persephone landed at midnight, which was good because it meant that hades would be at work when she did, and her first impression of him would be in the type of environment she expected. he reminded everybody when his shift started that a girl was going to come, and to treat him like he was cool.
“but you’re not cool,” said mac, his barback, furrowing her brow.
“i know that,” hades told her. “she doesn’t know that.”
mel, their only server on shift, patted his arm. “she probably does know it,” she informed him, not unkindly. “she’s probably just being nice because you’re trying so hard.”
“no, i think she really does believe i’m cool,” hades told them, just as mystified as they were if he was honest. “so we all have to keep the myth alive, okay? just for tonight.”
“we can make you look cool for one night, that’s not the problem,” mac said. “the problem is that you said she’s staying the whole weekend and i honestly don’t think you can pull it off for two whole days.”
hades dropped his head down onto the bar, because she was probably right. but what else was he supposed to do? be honest? about his personality?
mel rubbed soothing circles between his shoulder blades. “it’s okay, bud,” she reassured him. “if she breaks up with you because you’re a loser then it wasn’t meant to be.”
“thanks,” he said, and then mac flipped the CLOSED sign to OPEN and, because there was a yankees game that night, he was blessed enough not to have time to panic. he served his drinks and he threw one guy out into the alley when he puked in the bathroom trashcan and he spent fifteen minutes arguing with some guy about the merits of craft beer and then all of a sudden he was wiping down the bar when a tiny, delicate hand covered his own.
he looked up.
“flowers,” he said.
“weeds,” she reminded him, though he didn’t know if she knew it was a reminder because he didn’t think she’d ever remembered meeting him for the first time.
behind him, mac gave a low whistle, “oh, shit,” she said. “yeah, okay. i get it. damn.”
persephone didn’t look away from hades’ face when she asked, “get what?”
“he thinks you’re hot,” mac said.
“that’s not helping,” said hades.
“i didn’t say i’d help,” said mac.
“yes you did,” said hades. he also wasn’t looking away. “you said it explicitly.”
“no i didn’t,” said mac. “that was mel.”
“can i have a drink?” persephone asked, and her voice sounded like music, and hades thought probably spring was blooming inside the bar even though it was december. he was pretty sure he was blushing for no reason. he was glad it was dark and that they used funky colored lights so that nobody could tell that his face was red.
he cleared his throat. “sure,” he said. “what can i get you?”
-
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