At the Bar

Chapter 2 Lit

Normal evening in the bar, it was a Thursday night, not too crowded but definitely lively. The bar had two billiard tables. Lacey worked that area, since she would occasionally help people with difficult shots, she had a natural eye for pool.

There were TVs behind the bar, Killian has his sleeves rolled up, and shuffles around the bar. Usually there's a group of girls that have settled somewhere along the bar to giggle and swoon over his every move. He smiles to himself when he catches them looking at him. He flashes them a wink, and smile, every so often to just make them giggle even more.

Elliot was equally sought after, as was Graham, as they would walk around moving glasses and opening bottles around. Killian turned his eyes up the game on behind him at the bar, joining with the soft cheers of people at the bar watching it.

As the evening wore on, people tended to do party tricks. Ruby of course, to get the guys attention, she drafted a beer behind the bar, and waltzed up to a group of them at the bar. Killian raised an eyebrow and shook his head. Ruby picked up a cherry, and popped it in her mouth, Killian watched, but didn't focus. However, Lacey was paying very close attention, holding her empty tray next to the bar.

Ruby teased the guys, slowly rotating her tongue to tie the cherry stem into a knot. "Hey," Killian tilts his head to get Lacey's vacant expression, "hmmm?" she snaps out of it, "Does she always do that?" Lacey asks. "Umm when it gets to this time, yeah," Killian nods. Lacey takes a deep breath, and blows out, Killian chuckles.

Regina shuffles up to the bar, as Lacey heads off, "She's doing those tricks again?" Regina asks, referencing Ruby, "Yup, we're all consistent," Killian smiles. "Yeah, ok," Regina ducks herself under the bar, "Coming to see how my half lives?" he teases, "It's my bar isn't it?" Regina sasses. Killian watches Regina swagger in front of him, and next to Ruby. The guys are already excited watching Ruby's bar trick.

"You think that was a trick?" Regina asks them, she's got their attention. Killian watches Regina reach into her jeans pocket, his eyes stay a bit focused on her ass for a few seconds. She pulls a starburst wrapped candy from her pocket. Something that stays in his mind about Regina is that she smells so sweet all the time, like the fruit candy that she sometimes carries to do this.

He already knows what she's going to do, but watches intently anyway. Regina pops the red wrapped candy into her mouth. The men at the bar watch her as her mouth barely moves and she uses only her tongue to unwrap the small candy inside her mouth. Slowly she draws out the empty red wrapper. The men gawk at her, "Close them out Killian, I think they've had enough," Regina says sultrily, "As you wish," he smiles softly, and watches her walk away, tucking herself under the bar to head back to her office.

"Now that is a trick," Ruby elbows Killian softly, "Don't start, take care of your wolves," Killian said. Lacey and Ruby start clearing glasses from around the bar. It's 1 am, and they're closing up.

Regina closes up her office and hears the glasses clanging behind the bar. She hears Ruby laughing, with the others, Killian's joyful chuckle. "And then they guy says, oh I thought it was water!" Elliot says, the group is telling stories of customers. Regina watches the group of six, smiling to herself, she breathes deeply, keeping herself cool, as she stares at Killian probably the longest.

She walks out slowly and the group softens their laughter, "Hey, drink?" Graham offers, "Uhh no, don't you guys get your fill serving them?" Regina asks. "Thursdays we like to reminisce," Killian said, "yeah, Friday and Saturday's are way too exhausting." Ruby scoots up onto the counter of the bar, "Ok, well lock up Killian, and see you all tomorrow," Regina said. Killian nods and the others say goodbye.
Regina shuts the door behind her and stops to turn back.
In the window, she watches the five laugh and smile, she ponders why she really doesn't let herself enjoy them all more, especially Killian.

Killian closes up the bar, Elliot by his side, "feels like winter, it's cold," Elliot says, "yeah well, we had a rare nice day, seems only right it snows or something tonight," Killian said.

"It's the bar five year," Elliot said, "Five year anniversary, wow," Killian said, "how is it you bloody remember everything mate?" Killian asks. "It's a gift," Elliot shrugs.

"How did Regina get this bar anyway, she was only 27 wasn't she?" Elliot asks, "younger actually, her father died, left her his life's work, so she opened the bar," Killian said. "You knew her father?" Elliot asks, "yes I did, he was a great man, think she still misses him, he gave me my first job," Killian said. "Maybe that's why she looks at you the way she does," Elliot said. Killian sighs, "what way is that?" He asks.
"Like it's right," Elliot said. "Ok mate you want to be more specific?" Killian hangs on the words, as he and Elliot shuffle down the street.
"She looks at you just like that, that's all, like it fits," Elliot said. "Me and Regina? Fit? We bicker all the time," Killian scoffs, "yeah well so did my parents, together still 35 years now," Elliot smiles off, patting Killian's shoulder and leaves.
Killian starts to open his mouth to have the last word, as he usually does, but realizes he has no words to even reply.
He knows how many years he's known Regina and here they are, approaching the anniversary of the bar opening, he remembers the fitted skirt suit Regina wore when she opened it. She was so formal about it, loosening up over the years, as the customers were people she related to and the neighborhood turned to the bar for enjoyment from their high strung lives.
Killian stood outside his building, he could feel the clouds coming back in from the water, a man passes him with a lit cigarette, "hey mate, bum one?" Killian asks, the man kindly obliges, handing him a cigarette and lighting it, "thanks," Killian breathes the smoke out. He had smoked six years ago for roughly a few years, and quit, but that night, he needed that smoke. He breathed it in, no intention to start smoking again, just something to relax his mind. He smelled the smoke in his nose but also the soft scent of cherry, like the candy Regina unwrapped with her tongue .

A/N- please comment on stuff guys even if the stories are completed - we still like positive feedback.. we aren't selling books so can't tell the feedback -all we have is comments to tell us what people like.