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If you held a gun to her head, CJ Williams would deny that she was madly in love with Odin Anderson. Though, as she watched him dance around on stage, his hands gracefully sliding across his bass, and the occasional grinding on his mic stand had her reconsidering that stance. She wanted to be in the crowd, watching him perform to the hundreds of people crowded into the venue. Instead she sat in the back of the venue, watching the merch table she had proudly set up, making sure no one stole a shirt or the cash that had built up over the night.
She perked up when the music died down, watching them leave the stage, walking out of view to the backstage. Stretching, she stood up and prepared. After every set, people flooded to her table, to buy a shirt, talk, or more often then not, trying to get a chance to talk with the band, hoping they show up. Sure enough, before the crowd could reach her table, Odin appeared next to her, his arm sliding around her waist. She’d normally move out of his grasp, or say something snarky towards him, but tonight was different, for some reason.
“How’s my favorite merch runner?” Odin was panting slightly, his face slick with sweat, and his eyes were wild, all results of the insane show he had just put on.
“I’m the only merch runner you have!” She rolled her eyes with a small laugh
“That’s not true! Baldur helps a lot!”
“Baldur only helps with this when there’s someone he wants to pick up.” Odin almost protested this comment as well, but he glanced towards the bar where his guitarist had made a beeline to. There, the rather short guitarist had a drink in hand and was currently flirting away with a giant, with hair so red and wild it looked like actual flames.
“Maybe you have a point.” Odin pulled away from CJ, who ignored the pang of loss in her chest as he did, and instead focused on the small crowd of people that had finally made their way to the table. CJ smiled at the group, greeting them as they milled around the table. Most of them ignored her, to no big surprise, instead they spoke to Odin, raving on and on about how incredible the show was, and obviously stroking his ego. CJ kept herself busy with those who wanted merch, digging through the boxes behind her for various sizes of shirts, patches and stickers once her amount on the table had finally run out. It was a steady buzz of people some time, most people simply just wanting to talk to Odin, and Tor when he briefly appeared, before CJ was able to get them to buy a sticker or patch. CJ tried her best to ignore the pang of jealousy that ran through her anytime she could see Odin lean in, a flirtatious smile on his face, and all the sweet words he would say. Eventually, the line did die down, and CJ fell back into her chair with a grunt, taking a moment to stretch her back, before she reached behind her chair and pulled out the makeshift cash box she had used the whole night, and counted the contents.
“So, how much did we sell tonight?” Odin asked, still standing as he began to pack up the last bit of merch on the table.
“Well, since I didn’t grab anymore merch from y'all after last nights show, I’m almost out of 2XLs and XLs, completely out of larges, mediums, damn near out of the smalls, and I’m pretty sure we are out of patches and stickers too.” She didn’t look up or stop counting the cash in her hands, impressing Odin how well she kept track of everything.
“Jesus, that’s impressive. How on earth did you remember all of that?” Odin looked down at CJ who finished up counting the cash and shoving back into the tupperware container and sticking it behind her, hoping that he couldn’t see her blushing at his compliment.
“I’ll never tell. There’s a reason I’m the best merch runner.” She stood back up, and looked around. The venue still had people milling around, but it was noticeably emptier then before, and the stage was empty, no one setting up for the next set. “Huh, shouldn’t they be setting up the next set?” CJ asked, looking a bit confused as she watched Odin pack up.
“Oh, did I not mention? The band after us cancelled, the promoter told us their van had a flat, and they were stuck in Seattle and had no way to get here.” Odin paused, holding a shirt in his hand and looking back at CJ. “No, I don’t think you did. Well regardless, now that you’re here, I feel comfortable enough to leave the table and get a drink. Watch the money please, I don’t want someone to steal it again.” CJ moved from the stop she had been standing, scooching passed Odin, who blocked the only open way to the bar. He tried his best to move out of the way, backing into the tables that were next to him, but it wasn’t enough and CJ still had to squeeze past him, her face immediately heating up as she moved, realizing just how close she was to Odin. The moment ended very quickly and she passed him, very thankful the venue was still too dark for him to see the blush.
“Seriously, if my table gets robbed again I’ll be pissed.” She gave him a sharp look before heading to the bar. She noticed that Baldur and the giant he was talking with had disappeared as she got closer to the bar, probably to go find somewhere more private, knowing how Baldur worked. She leaned against the bar and got the attention of the bartender, ordering the first beer she could think of. She shook her head once the bartender disappeared, trying to clear her head of all the thoughts racing. ‘You need to calm down. You don’t like him more than a friend, he flirts with everyone like that.’ CJ thought, trying to convince herself, but even as she thought that, she thought about the way he held her earlier in the night, and how tight his arm around her midsection was. The loud bang of the bottle onto the bar shook her out of her thoughts, making her jump a little. She quickly dug out some cash, and handed it to the bartender, leaving the change as a tip. She took a quick drink of the beverage, before she turned around to return to the table. Her eyes narrowed however, when she noticed two women leaned against the table, speaking to Odin. She walked over, taking a spot next to Odin.
“Ah! There you are! Hey CJ, do we have any small shirts left? These ladies were hoping to get a shirt.” Odin said to her once he noticed her walk up. CJ smiled at them politely, only for the smile to drop once she saw the brief but visible disgust and judgment in their faces.
