Work Text:
"Just a minute!"
The blue haired tornado twirled away from the counter, holding a full pitcher meant for the mayor's table.
She acknowledged the artists' table, and flashes smiles all around.
Friday nights are always the busiest, even for a town this small, and despite the daily long shifts, Emily smiles.
She walks back behind the counter, wiping the spill from Pam's umpteenth pint, hands Gus the pencil he was looking for, and starts wiping the glasses freshly out of the dishwasher, humming as she removes every trace of condensation.
"How d'you do it?"
"Do what?" She replies to the gruff voice without looking up.
"Jus'…all this. With a smile on and everythin'."
Emily giggles, picking another steaming glass. "Why wouldn't I be smiling?" She says, grabbing Shane's empty glass. "With you around, someone's GOT to lighten up the mood."
"Guess I deserve that one." Shane chuckles, stretching. He looks around at everyone chatting, dancing, playing. "You never wanted to join 'em?"
"Again, why?"
"Cause you're like, y'know…" Shane gestures at the other folks enjoying their night.
The barmaid shakes her head, putting the last clean glass on the shelf behind her. She had a few reasons. Work responsibilities were an obvious one. Did she want to relax and enjoy a drink with friends? Of course. Was she ever jealous of them all for doing so? Not one bit. For all the jokes she missed, the laughs she wasn't a part of, the conversations, the celebrations, she knows she wouldn't swap her place with anyone.
She shrugs, concealing a yawn.
Shane chortles as he catches Emily sneakily looking at the clock. "Long night?"
"Fridays can get real busy." She looks around, trying to see if anyone needs her, a refill, an ear, and smiles at all the eyes she get locked with, sighing contently, nobody is waiting for a refill. "It's almost time for you to turn in isn't it?"
"Yep." Shane nods. "When Marnie left she made sure to scold me from the door." He laughs.
Emily snickers, remembering Shane's aunt's scowl, which was probably directed more at Lewis than her nephew. "Care to join me in some apple juice?"
Shane raises his eyebrows. "Taking a stroll on the wild side?"
"That's just a too much sugar for me alone, thought you'd want to share." She doesn't wait for his answer, already cracking the small glass bottle open and pouring two glasses.
"I mean, sure, but too much sugar? For a sweet tooth like you?" He laughs, thanking her for the glass.
"More than you know." Her pearly grin wide toward her tired friend. "Should we toast?"
"To what?"
"To the wild side?"
A small chuckle, and Shane raises his glass of grape juice. "To your weird wild side?"
"To your weird wild side." Emily repeats, clanking her glass with Shane's, his smile spreading beyond the glass.
"Haven't had fruit juice in ages." Shane drops the empty glass back on the counter, wiping his lips. "Jas makes it a point not to share her juice boxes with me." He pouts jokingly, glad to hear Emily's giggle.
She opens her bright eyes to his, creased on their corner by his smile. As Shane jumps off the stool, she lets out a languid sigh between her smiling lips. "You have a good night then, Shane."
"Yeah, you too Em'." He shakes, slightly stumbling from the drinking, and settles himself, digging his fists into his pockets. With a sheepish smile, he turns back to the counter, surprised to see Emily still looking at him, her large smile under her bright sapphires eyes.
And he's gone.
"I'll be fine to close on my own."
Emily stands from leaning on the wet counter, opening wide eyes to her employer. "It's Friday, I can't let you do that!"
"I said I'll be fine." Gus furrows his brows at her direction, a big smile under his mustache. "You go home now."
"What's gotten into you?" Emily blushes, wiping the counter frantically. Surely it could not be that visible, to anyone.
"Take an early night, I swear I'll be fine." He winks, grabbing the empty glass from Pam's reach without even looking. "You just go ahead, no use in staying here on your lonesome." A warm laugh explodes from his belly as he winks again, laughing even louder at Emily's blush reaching the tip of her ears.
So she slowly leaves the Saloon, with a last long look at her employer who shoos her with a friendly face. The sting of the cold metal of the door handle sparks something in her head. Shane would already be far on his way to the ranch. Too far for her to reach him.
She shakes her head. The thought making her giggle, awkwardly, and she opens the door, slowly closing it behind her. And as she climbs down the set of stairs, she looks up at the sky.
"Oof!"
Emily bumps into the dark figure who also has his nose up to the stars.
"I'm sorry!" They both start, before laughing.
"Early night?" Shane says, clearing his throat.
"Beautiful sky." Emily replies, looking at it in Shane's blunt, but bright, eyes. "What are you doing out there?" She asks, finally realising.
A half-smile creases his cheek as he looks away, a hand on the back of his head. "I… I guess I was looking at the sky too."
"Looking for answers?"
"S'pose! But then ya bumped into me." Shane smiles, his eyes not daring to stay on Emily's cheerful face, the myriad of stars reflecting in her happy eyes, exploding like sparkles on a canvas.
"I wonder what it means." She says, looking back up, quizzically inspecting the sky, looking for Shane's question, perhaps, her head falling on her shoulder.
"Yeah…" Shane whispers back, his fingers now shyly grabbing Emily's who keeps her eyes on the black sky, a shiver coursing through both of them, before letting the remnants of sweet apple juice from her lips to his.