Caritas- Tuesday

[throughaphase]

"Okay," Kitty said when she walked in and saw the mess. "Use plastic glasses when you're practicing bar tricks."

The first part of Kitty's shift was definitely spent cleaning glass. And anything served by Tino was going to be in a plastic cup because he could not be trusted.


[Open, no OCD!]

Comments

[died8yearsago]

Rosa had been coming here consistently on Tuesday for long enough to know the mood of the bar the moment she stepped in; she didn't even need to look to know that Tino had an expression on his face that only proved that Kitty definitely didn't get paid enough for whatever bullcrap of his she had to deal with.

And she thought to ask about it, too, but that would just distract her from something she was already feeling was stupid, because Valentine's Day was stupid, and getting gifts for people you weren't even banging was pretty stupid, too, yet there she was, and if she didn't just get it out of the way, then she probably would just back out and not do it at all.

She trusted Kitty to help make this as painless for her as possible.

Well, maybe a little painful, but Rosa would deserve it, because this was pretty dumb, and dumb jerks like her deserved a little pain for being so dumb.

"I don't know if I'll see you before Thursday," she said, coming up to the bar and smacking down a small wrapped present as if it had been burning her hands, "so here. Happy Valentine's Day, or whatever."

Cool. So that was done, and they could accept it and not acknowledge it and get on with the drinking and shooting the shit now, right?

[throughaphase]

In a second.

"Wait. For me?" Because Kitty would not have ever expected this. "You're sure?"

[died8yearsago]

Was she sure? Not even a little.

"No, it's for Tino," Rosa said, rolling her eyes. "Of course I'm sure."

Just ignore the fact that she looked about two seconds away from snatching it back at even the slightest provocation.

[throughaphase]

"Thank you," Kitty said, picking it up. "Should I open it now?"

Somehow she felt like the answer would be no.

[died8yearsago]

"I don't care," Rosa shrugged. "Whatever."

And then she proceeded to just tell Kitty about what she would find inside when she did open it, which would include two necklaces with a metalwork flower on them and a pink sparkly beaded bracelet.

"It's not a big deal, or anything. Just some pieces from my handmade jewelry line. The bigger one's yours, the smaller matching one for Lexi, and the pink sparkly bracelet's for Clint."

The faint twitch on Rosa's face proved that, no matter how many times she'd rehearsed that last part in her head, it was still really difficult, even for her, to say it with a completely straight face.

[throughaphase]

Well, now she had to open it, jaw dropping as she did. "Rosa! This is gorgeous. You made this?"

[what_the_shock]

"This was a pretty stupid weekend."

Hi, Rosa.

[died8yearsago]

"Yeah, I know; I didn't even figure out who the bad guys," or good guys, "were so I could kick their asses."

Hey, Tightpants.

[what_the_shock]

"At least you found the food, though." Miguel grinned.

[died8yearsago]

"Food that surprisingly didn't suck," Rosa agreed, "considering that the guy making it didn't even know what he was doing."

[uncertain_dume]

Hey. Hey, Kitty. Guess who had two whole days of stubble and the same short hair he'd had on Sunday, today.

Kanan was trying, dammit. It left a little something to be desired, but at least he looked slightly more his own age again.

"So, what do you recommend for a guy who spent two days as a clueless idiot?"

And who was still keeping dry.

"Hey, Kitty."

[throughaphase]

"Hmm, I think thiscalls for a Kanan," Kitty said. "If it helps, most people were clueless idiots."

[uncertain_dume]

"Feels a little telling that the 'clueless idiot' drink is the one named after me," Kanan mused, smiling wryly. "But that does help, yeah."

[throughaphase]

"It's a drink I know will help you," she said, going for a glass. Not plastic, because she was an adult. "How're you doing?"

[uncertain_dume]

"Overall?" Kanan breathed out a little laugh. "Coming back into my own head has been a process. It was a good weekend, stands to reason yesterday was spent just adjusting to the flipside of 'ignorance is bliss.'"

[filleauloup]

"Oh no, what has Tino done now?"

Éponine had so much faith in him, didn't she?

[throughaphase]

"He thought he could stack glasses and pour."

He could not!

[filleauloup]

"And leaving you to clean up the mess? For shame, Tino," Éponine said, casting a reproachful look at him. "As if you haven't enough to deal with as it is. D'you need anything tonight? I wouldn't mind making a delivery run for something that isn't heart shaped for a change today."

[throughaphase]

"I'm fine tonight," Kitty assured her. "You sit. Have a drink. Tell me how you are."

[filleauloup]

"Ready for this damn holiday to be over," Éponine said, rolling her eyes. "Especially as the post office seems keen on trying to drown me in it this year. It's fine and all, you know, but in moderation. I s'pose they haven't been having it much better at some of the other shops in town, but that's just how it goes, isn't it? It's all a bit silly, and that's a shame."

[not_a_bird]

"Kitty. Kitty!" Sweet Dee came into the bar like a woman on a mission, because, in her experience, if you didn't charge right in at full speed, then you just upped the likelihood of someone else just barging in, calling you a stupid bird, and railroading you to steal your idea and claim it for their own. "I have got a great idea, hear me out."

She paused, either for dramatic effect or just out of habit, because that was when she usually got interrupted or someone overruled her with their own idea that wasn't even remotely related.

She seemed almost surprised that it didn't happen and that alone almost derailed her completely. She blinked and got back on track.

"Open mic comedy night on Wednesdays," she announced, seizing the opportunity for all its worth before Kitty could get a word in even if she had one at that point. "It'll be perfect, I used to do it in Philly all the time, it'll hopefully drive some people in because, let me tell you, Wednesday night are dead," which clearly didn't have anything to do with her effective method of driving away anyone who actually had come in so far, "and it might bring in some traffic. Plus, I've got my acting class. They can totally do the kick-off performance as part of their grades."

She grinned a little crookedly, a little pleased that that was probably one of the most thorough presentations she'd made for an idea in a bar pretty much ever, and opened up her hands a little. "Whattya think?"

[throughaphase]

And then there was Kitty, who was lenient enough to employ Tino.

"Sure, why not?" she said.

[not_a_bird]

And pretty much handed Sweet Dee herself a job on the spot, which...should have told her something, really.

"No," she insisted, "I really mean it, it'll be great, Kitty, it--"

Wait.

She'd actually said sure. And a why not.

Dee couldn't have looked more stunned if you'd have slapped her, Kitty. But a quick blink took care of that. "Oh," she said. "Oh! Great! That's really great! We'll get started shortly after spring break, then!"

She hadn't even tried to turn it around and take credit for it herself. She was real good people, this Kitty.

...it was almost a little suspicious.

"I think that calls for a beer or two to celebrate, then."

[throughaphase]

"Sure. Any certain kind?" Since Maybe she had a preferred kind from working behind the bar every week. On dead nights, after driving out customers, apparently.

[not_a_bird]

The whole two of them, one who just went drinking on a different night and the other who already worked there, anyway.

"Just whatever you've got that's cold and within reach." Yeah, Sweet Dee was definitely not that discerning. Except... "Just nothing on draft. I've gotta be honest with you, Kitty." She leveled a bit of a concerned look at her with a faint sigh. "I don't think I trust those taps."