“Uh yea, I think so! Let me go grab them.” She squeezed past Odin again, this time moving much faster, turning her head so she wouldn’t have to look at his chest as she moved by. Setting her beer on the table, she dug through one of the merch boxes, ignoring the knot of jealousy in her stomach. ‘You need to calm down, they just want a shirt,’ She reminded herself, still searching for the smalls, before she was able to find them. Pulling them out, she turned around watching as she watched one of the girls, a taller blonde whose chest was nearly falling out of her chest, tuck something into the palm of his hand, a flirtatious smile on her face. Her friend glanced at CJ and smirked before turning her attention back to Odin, a smile plastered on her face.
“Here we are, two small shirts. They already pay?” CJ asked, which must have been funny, because the two girls at the table giggled.
“Odin said he was just gonna give them to us, isn’t that right?” the shorter one, a brunette dressed very similarly to her friend giggled out.
“Of course, anything for you beautiful ladies. You know they’ve been to every show we’ve played this year?” Odin had shoved whatever was placed into his hand into his pants pocket, and took the shirts from CJ, and handed them to the girls. “I better see the two of you in the crowd next month, you don’t wanna miss what we have in store..” He flashed the two girls a smile, who giggled yet again. With another dirty look thrown at CJ and a promise to show up to the next show, the two ladies walked away. CJ took a deep breath and picked up her beer, taking a swig of it, before she continued to pack up. She cleared off what was left on the table, before she started to collapse the table. She tried to not let it get to her, the dirty looks from the women, how much smaller they were, compared to her. She couldn’t help it though, tugging her battle vest to try to cover her exposed belly.
“So, what did Blondiie give you?” CJ asked after a moment as she finished breaking down the table. Odin looked up from the box he was packing up, and fished out what he had stuffed into his pocket- a piece of receipt paper with two phone numbers scribbled down.
“Oh this?” He held it up and looked at it for a moment, before he shoved it back into his pocket. “They just gave me their phone numbers, in case I ever wanted to talk to them outside of a show.” He shoved the piece of paper back into his pocket, turning to fully face CJ.
“Why? Jealous of them or something?” There was a joking tone in his voice, his eyes never leaving CJ as she tried to keep as busy as possible to avoid looking at Odin directly.“No, I am not! Was just curious, that’s all!.” CJ said entirely too quickly to not convince Odin that she wasn’t jealous. She had broken down the empty cardboard boxes she didn’t want to take home, leaving only the table, the cash bucket and the one box of shirts left that sat next to Odin.
“Will you help me carry all this to my car?” She swiftly changed the topic, hoping to make Odin ignore the clear jealousy in her voice. He simply nodded and picked up the table, while she carried the box and money. She fished out car keys from one of her pockets as they exited the venue and walked straight to her car, using the key to unlock her trunk. She shoved the box into the car, and Odin placed the table in her car. She handed the container to Odin, who opened it and gave it a quick count.
“Ya know, I was gonna toss those girls numbers when I get home.” He fished out 40 bucks, and handed it to CJ, her cut for selling all night. CJ raised an eyebrow at him, unconvinced as she took the money from him and shoved it into your pocket. “I’m serious! Felt I’d be too big of a jackass to throw it out right in front of them. They weren’t really my type anyways.” He shrugged, sitting down in her open trunk, setting the money behind him. CJ followed his actions, sitting down next to him.
“Oh? Is that so? Then what is the all mighty All-Father’s preference in women?” CJ teased, looking away to fish out her cigarettes and lighter from the battle vest she wore. “Big girls. Hell, anyone with some meat on their bones, is the person for me.” CJ froze, the cigarette she was about to light hanging out of her mouth. Odin laughed at her shocked expression, shifting closer to her.
“Oh, don’t act like you couldn’t tell that you are drop dead sexy to me CJ, come on now, you’re smarter than that.” He was close enough to touch her at this point, but still refrained from doing so. CJ took a deep drag off the now lit cigarette, exhaling the smoke. “If I knew, I would have climbed you like a tree already.” CJ looked up at Odin, watching a surprised look morph into a smirk. The eye had come off some time ago, leaving his brilliant blue eyes to somehow still sparkle in the cold night. There was a moment of tense silence between the two of them, both trying to work out their next move after these sudden revelations. CJ bit the bullet first, and before she could talk herself out of this, she stretched forward and kissed Odin. His eyes widened at the shock and suddenness of the move, but he didn’t pull away. In fact, he wrapped his arm around her waist, and pulled her closer, manhandling her into his lap, somehow not breaking the kiss. CJ melted into his touch, her arms curling around his shoulders. She rolled her hips into his, causing him to gasp into her mouth. She smirked at the reaction, but whined when he pulled away, pouting when he did. His eyes were once again wild, like an approaching storm.
“Not here.. If I'm going to make up for lost time, I’m gonna makeup for it and fuck you somewhere proper, like my bed.” CJ rolled her eyes at his crass statement, and smacked his chest lightly but reluctantly agreed, and crawled out of his lap, letting him up and out of the trunk. She slammed it shut with a shaky hand, and turned to face Odin. She almost turned away and to her car but she stopped and reached to the front pocket of his pants. He let out a small yelp, confused, until CJ pulled out the paper with phone numbers from the two girls from earlier, and ripped it up, letting the pieces flutter to the asphalt. Odin looked at her, now his turn to raise an eyebrow at her.
“What? You don’t need it anymore.” She gave him a coy smile, before she turned away, walking to the driver side of the car. “Now get in, I plan to hold you to make up for lost time.”