Work Text:
Summer Florida heat was seeping in through the open small town Bar door.
There was an air of excitement that would follow anyone daring enough to see it. Branch was not one of those people.
They were safe in their own little box of neutral expressions and sarcastic comebacks. It was safety blanket, like their own cozy corner of the word only their knew. Relationships, unpredictable, kissing, could be disappointing, and anything further was just to risky with someone who could possible be the wrong person. They were content to live life on a lifeboat, it was really comfortable, they were not exactly the romantic type regardless.
The summer job opening at Jr’s Bar seemed like a good idea at the time. Bars were loud and filled with drunk people who were way to too pleased with physical affection. But there was one big draw for Branch , free drinks, and hours that did not conflict with their day schedule.
Branch was semi-familiar with the owner, a young man who wanted to give the people of the town a comfortable place to enjoy drag and dancing just outside the city like its own little secret. He apparently inherited the building, but Branch was never one to make too much personal conversation.
-~~
It was a quiet night, well as quiet as a bar could be. Only nine o clock, Branch sighed – It was going to be a long night last couple hours had been going so slow.
The lights were still on high, no wonder everything seemed so dead, who was in charge- dj Fuzz whatever his name was, Branch fronwed at the memory,short green haired dj and his friends being too busy dancing to pay attention the last time they tried to ask a question.
Before Branch could brood too much on the memory the lights dimmed.
Drag show night.
Branch could appreciate a good outfit- but the light show was a bit harsh on their eyes, and the music choice was never something they would personally enjoy.
Everyone stilled like they knew something Branch didn’t, big deal, everyone seems to go crazy and they just didn’t get it.
Like a lighting bolt Branch was struck by a wonderful warm feeling when the performer walked out.
Beautiful feather like head piece accentuated by a pinstripe suit that highlighted his curves, pink makeup against mocha colored skin outlining his face behind heart shaped glasses. and for the first time Branch understood what all the talk of someone giving you butterflies was about.
They continued to clean and work but their gaze constantly shifted to the drag king who was singing his heart out, with an absolutely angelic voice that filled the place with an atmosphere that dripped like honey with care and warmth. he was working the crowd, letting the light hit him like a blanket of stars reflecting on the glitter on his face.
Branch was staring .
Ten o clock, the dishes seemed to drag on forever as their coworker worked the front. Suki was doing her typical party tricks, tipping the bottle of vodka while lifting it above her head, getting a few wide eyes from the bar usuals. But Branch couldn’t pay attention, the glittery make up was taking up their thoughts like a trap, one maybe they weren’t complaining about, but the thought of admitting it was terrifying.
Suddenly everything felt too stuffy, their outfit felt too scratchy and they were suddenly very aware of everything around them, not like a calm wave of awareness but a harsh pulling tide of self awareness that send prickles down their skin.
Branch didn’t stare, Branch didn’t get flustered …11 pm now -shifts almost over they could get a drink an enjoy the show, a part of their brain screamed no, this is a bad idea, you don’t sit and watch, you leave and go home like you always do.
Life had other plans for Branch, they continued to mindlessly clean the countertops, despite the fact that they were sparkling clean. They knew it was a mindless distraction but it kept their thoughts busy, thoughts that were way too sappy and wholehearted for their liking.
It was approaching 12 am, clock out time. The ticking of the clock a loud reminder that time was passing by agonizingly slow. The bar had quieted down again after the performance was over, but branch’s thoughts hadn’t. The glimmer of pink feathers washing over a blue pinstripe suit kept taunting their thoughts like a siren, and the worst part is that they almost didn’t mind the flash of color in their typically dull and beige headpspace. Their hands fiddled with the towel rag, deep down they knew that things would end poorly, Like a truth they couldn’t escape.
“Hey-how are ya?” a cheerful greeting made Branch looked up from their mindless task. It was him, the drag king, and Branch almost did a spit take, this couldn’t be happening.
Their vision was suddenly surrounded by everything pink and glittery,Like nothing else in the word had ever made sense before.
“…hello” a response came slow and unsteady, like something they had to spin in their head a thousand times.
“So” the drag king continued, ignoring Branch’s impending panic “when do you get off”
“Get off?” they asked as if surely they were just hearing things.
“Yeah, like-when are you getting off so I can buy you a drink” the pink king explained, a smile never leaving his face. “You were watching me- and I wanted to learn more about you” he smiled.
“I wasn’t- I didn’t mean-I” Branch quickly spat out.
“Hey -hey- I wasn’t complaining, but I do think we should be on a fist name basis” the king reached out his hand “I’ve been thinking you familiar you look all night,it just finally hit me. It’s me poppy-from highschool!”
“Yeah I remember ..”they said hesitantly, their brain still screaming about everything that could possibly go wrong now.
She knew you …at your worst.
‘You used to be so close why are you so nervous?’their brain reminded loudly. What if she remembers what a angry and bitter you used to be?and drinking? That was a sure way to embarrass themselves. No- the answer should be no. there’s no good reason to have a drink with someone who you know could read you like a book. They should know better, their mind tried to advise. But for some reason they weren’t saying no, in fact the corners of their lips seemed to give way to the faintest of smiles. A disconnection of the heart and mind, a dangerous combination.
