Chapter Text
The paper crinkled under Blake’s tense grip and she nervously smoothed out the creases against her jeans. She slouched back into her seat and glanced back out the car window at the same red sign she’d been staring at for nearly 45 minutes. That cheery red sign with the big white letters almost burned into her retinas.
Help Wanted
She’d spotted the sign while out with Ilia the other day and asked her about it.
“Oh yeah, that place has been there a while, I think. I’ve been a few times, kinda small but I swear they’ve got the best burgers in Vale.”
Ilia had encouraged Blake to apply and even drove her to the library to print out her resume.
“And they’re faunus friendly!” she’d exclaimed. “This’ll be great to help you get back on your feet!”
She just wants to get rid of you. A familiar voice whispered in the back of Blake’s mind. You’ve been living on her couch for weeks now just moping. You’re so pathetic and annoying.
Blake shook her head a little as if to dislodge the sinister thoughts slithering through her mind. Her pointed black ears pinned back against her hair. No. No more of that. I’m free of him, and that’s what matters. But I also can’t keep living on Ilia’s couch forever. Especially now, with... Blake’s hand drifted to her lower stomach, slipping under her t-shirt to cradle the small barely-there swell. She still had a few weeks before she started to show, and she knew by then it would be even harder to find a job. No one would want to hire a pregnant faunus.
Come on, where’s that confidence? You once led an entire student body in a protest back in school remember? You can be brave and go apply for a damn job. Feeling a new rush of confidence Blake straightened up and squared her shoulders. She pulled in one last deep breath and checked her reflection in the rear-view mirror. She gave the steering wheel one last decisive pat and hopped out of Ilia’s truck, striding across the street with as much confidence as she could muster. Pausing briefly to glance up at the name scrawled in an elegant script beside a stylized rose above the entrance.
Summer’s Place.
The door chimed cheerily as it swung open, knocking against a small bell on the frame. As Blake’s eyes quickly adjusted to the light she took in the smallish establishment. The place was a bit bigger than it had initially looked from the outside, longer than it was wide. The bar stretched along the left wall, shelves lined with a dizzying array of assorted alcohols and mixers. The right wall was lined with booths padded with deep red cushions and smaller round tables scattered in the space between. Towards the back she could see a sitting area with a lit fireplace, driving away the chill of early autumn. Overall the place had a warm and welcoming vibe, everything paneled with dark polished wood. It smelled clean and well cared for, a far cry from other bars she’d been to.
On a Saturday afternoon Blake hadn’t expected it to be busy. But the bar appeared to be completely empty. She frowned and glanced back at the hours painted on the door. No, she got it right.
Her ears suddenly picked up the sound of low muttering and clinking of glasses coming from the direction of the bar, and she cleared her throat. “Hello?”
A hand shot up from behind the bar, holding up one finger. “I’ll be with you in a moment!”
The clinking and muttering continued for another few seconds before the person finally stood up, and Blake’s jaw dropped. The first thing she noticed was a mass of curly blonde hair, barely restrained back into a ponytail. The second thing she noticed was how unfair it was that bartenders could be that pretty. Bright lavender eyes (a rare color, Blake couldn’t help but think) set into a heart shaped face with a few golden wisps escaping from their hair tie prison to curl around her ears. The woman was about Blake’s own age and was wearing a black tank top (that only seemed to highlight her broad muscular shoulders) with a red rose logo above the left breast, the same one as above the door. The woman flashed Blake a bright smile, and she couldn’t help but notice how it seemed to emphasize the smattering of light freckles on her cheeks. “Hey there! Welcome to Summer’s Place. What can I do for ya?”
It took Blake slightly too long for the words to register in her stunned brain, but they finally did and she gave herself a little mental shake. She swallowed against her sudden dry throat. “Uh, yes. I saw your ‘help wanted’ sign outside...”
The woman blinked and glanced over at the window, then brightened. “Oh! Right! I honestly forgot I put that up. Things have been kind of crazy here.” She leaned over the bar and offered her hand. “I’m Yang.”
“Blake.” Blake took the offered hand in a firm shake, and just now noticed the large elaborate tattoo of a serpent-like golden dragon stretching from Yang's right shoulder to her wrist.
“Nice to meet you, Blake. Do you have restaurant or bar experience?”
“I worked as a waitress all through school.”
Yang smiled brightly. “Oh awesome, that’s what we’re looking for. Business has really taken off ever since we got that food critic review a few weeks ago, and we could really use the help.”
Blake handed Yang her resume and she took it, reading with interest. She gestured with her hand. “Come with me, and we can talk.”
Yang led her through a side door to a small office, where another woman sat hunched over a stack of papers. “Hey, Weiss. Do you think you could watch the front for a few?”
The pale haired woman looked up, pushing a pair of glasses up her nose. Blake noticed a pale scar bisected one of her eyes, before she nodded and stood. The other woman, Weiss, passed by Blake without looking at her or speaking.
After the door closed Yang maneuvered herself to take the now vacated seat behind the desk. “Sorry about that, Weiss is friendly I promise.” She gestured to the small chair Blake hadn’t noticed. “Please have a seat.”
Blake sat down and looked around the small office. The shelves were stacked high with boxes stuffed with papers, various dates scribbled on them in marker. The desk held a few loose papers and folders, with an older style computer on one end.
“So, Blake.” Yang said, setting the resume down on the desk. “Are you new in town? I don’t think I’ve seen you around before.”
