Now You See Me [Apex Legends Mirage Fanfic]

The Bar [1]

"You're pouring that wrong, sweetheart."

It was a Thursday night, and The AXL Bar was more crowded than usual. Shouts of drunken men broke through the music that was blasting through the facility, their exclamations an array of different emotions. They were shouting at the active televisions situated everywhere in the Club, all featuring the latest round of the Apex Games. The men were likely cheering for the legend they had placed bets on hours earlier.

27 year old Eliza Cohen was in her worker's uniform, a cool grey "The AXL" logo shirt tucked into a short, pleated black skirt. Her red hair was pulled back into a ponytail, with the wisps that were too short falling in front of her face. She was working the bar tonight, making drinks for the poor souls who sat themselves along the wooded counter.

Her night had been going relatively normal. She was dealing with the usual amount of arrogant assholes that showed up on the daily. But this remark? It froze her in her tracks.

Sweetheart? She questioned in her mind. She scoffed and released the vodka nozzle that was in her hand before turning around to face whatever man made the remark.

"My apologies sir, if I'm making your drink oh-so wrong, you should have been more specific with your order."

Liz's words were polite, but her tone of voice was passive-aggressive. She pressed her palms against the inner-edge of the Bar, looking the man in the eye.

The man in question looked familiar, and was wearing a crazy uniform. T-Like cylinders were strapped to his yellow and black uniform, wavy hair falling over the pair of orange goggles that were wrapped around his head. Ammo bandoliers circled his chest, and a radio-like feature was strapped to his back. He had a beard, an attractive face, and eyes full of confusion.

"Wha-? Don't look at me, this asshole said it!"

The man pointed to the drunk next to him, who was passed out on the counter.

Eliza rolled her eyes and scoffed. "Uh-huh. Sure."

She was about to turn back around, when the man desperately called out to her.

"W-W-Wait! I didn't mean what I said!-Well I mean, I did. But that drink your pouring isn't even mine! I was just trying to help? I guess..?"

Liz stopped and turned to face him again, one eyebrow raised. "So now you're telling me how to do my job, for no reason?"

"No!" The man protested, sighing with defeat. The stranger allowed his his composure to fall. He lowered his voice, as if trying to keep what he was saying just between the two of them.

"-Look, I was a bartender too at one point, all I'm saying is...using a vodka nozzle to make a Martini waters it down far more than being poured straight from the bottle. Using the bottle should get you higher tips because the drink will taste better."

Liz's eyes widened at what the weird-looking man just suggested. In hindsight, it made sense. She was just surprised she had never thought of it before.

Eliza shook her head, smiling softly. He was a strange one.

"Wow, nice save man," The redhead commended him. The man gave a sigh of relief.

Taking his suggestion, Liz remade the Martini in front of the stranger, watching him nod out of the corner of his eye when she used the bottle instead.

"Martini for Six!" The waitress shouted, sliding the drink to one of her co-workers to carry deeper into the bar.

"Now," the man spoke up. He cleared his throat and straightened out his back.