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The clock right above the bar had been broken long enough that nobody questioned it anymore. Well, maybe Vi did. The minute hand twitched occasionally, technically showing the right time twice a day. What was the point of keeping that thing anyway? It would be a much better idea for Powder to just take it and use its parts in one of her projects.
Still, there it hung above the shelves of bottles, dusted and crooked, showing the correct time again. Closing time.
Vander had already locked the main door, getting rid of the last drunk patrons. Vi stood behind the counter, polishing the wooden surface with a rag, humming to the playlist she had picked herself. The best one, of course.
Fridays were the worst to be on bar duty, as if people couldn’t wait for the weekend to start, and all of them decided to loosen up a bit on that one particular workday.
Now that the space was emptied, there was just the old man and Vi, and as tired as they clearly were, they didn’t show any hint of it. There was a reason for that, though.
“Try not to break anything this time, will ya?” Vander stood at the door, ready to leave for the night.
“Yeah, yeah, I know,” Vi nodded, throwing the rag over her shoulder. “It’d still be better than the last time you played with us.” Vi cocked a brow at him, placing her hands on her hips. Vander laughed out loud, his deep voice filled the empty bar and synced with the jukebox music.
“Don’t even get me started on that.” He pointed a finger at her playfully and turned around, only to collide with Powder jumping out of the basement.
“Fifty-two pick—!” she shouted just before she bumped into the broad man’s chest - the cards she was about to throw went flying across the bar. Vander didn’t even flinch, just wrapped his arms around the skinny body in front of him and stepped around her on his way out.
“Hey!” Vi called out, and before Powder could register what was happening, she got hit by a stream of water from the glass rinser Vi had on hand. “How many times do I have to say it? Cut it out. And pick up the damn cards!”
“Have fun, kiddos.” Vander left, waving them off. Powder slouched on the barstool in front of Vi, resting her chin in her palms.
“That is not how it works,” she sing-songed and ignored the mess she just created with a wide grin plastered to her face, never breaking eye contact.
“If you’re not gonna do it, you’re getting the cold rinse. Don’t test me.” Vi aimed the nozzle at her, making her recoil instantly.
“What the fuck?” Ekko appeared at the back door, taken aback by the unusual sight of the bar. Vi looked back for a moment, just to spot him placing his skateboard against the wall, and another deck of cards flying around them all a second after.
“ONE HUNDRED AND FOUR PICKUP, BITCH!”
Vi didn’t even flinch, just pressed the button and sprayed Powder from head to toe, making her shriek and fall from the stool. Vi leaned over the bar, bracing herself on the counter as she aimed the stream of water straight at Powder, while Ekko shook his head and quietly removed himself from the live chaos show.
“Shouldn’t Jayce and Viktor already be here?” he asked, sitting at one of the tables. He didn’t get his answer, as the fight only got fiercer. The banging at the main door caught everyone's attention.
“Shit, I forgot Vander closed the door,” Vi mumbled, dropped the rinser in its place, and went to open it for them.
“You need to pick them up anyway, fat hands!” Vi heard behind her, and she flipped Powder off, not sparing her even a glance.
“Oh dear, what happened here?” Viktor’s eyes swept over the room, taking everything in, once the door opened.
“Ask Powder.” Vi rolled her eyes as the sound of the lock clicking was completely drowned out by Jayce’s voice.
“How could you close the door, knowing we’re coming over? We stood there for at least five minutes!” He gestured wildly, ending with all five fingers spread.
“Calm down, pretty boy.” Vi went past him. “You’re inside now. How about you get your ass in a seat, huh?”
Jayce opened his mouth for a split second and shook his head shortly after. “Wow… Vi. What the hell?”
Viktor grabbed his shoulder gently, encouraging him to get further inside. “Well, now you actually can close the door,” he said, nodding toward the entrance. Nobody wanted interruptions, like that one time a group of drunk pricks stormed inside and thought it would be fun to join total strangers in their game. Unlucky for them. Very much in the hosts’ favour.
“No, don’t close it!” Powder shouted, scrambling up from the floor, drawing every eye in the room.
“Pow, don’t.” Vi grabbed the green cloth they used as fancy attire while playing. She already knew what Powder was going to say. “Don’t even try to tell me you invited someone. AGAIN.” She said it firmly and dropped the fabric in front of Ekko. He didn’t ask questions, just took the thing and smoothed it out on the table.
“Hey, I’m not the only one who did that!” Powder approached them the moment Jayce and Viktor sat down opposite Ekko. Nobody dared to tease them anymore about how their shoulders kept brushing. As if bluffing and keeping the game private didn’t even matter to them.
