Work Text:
“Well, this has been a colossal waste of my time.” Eliana let out a huff of breath, the air blowing her bangs out of her face. As it was, she was slumped at the bar, one hand propping her chin up while her other scrolled through her messages on the dating app.
Honestly, though, she shouldn’t have expected anything else.
Joining the dating app hadn’t even been her idea. Davrin had been going on and on about her needing to leave the apartment for more than work. Meanwhile, Harding had recommended the dating app The Fade to her, having just met her partner there. She’d gone through more profiles than she could count, only a handful piquing her interest enough to give a halfhearted swipe. Of that handful, even fewer actually responded.
Tamutlu had seemed nice enough—a qunari with a quintessential profile pic. The typical working out photo, in too tight of a shirt, with his hair pulled back in a bun, flexing in the mirror. But the conversation in messages had been polite. He’d shown an interest in her work and asked questions about current projects. When she’d asked him about his, he’d told her he was a line cook at a new restaurant that had just opened in Docktown. It had even been he who recommended their date.
She really should have known it was too good to be true. Turning her phone over, the elvish woman caught the bartender’s attention and gestured to her empty glass.
The place was upscale. All white marble floors, modern crystal chandeliers and mirrored surfaces everywhere. One of the establishments that had a bar in the waiting area for you to have a cocktail or two before being escorted to your table. The type that required one to dress up even to be let in the door. Not her usual sort of place to eat, and more than a little out of her price range.
Something she’d told Tamutlu, but he’d insisted that she didn’t need to worry. He had it all handled.
And yet, there she sat. Wearing the black bodycon dress with long sleeves, she’d bought for what she thought was some party a few years back. Paired with pantyhose and gold-toe heels, she’d even put on some light makeup and loosely curled her dirty blonde hair. Glancing in the mirror along the bar's back wall, Eliana could admit she looked good. At least, better than the typical comfort over fashion clothes she liked to wear while working.
All dolled up.
And stood up.
In a place she could maybe afford an appetizer or salad if she got Davrin to cover groceries this week.
This was awful—a complete, utter waste of time.
Sighing, she hung her head and contemplated just leaving. She’d been waiting there over an hour, and it was early enough in the evening that she could grab takeout before heading home. Assan would likely abandon his owner for the night to join her on the couch. She’d just need to pay for her drink first.
The clink of a glass being set down drew the elvish woman out of her thoughts. The bartender was standing before her, having just replaced her spritz.
“Oh, no. I was just going to ask for the bill.” She tried to push the drink back towards him, only to be stopped.
“Already paid for.” He shook his head before gesturing further down the bar. “Courtesy of the gentleman over there.”
Following his gaze, Eliana was met by something she hadn’t expected.
Almost at the other end of the bar was a very well-dressed older man. He was in a pair of grey dress pants with a matching blazer that fit him so well, and it must have been tailored. She could see a little bit of a maroon turtle neck also peeking out of the blazer.
Well, she said older, but that didn’t mean much coming from her. She was, after all, in her thirties. Still, she could see he was at least older than her between his mostly greying hair -styled perfectly- and laugh lines. That pencil-thin moustache wasn’t as popular with those her age, but seemed to suit him perfectly. It gave him a bit of old-timey charm even.
His eyes seemed to catch hers as she looked over immediately, and she felt a flutter in her chest when they seemed to light up. Even more so when he gave her a gentle smile, tipped his glass in her direction. It wasn’t a fake smile either, or one of those ones she’d been on the receiving end of more times than she could count when at the Hanged Man. It was the genuine type, the one that reached your eyes.
The one that prompted an equally soft smile from her in response.
“He got stood up too.” The bartender spoke up, cleaning a glass when her head snapped back towards him.
“What?” She questioned, brows furrowed.
“He got here just before you.” He continued, smirking. “That’s his second gimlet, too. He nursed the first for over an hour.” Glancing back over, her eyes darted to the nearly full glass before the man. “Shame. Was real sweet when he ordered yours.” There was a knowing look in his face when Eliana looked back at him as if he knew the thoughts going through her head.
For a moment, she seemed to debate with herself. Accepting drinks from strangers wasn’t something she did. At least not any more.
Though this entire night wasn’t something she did, he did seem nice enough, and was in the same boat as her if the bartender was to be believed.
Biting her lip, she seemed to go over the choice in her head a final time before sighing and slipping off the chair. Taking a small sip of the spritz for courage, she took a final deep breath and walked the short distance to his seat. Each step punctuated by the faint click of her heel on the floor, until she stood before him.
She seemed to have grabbed his attention the moment she’d gotten out of her seat. His eyes hadn’t left her the entire walk over, and now that she stood in front of him, she noted how he could still look her right in the eyes despite being seated.
Creators, he was tall.
“Thank you.” She cleared her throat, forcing herself to stay something before she ended up just standing there, staring. “For the drink, I mean. You didn’t need to.”
“Think nothing of it, my dear.” He smiled, waving off her thanks. “You had been sitting there for so long, it was the least I could do. Though whoever left you there was a fool.” He added, his expression seeming to soften.
“I could say the same to you.” She countered. “If you’ve really been sitting here the entire time yourself.” Before she could think of her words, she’d added “Unless sitting and staring at random strangers is a pastime of yours.”
As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she was kicking herself. She always had an issue with speaking before thinking, and this was a fabulous time for it to kick in. However, before she could apologize, the handsome stranger had let out a chuckle.
“While I enjoy people watching as much as the next person, that’s better suited for a coffee shop with a good book I can peek out over.” There was a twinkle in his eye that had her relaxing a little, the man not bothered by her awkward attempt at a joke. “Alas, it appears we’ve been both jilted this evening.”
“Shame.” Eliana tilted her head, smiling just a little more. “Either way, thank you for the drink.” Her eyes darted to the empty stool beside him, and then back to him. “Do you mind if I join you? At least for a little bit?”
His eyes seemed to light up a little, and he made a flourishing gesture to the stool. In doing so, she could see how the light from the crystal chandeliers above glinted off a series of rings that adorned his fingers.
“Of course! I’d be remiss to say no. Please, have a seat Ms…” He trailed off, one eyebrow raising in a silent request for her name.
“Eliana.” She offered. “Just Eliana, please.” Setting her drink down, she carefully slid onto the stool, her body angling towards him more. “And you’re?”
“Emmrich.” He held his hand out for her, though when she went to shake it, he immediately raised it a little while he bent over like one of those knights would do in the novels Bellara always had in her bag. “Pleased to meet you, Eliana.” The way he looked at her had the tips of her ears heating up with a hint of blush.
“You too, Emmrich.”
Maybe, just maybe, this night wasn’t a complete waste.