryl made the other. Meryl and Vash have been friends for a while along with Milly, they all needed money and thought it would be cool to apply for the same job and hope they got in together. They did of course because they are all hard workers and need a second job but they almost never have a shift together let alone all three of them. Today Vash got lucky and Meryl had the same shift as him because she was covering for someone.

After the drinks were done Nicholas and the little princess left and it was about time for Vash to clock out.

As Vash was on the bus to his second job he was checking his schedule, as it turns out today he was the bartender and not an 'entertainer', great. He had a bit of spare time so he had time to change his clothes in the bathroom for the proper outfit and shove the other one back into his locker.