“You’re the only one that brings nerds who cannot have fun,” Ekko countered, “Where do you even get these people from?” The silence that fell after that wasn’t uncomfortable, just… knowing. Powder folded her arms across her chest in defiance, but didn’t say a word as if the deadly stare was the only answer they needed.
“Who is it this time?” Vi sighed and went behind the counter again to prepare their usual drinks. The music in the background changed to something a little calmer, like it was there only to clash with the mood.
“Uh…” Powder shifted her weight and looked down at her wet clothes, as if it made her realise just now that she was totally drenched. “Caitlyn?”
“WHAT?!” Vi and Jayce exclaimed in unison.
“No way, she doesn’t know shit about poker.” Jayce laughed. Technically, Caitlyn was his friend, but they had grown apart since they started college. Anything for the sake of science, apparently.
“Doesn’t mean she can’t learn!” Powder stood her ground, “‘Sides, if she can outplay me in chess, she’s good enough for poker, too.” She looked him up and down and snorted, one brow lifting.
“Since when you play chess?” Vi chuckled behind them.
“Since when you care, dumbass?” Powder slouched on the chair next to Viktor, who fiddled with his crane, waiting patiently for the usual charade to end. Nobody seemed to notice Vi’s shaking hands while she poured their drinks into glasses. Having Caitlyn here would be fucking hilarious. Suddenly, she regretted doing her makeup so lightly tonight. There was no chance it could hide the blush. Caitlyn was fucking hot. Like, hot hot. Hot in a way in which the outgoing Vi forgot how language worked. She avoided any interaction with her altogether, just to keep her dignity intact. And for what? She was on the fucking spot right now.
Jayce stood up to collect the cards after a brief exchange of looks with Viktor that he clearly lost, while Powder disappeared in the basement.
The quiet and polite knocking at the door would’ve probably been missed if not for the jukebox that stopped working all of a sudden. The silence filled the space between them as they looked at each other, wondering who should let the unexpected guest in.
“Didn’t Pow tell you to leave the door open?” Ekko stood up from his chair eventually, not waiting for a response, since he seemed to be the only one aware of what was going on in Vi’s head. Yeah, Vi just stared at the door wide-eyed.
Shortly after the navy-haired, long-legged, posh, and polite Caitlyn stood in front of the counter with a shy smile, Vi busied herself with the glasses that were all done already. She wanted to ask what drink she’d like. She just nodded toward the bottles behind her instead, raising her eyebrow, trying the hardest to look unaffected.
“Scotch, neat, would be nice,” Caitlyn said gently, leaning on the counter.
Don’t stare at her.
She looked down at her own Scotch in front of her. No fucking way she just asked for the same damn thing. When she lifted her head, there was another blue-haired figure in sight, swaying her hips in a mocking little dance, pointing fingers at her and mouthing something that looked suspiciously like oooh, look at you, little flustered thing.
Vi’s eyes narrowed at her. Caitlyn tilted her head slightly.
“Is there something wrong with ordering Scotch?” she asked. Vi blinked, the heat rushing straight to her face.
“No- I mean… yeah, no, it’s- it’s fine,” she stammered, already reaching for the bottle.
Behind Caitlyn, the whole room burst out laughing. Caitlyn seemed completely oblivious of the reason.
“Come on, let’s get to it already,” Ekko asked, taking the deck of cards from Jayce. “I have no idea how we’re gonna do it with this wet shit.”
They all sat down eventually and began to play. Soon after the first bets were placed, it became obvious that Caitlyn, indeed, had no idea how to play, which would make things easier for Vi if not for Caitlyn sitting next to her and asking questions all the time. If not for her leaning in. If not for the whispering. If not for Vi’s shivers running down her spine every fucking time she did that.
Keeping her face straight was impossible at this point, but somehow, it turned out to be an advantage for Vi. She didn’t even need to bluff; everyone thought she was too lost in the game to pay attention, and yet she managed to take cog after cog, calling it “fool's luck”.
“Bullshit!” Powder threw her hands in the air. “I’m not playing with you. What the fuck, sis?”
“Wanna chicken out?” Vi smirked at her and immediately noticed Caitlyn’s glee, while she inspected the cards that Ekko passed around them again. Powder huffed and picked up her cards angrily, staring them down with a serious expression.
“You play well, Powder.” Viktor tried to encourage her. “Give it a try.”
“Shut up, Viktor,” she shot back. “You’re next in line to get decapitated.”
