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Saturday nights began much the same as always, slow and steady. Trivia Night starts two hours after they open, so the crowd hadn't really come in yet. Riley takes their time setting up the microphone and starting the prep work. Clara is sitting in her spot at the bar as usual, always the first one in, with a takeout box from Jade's and an Experiment already waiting. Usually they would be chatting with Nat, who MC's the event, but ve had caught a bug from vir kid and was out of commission. Luckily ve has been letting two other regulars help out with the event and they'd agreed to take over hosting for the night.
Speak of the devil, Anne and Sam walk in through the door. They brighten up the room instantly, just like they always do. It's a gift that Riley has always admired. They'd bet money that if you dropped the pair of sisters into a room full of hardened criminals they'd be able to walk out of the room with two new pen-pals and several lives changed.
"You've really outdone yourselves this time." Clara comments on their outfits, twin glittering pantsuits with Sam in red and Anne in blue.
"Like we're supposed to not look our best for our first gig?" Anne smiles. "I invited my whole team from work!"
"Plus everyone else she knows." Sam rolls her eyes before heading back to the small stage, adjusting the mic stand's height.
"Speaking of, my mom and dad are coming as well. Would you mind just adding their stuff to my tab for the night? I'll handle it after we're done."
"No need, everything's on the house for the night." A few more customers walk through the door, but Annes' dramatic gasps stops Riley from greeting them immediately.
"No! Riley that's too much. You're already paying us. We don't need special treatment or anything."
"Nothing special about it." They shake their head. "You're doing some work for me, so you're technically my employees for the night. I don't make employees pay when they're working. That's a dick move."
Anne can't fight the smile off of her face. "You're the absolute best. Have I ever told you that before?"
"Just about every week."
Sarah comes in with her usual group of friends, sans Lee until her shift ends, and take over the table next to the arcade games. There's something wonderful in the mundane routines that have sprung up in Triangle. The friendships that have bloomed and joy that fills every crevice. If Riley let's themselves think about it for too long they get a bit teary eyes.
There's more business casual flitting through the crowd tonight than normal, but it's not uncommon for work teams to take a night off here. Especially when there's a prize on the line. Several are chatting with Sam and Anne, and one girl with short blue hair is definitely flirting with Sam. That'll be fun to dissect later on. An older couple approaches the sisters and are met with hugs before being led over to the bar.
"Mrs. and Mr. Best, I presume?"
"Guilty as charged." Mr. Best laughs, extending a hand. "But please, just call me Grant."
His handshake is firm and solid, though everything else about him is incredibly soft. The look he gives his family, the well worn sweater-vest he wears, the beard grown out just enough to curl into itself and streaked with grey. His glasses are a deep shade of purple, only a few shades away from being black.
"And I'm Destiny. You've got a wonderful place here, I'm not surprised the girls come so often." She shakes their hand as well, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear. She's wearing a lilac sweater dress and is evidently where the girls get their looks from. She has Anne's eyes and Sam's sly, soft smile.
"What can I get you two?"
"A cosmopolitan, if you don't mind." Destiny answers easily.
"The girls tell me your something of a wizard with your cocktails." Grant grins. "I want you to surprise me!"
Riley gets the couple settled as Sam and Anne head back to their conversation.
Their eyes are drawn back to Sarah's small group, and the laughing new girl who's sat down with them. She hasn't come around much, but Riley remembers her cute frog-themed bag. Leah. She's grown up visiting family here every summer but only just moved in, still considers herself new and is trying to find where she fits in it all. Sarah will be good for her, she seems to specialize in helping people find a place to belong.
Just before the official starting time, Lee finally makes her way into the bar. She sits next to Sarah and takes to teasing Leah fairly quickly. Riley lets themself chuckle. They'll be getting on like a house on fire in no time.
Sam signals them one final time, getting the go-ahead, and then begins the nights festivities.
Mid-way through Riley finds themselves caught up in conversation by a new face. Sweet eyes and long blonde hair, asking tentatively about the singles night advertised. It quickly slides into questions about her lockscreen and then talk about the horse she apparently owns, Daisy Bell, and suddenly Riley has herself a contact if she's ever looking to become a rancher.
Suzie goes back to her group of friends, all dressed in business casual, and Riley knows that they'll be seeing more of her around soon enough.
Cheers swell from table six, as another regular answers one of the harder questions of the night. Riley isn't too surprised though, Zoey often brings her tablet to sketch at the bar. They've had plenty of chats about anime. If anyone was going to get that question, it would be her. This is the first time she's come in with other people though, co-workers if Riley had to guess. Zoey isn't exactly a social butterfly by her own accounts. (Still, with how the group acts around her, she may be selling herself short.)
Lee heckles from the back, and Sarah piles on, but they know when to quit. Especially since Riley has proven they can and will kick them out if things get to be too much. Anyhow it's become less heckling and more light teasing lately, especially with the other regulars. They're all finding their own rhythm and ways of interacting.
(Get it together, Verselis. You get emotional over the mundane joys of life after the night ends. Why is it so easy to get themselves to tear up lately?)
Then, someone heckles back. Someone from table four, sat with just a small trio of friends. The woman standing is familiar, but Riley has never had a proper chat with her. They didn't catch exactly what was said, but it has Sarah and Leah gasping and laughing at Lee, who seems entirely off balance at someone matching her snark in the heat of the moment.
Table Six goes home with the prize tonight, a voucher for a free group meal at Jade's Garden (which Riley had insisted was far too much, but their neighbors wouldn't hear of it. Citing Riley's own words from that interview about supporting local businesses), and make their plans on when to cash in. The rest of the table leaves and Zoey takes her usual spot at the bar. The trio from four are still hanging around as well, and Riley watches as Leah makes her way over to them, introducing herself.
Suzie has ended up in a coversation with the Best family, laughing over something while Sam and Anne pack up the stage.
A new face sits down at the bar, who Clara seems to recognize. Riley takes the man's order before turning back so cleaning the glasses.
Table four has left, moving back with Leah to the arcade games where Sarah is elbowing a bright red Lee.
As the night peters on, the bar mellows out. Regulars leave, new faces come and go, and eventually it's just Riley, Anne, and Zoey. Anne is helping to close up, and Zoey has focused entirely on her tablet. She only snaps out of it when Riley has to wipe down the counter right in front of her.
"Oh my! I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to stay so late--"
"It's fine, don't worry about it. We're not even technically closed yet."
Anne peaks over her shoulder. "That looks really good! You're an artist?" Riley takes their own peak, instead of the usual comic panels and character designs it’s a sketch of the bar itself. A still life, they think it’s called? (Does it count as a landscape if you’re inside?)
Zoey flushes, looking away in that shy, cute way she always does, nodding slowly. “Just on the side.”
”She does that comic I told you about. Love to Go-Go.”
That get’s Anne’s memory in gear. She gasps dramatically and sits down next to Zoey.
“Shut up! I just binge read all of that the other weekend! I’m obsessed!”
Riley finishes things on their own, letting Anne geek out. It’s worth it to see the glow Zoey leaves with.