𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐋. - seventeen

MR. BARTENDER - joshua

— in which joshua tends the same amusing girl at his own bar

MR. BARTENDER
h. joshua

you stumble toward the bar, your body slowly giving out as you unbutton the highest button on your shirt, loosening your tie. you chucked your bag on the bar, settling on the stool as the tall, black haired man stood before you.

he offered you a smile as he shook the cocktail shaker, tossing it in the air and catching it with ease. you recognized the man from the night before when you were here with friends, he was the man who served you, and had that same smile on his face.

you gave him a lazy smile. "just get me something with a kick, will you?"

the man behind the bar scanned your eyes, before giving a charming grin. "will do, ma'am."

in a few seconds, he had whipped out a few different shakers, a cube of ice and syrups. you had no idea what they were, and you were too tired to ask, so you watched as he played around with the syrups, flipped cups, ingrained a symbol onto the ice cube and plopped in into a small cup, the glass showing off a purple hue.

without much thought, you brought the glass to your lips and downed it. it didn't take long until the flavour kicked in, and you gave a look of approval to your bartender, whose eyes lit up at your reaction.

after a few more shots, even with everything slightly blurry, your eyes never seem to miss the grin your bartender would give you every time he served you. it was the only thing you could see that was clear, and bright.

assuming you've been there for quite a while, you shouted slightly, catching the attention of your bartender. the man turned around, and offered that same smile that seems to already ingrained itself in your brain.

"what's your name, mr. bartender?"

already aware of your current state, the man grinned. "joshua. do you plan to come here often, ma'am? maybe come on a weekend next time."

you smiled sluggishly at the cheeky man. "you.. have a nice smile."

joshua's eyebrows raised in surprise, caught off guard from the sudden compliment, but as he scanned your face a little longer, he returned a small smile in favour.

"i like your smile too."

blinking slowly, you nodded at the man and showed him an unstable thumbs up, before slowly getting off your stool and walking out of the bar, your high heels clacking on the floor, completely missing the eyes that followed you out.

joshua caught sight of you almost immediately when you walked in for the fourth time that week with a similar cold look on your face. you walked up to the bar again, and sat on the same stool. you recognized the man across from you immediately, giving him a chuckle.

"joshua, right? we can't keep meeting like this.." you pointed at him as you jokes.

although the man heard you loud and clear, his eyes wouldn't stop studying your face. after a few seconds, he nodded and snickered, grabbing a glass from behind him and putting it in front of you.

"what's the menu for today?" he smiled. you smiled back at him.

"something mild maybe? i have an event tomorrow." the man nodded, getting to work immediately. even with his back turned, slowly picking out the flavours he wanted to add, he probed.