“Sort of.” Blake fidgeted in her seat. “I’m from Menagerie originally, but I’ve been living in Vale for about 5 years. I just… didn’t get out much.”
“Ah. Well, Blake, tell me a little bit about why you decided to apply here.” Yang turned to the ancient computer monitor and began typing as she talked.
“Well, I...” Blake twisted her hands together in her lap and fought the sudden fluttering of nerves in her belly. “I had a change in my living situation recently and I really need a job to help with bills.”
Yang looked up from the computer and tilted her head with an amused twist to her mouth. “Well, I appreciate your honesty, that’s a good enough reason as any.”
Yang’s fingers continued to click away at the keyboard “I see your experience in waitressing here on your resume. Wow, you did it for a while. Did you like it?”
“Yeah I did. I really enjoyed it.”
“Why did you quit?”
An unpleasant feeling curled in Blake’s stomach. She glanced down at her knees. Yang looked away from the screen and her eyebrows knitted together. “Oh, uh I’m sorry, I didn’t mean..”
“No no, it’s okay. I just...” Blake pulled in a breath. “I just had a lot going on in my personal life at the time. It just didn’t work out.”
Yang nodded and gave her a look of sympathy that made Blake tense a little. She didn’t need sympathy.
“Yeah, yeah I get that. Well, Blake tell you what. I’ll talk this over with my partner and give you a call by Monday. Does that work for you?”
“Really?” Blake couldn’t keep the surprise out of her voice. Yang nodded again and gave her another bright friendly smile. “Really. I can’t promise anything but just off the bat I think you’d be a good fit here.”
Blake jumped out of her seat and took Yang’s hand, shaking it vigorously. “Oh thank you! You don’t know what this means to me!” Yang laughed and let Blake shake her hand. “No, thank you. You’re a lifesaver. We really do need the help!”
Blake grinned back, feeling the lightest she’d felt in weeks. No, months.
Yang’s smile morphed into a smirk. “Can I have my hand back now?”
The sudden sharp realization that she was still shaking Yang’s hand and grinning like an idiot brought a fierce blush to Blake’s cheeks and she dropped the hand like it was on fire.
“Hey it’s fine, don’t be embarrassed.” Yang pulled open the door and gestured. “Come on, I’ll walk you out.”
The found the pale haired woman behind the bar washing glasses. In the time they’d been in the office a few patrons had entered and settled into the various booths and tables, quietly chatting. She gave them both an unimpressed look.
“Don’t mind the ice queen.” Yang said under her breath. “She really is nicer than she looks.”
“I’ll take your word for it.” Blake whispered back.
Yang walked her to the front of the bar and held it open. “Well, I have your number. We’re closed tomorrow but I’ll definitely call you by Monday with a decision okay?”
“Okay. Thank you again. So much.”
“Hey, it’s no problem at all. It was really nice meeting you.”
“You too.” The two women stood in the doorway grinning at each other. Blake found herself noticing all the different shades of lilac the autumn sunlight brought out in Yang’s eyes.
Yang cleared her throat and Blake spotted a light reddish tint to her cheeks, but it was probably just the chilly breeze. “Well, uh, I’ll see you around?”
“Yeah.”
Neither of them made any move. Until the sudden calling of Yang’s name from inside the bar made them both jump.
“Okay I’ll be right there!” Yang shouted over her shoulder, and she turned back to Blake. “Sorry, duty calls.”
“Oh yeah, I don’t want to keep you from your job. I’ll talk to you tomorrow?”
“Yeah, tomorrow.” Yang gave her one last smile and a small wave before she finally closed the door, the bell above the door frame jingling. Blake slowly walked back to the truck and slid into the cabin before she let out a breath, her cheeks puffing out. She spotted her flushed face in the mirror and couldn’t help but laugh.
Yang watched the reddish truck pull away from the curb and disappear down the street, still feeling the heat dissipating from her face. I’ll see you around? What kind of line was that?
“Ahem.”
Yang jumped and whipped around to see Weiss standing only a few feet away. Yang dramatically clutched her heart. “By the gods, woman, I need to put a bell on you!”
Weiss scowled and flicked Yang in the face with the small cleaning cloth in her pocket. “And I need to put a leash on you! What was that?”
Yang side stepped the shorter girl and walked toward her bar. “What was what?”
“You know perfectly well what I’m talking about Xiao Long.”
Yang stepped behind the bar and poured herself a glass of water. The few patrons that did come in were regulars, and she nodded greetings at them. “No, I don’t.”
Weiss huffed and stuffed the cloth back in her pocket. “We’re never going to hire someone if you keep scaring them off with your flirting. Did this one run out like a Grimm was on her tail too?”
“No.” Yang said a little too forcefully. “And the last girl didn’t ‘run out’ she was just late to an appointment.”
“Uh huh. Sure.” Weiss rolled her eyes. “You know you’ve got a reputation around town. Just… cool it alright? Keep it on your pants for once.”
Yang held up both hands and attempted an innocent smile. “Hey, I’m good, I’m good.”
Weiss squinted suspiciously, but she seemed to have been convinced for now. Weiss nodded. “Okay, well I need to get back to the office. You’re good out here?”
“Yep. Go ahead. Should be an easy shift.” Yang watched Weiss walk back to the office and close the door, then turned back to the bar and picked up an glass to wash. She blew out a breath through her nose. Weiss is right, she shouldn’t be trying to flirt with potential employees.
Even if they are beautiful.