“Sure” Branch replied at the same time their inner thoughts screamed no.
“How about a round of lemon shots?im paying” the pinkquette smiled in the way they could see the performer’s eyes behind the hot pink glasses, barely, just barely able to make out his light brown eyes that looked like liquid gold against the pink eyeshadow and the orange bar lights.
Stop it, Branch looked away embarrassed at the fact they were having such sappy thoughts, their eyes deciding to scan anywhere else, eventually landing on the shot glasses in front of them. The drag king seemed to notice this shift in attitude and he acted “so, how’s your shift been? Poppy asked, a smirk slowly building on her face. She clearly only wanted to hear Branch speak. Branch choose to ignore this fact before it made them melt into a puddle of overly sweet and romantic thoughts that felt like stepping into a dangerous territory.
This is going to end the same way it did years ago, their inner voice reminded of a first relationship that ended in complete embarrassment. There was a nagging voice of hesitation and fear, but louder was a feeling of possibility, the possibility of a fun night where they let loose and enjoy with someone else, maybe one night wouldn’t be so bad, just one night of fun- that would be all, then they could go back to their safe place of avoidance.
“Do you want to talk work, or do you want to have shots?” Branch quipped while pouring both of them a drink.
She laughed and winked at the bar tender, picking up the glass and downing quickly it in a way that almost seemed intentionaly flirtatious. Her eyes took in their uniform in a way that sent a chill down her spine. Their resolve was melting in a fire of pink and glittery flames dawning a smile that for a moment made them feel like they mattered.
- just one night, one night and they could move on.
The conversation started lightly, mostly about how highschool used to be, small things and projects they’re both been up to. The way they feel into a rhythm of back and forth discussions that felt so familiar yet scary.
“Your aunt?”
“Yeah she’s my manager …”
“That’s terrifying” Branch let themselves smile, and poppy chuckled at their disbelief.
If was like they were teens again, gossiping anout anything and everything. Because Nrach was always the pariah kid for getting into fights, and poppy was the new kid, they’ve always talked like time didn’t matter.
Branch was trying their best to keep their heart close to their chest, having the idea that they would likely not see eachother again after this. They wanted to see Poppy again but, it was also unrealistic. A celebrity didn’t have time for someone like them.
Actually …
Why was she here, on the other side of town from where her rich family lived. They wondered if they should ask, or if it wasn’t their business.
“Can I-umm- ask you something kinda a little more
serious?”Poppy fiddled with her hands.
“Uhhh yeah…”
“Why ….” Poppy seemed to uncharacteristically loose her confidence “why did we stop talking?”
Like a freight train to the heart, Branch could feel all their senses sink into a feeling of guilt and shame. There was a reason, but they never wanted to bother her with their problems.
“I was going through a lot senior year…. It wasn’t your fault”
Poppy didn’t respond. The pinkquette instead fiddled with her glass, it made Branch’s heart ache even more. They couldn’t stand to see her sad, they had to do something.
“But I’m really glad we met again” Branch smiled, even though they were affraid of how vunerable that sounded.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah”
“Besides, I’ve settled into life in this part of the city, got an apartment and everything”
“So sophisticated” poppy smiled with a hint or sarcasm.
They both laughed. It came easy.
suddenly it felt like the rest of the world didn’t matter, all of their previous inhibitions replaced by the way her smile curved into her eyes. Fear replaced by the way her makeup caught light like a galaxy full of stars, each perfect glitter reflecting like a constellation and they were suddenly an astronomer.
“You’re staring again” poppy noted, but there was no bite to her observation, in fact she seemed pleased- if not a bit flustered.
Branch, in their mostly tipsy state, couldn’t particularly care enough to hide the way their tension loosened, the way their body wanted to melt into itself to the point they were now resting their chin on their hand.
“I might be” Branch admitted, surprisingly without shame.
Poppy only chuckled, and it was so melodic.
“Alright” she checked her watch “it’s almost 3 am, I think we should call it a night”
Before Branch could entertain the idea of taking the bus home poppy spoke up
“I’ll drive you home”
A part of Branch wanted to refuse, but a bigger part that had lost any need for inhibition spoke louder.
It was a rundown apartment building. The foundation looked like it was easily over 50 years old, weeds grew from the small cracks in the cement. It was home, it was what a broke college student trying to start fresh could afford. Poppy seemed to keep on smiling despite the beige hallway colors,crooked wall artwork and the subtle sound of dripping water from a faulty rain gutter system.
When Branch reached their apartment door they barely registered that their hand wasn’t in their usual jacket pocket, instead almost instinctively intertwined with poppy’s. Who was using her other hand to take her make up off with a wipe from her bag… when did they start holding hands so casually? Branch’s mind spoke up for just a second before they were interrupted by a voice that seemed to quiet the world around it.
“…can I walk you in”
Say no you idiot.
There was a long pause.
No!
“Yes”
Branch woke up with a pounding headache that made them curl up protectively into a ball, taking the familiar blanket. Then they felt it.. the pull on the blanket …
No
Branch’s brain began to run through every other possibility like a plea. But when their eyes groggily opened they only saw pink locs draped on their pillow.
Shit