After so many rounds, Vi got more comfortable in Caitlyn’s presence. Even more so when she was convinced she had absolutely nothing on her hands. And getting close to the end of the round, she was certain Caitlyn would either fold or lose. She kept raising the bets until she finally met Vi’s.
“You’re gonna run out of those shiny cogs pretty soon, cupcake,” she muttered, bumping her shoulder. It wouldn’t hurt to push these things a little forward. Right? What’s the worst that could happen?
Caitlyn glanced at the pile of cogs in front of her and then opened her purse, tilting it slightly toward Vi. That pile wasn’t small either, which made Vi blink.
“Alright,” she dragged the word out, leaning back in her chair. “Maybe not that soon.”
Caitlyn just smiled gently, and Ekko placed the next card on the table.
Oh, that was perfect. Vi pushed a few more cogs forward.
“Raise.” Jayce folded immediately, and Viktor followed after a moment of deeper thought. Powder’s cards flew abruptly and scattered on the table, and a loud groan followed her initial hesitation.
That left Caitlyn. She studied the table for a while. “So what happens if I call?”
“Then you lose.” Vi grinned, locking her eyes with Caitlyn’s as she raised her eyebrow and slid a stack of cogs into the pot.
“Call,” she said simply. Vi tapped the table, thinking. She nodded slightly.
“You know what, let’s make it more interesting,” she said, catching everyone’s attention. “If you win, all drinks are on me. For a month.”
Caitlyn studied Vi’s face for a good couple of seconds, hesitating.
“Okay…” she muttered, looking back at her cards. “Three months.”
A soft, impressed murmur spread among them, and Vi was struggling to keep her face straight. It couldn’t get any better than it already was. Caitlyn had nothing, and Vi didn’t even have to guess.
“You got a deal,” Vi responded. “On three?”
Caitlyn nodded, and after the short countdown, they revealed their cards. Vi’s straight and…
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Vi stared at the cards, stunned. A full motherfucking house?! The quiet ooohs and whoas reached her ears one heartbeat later, and she turned to face Caitlyn. All that nervousness and hesitation gone, replaced by the infuriating smug look. It made Vi want to stand, throw a chair and leave right away… grab her fucking ponytail and shout straight in her face at the same time.
“And here’s for that rookie, who didn’t fucking know how to play.” Jayce raised his glass and took a sip.
“I never said I didn’t know how bluffing works. Or statistics,” Caitlyn explained with the tiniest shrug. “I’m a fast learner, too.”
“Impressive.” Ekko clicked his glass with Powder, who suddenly appeared proud both of herself and the guest she brought in. But Vi just couldn’t get over it and kept staring at Caitlyn. She didn’t even know if she was angry or astonished anymore.
“Where did you learn all this?” Vi’s tone turned from shocked to amazed.
“Here and there,” Caitlyn stated. “Reading people is a very useful trait at the police station.”
Powder choked on her drink and slapped her glass on the table. “You…” she said through gritted teeth. “What the hell, Kiramman?!” She stood from her chair abruptly, flipping it over.
“Alright,” Ekko adjusted the chair and dragged Powder down by her shoulder. “We should call it a night, eh?”
“I’m going out for a smoke.” Vi shook her head once again, took her jacket and left.
The cool air outside was a nice shift from the closed space they’d just spent the last couple of hours in. She leaned against the cold wall and lit up her cigarette. On the second drag, she noticed Caitlyn walking out as well, rubbing her arms to warm up. The nearest lamppost caught the light on her silhouette, and Vi immediately forgot how to breathe again. Thank god for that cig.
“I’m sorry.” Caitlyn joined her and pulled out her own smokes. “I… couldn’t resist.”
“That’s the game, no need to feel sorry about it.” Vi breathed the smoke out and offered to light the thing for her with a sly smile. Caitlyn raised an eyebrow, but she leaned in anyway. “That was… Quite spectacular, you know?” Vi met her eyes for a second before the flame caught the white tip.
Caitlyn exhaled slowly and snorted. “Imagine what happens the next time you challenge me,” her voice came out lower than Vi expected, making her bite the inside of her cheek.
“Don’t tempt me,” she murmured and looked away, but the lopsided smile was impossible to hide.
“I can’t promise that, darling.” Caitlyn took a long drag and walked off. A few steps further, she glanced over her shoulder, not bothering to stop. “Maybe I like tempting you,” she called and soon disappeared around the corner, leaving Vi with her cigarette between her fingers, burning to the filter on its own.