The Stagger Inn. It wasn’t the best of places but it wasn’t the worst either. There were some real dive bars out there but this particular establishment had a welcome, classical nature of its own. Actually, to the random passerby, it would often be compared to that television show, Praises, about a clean neighborhood bar that was filled with regulars and comedic shenanigans occurred. It was the kind of neighborhood place that people always wanted to be a part but tended to find themselves in far worse situations. But the Stagger Inn was different in that respect. It was safe. The locals were friendly. And anyone who came in to cause trouble usually had to face the stern-faced bartender with the gloved hands.

It was Roxie’s shift tonight. She normally hated the quiet but things were a little more lively as the television in the corner blared a repeat of the latest World Cup match. Of course few, if any, of the regulars were paying attention. They were mainly sitting, staring into their drinks, unwinding after a long day or lamenting the turn of their lives. Often times this spurred on other employees to try and help them, but Roxie knew her place. She wasn’t here to solve their problems, she was here to refill their drinks until they hit their limit. Not every problem needed an answer. Sometimes it just needed a shot.

Standing behind the counter, Roxie was busy cleaning glasses. She was dressed simply in jeans and a tank top. Black,, jeweled gloves covered her hands, allowing her to expertly move the tumbler, drying its inside, and setting it upside down on a nearby rack. There weren’t a lot of patrons in tonight so some of these glasses had never been dirty in the first place. But, to give herself something to do, the ex-dancer washed them again just to change the crushing lack of anything decent to do.

One more glass set aside and Roxie wandered down the counter where a much older man in a beige jacket and a page-boy hat over his stark white hair. His thick, white mustache hid the lonesome expression on his lips as he looked between his empty glass of brandy and the lone chess set next to him. Next to the board, taking the spot in front of an empty stool, was a photograph of a woman close to his own age.

Roxie smirked warmly as she stepped up with a bottle of brandy. ”How’s the game, Dennis?”

The man snorted. “Ester’s kicking my ass, as per usual.”

Roxie grinned as she poured the man a new drink. ”What’s that? Third game in a row?”

The old man picked up knight and moved it forward. He sighed as he picked up a piece from the opposing side and took his own knight with it. “Yeah. Seems even from the great beyond she can’t let me win a match.’

A soft chuckle and Roxie winked at the man, making him promise to flag her down if he needed another. As she marched back over to the other side, she spotted a new person had taken a seat at the counter. Draping the towel over her shoulder she picked up a small bowl of nuts and pretzels, sliding it over to them. ”Evening. What can I get you?”

Jay needed a drink. While the Stagger Inn wasn't really his usual stomping grounds, he was a little farther from home than usual. To say the canine-shifter'd had a rough evening would have been an understatement as he walked into the bar, wearing a dark blue tee shirt that brought out his eyes, a pair of torn blue jeans, though at a close glance, the skinned knee and scratched skin beneath those rips would show that the tears were fresh, and the jeans definitely weren't bought that way. Gym bag slung over his shoulder, he was also sporting a rather nasty red mark on his cheek.

He'd done a job for his...organization. Simple drop, but it didn't quite work out so simply. The job didn't go sideways, per se, seeing as how in the end, everything worked out okay. But it didn't go off without a hitch either, so it was decided that the job definitely went a bit more diagonal than intended. Yeah...definitely diagonal, especially with all that had gone on.

It was nights like this that he missed Khalil. He didn't have many friends in life, but his partner...no, his brother, had been pretty damn close. He wasn't sure what happened, but he knew he hadn't seen the guy in quite some time, and in their line of work, he feared the worst.

After what seemed like an eternity, Jay trudged to the bar, looking around and surveying the area; there were worse places one could go. And it wasn't that busy; while some would see that as a bad thing, to Jay it meant he had a shorter wait time for drinks--and he'd need a lot of those tonight--and less competition for any...company for the evening.

Almost as soon as the sandy blond, blue eyed mutant had sat at the bar, he was slid a small bowl of nuts and pretzels. He looked up at the woman, taking in the sight for a few moments.

"Rum and cola, if you don't mind," he said politely, groaning slightly. "And a small bag of ice, if you can manage," he said with a wince, bringing a hand to his face, slightly nursing the freshly tender skin on his jaw.

Roxie always kept her eyes open for interesting customers. Not that she mocked them, but she preferred the distraction rather than just sitting around, looking for trouble. The Stagger Inn made well enough business but it still seemed pretty slow in comparison to the bouncing jobs that she took to make ends meet. Those places were kinetic and full of energy; this place seemed more like where you go when you give up ever trying to find satisfaction in life. She loved the clientele but it was definitely not her favorite job; not unless she managed to find someone to pour her attention over and that was rare, especially now that Brick stopped coming around.

When she spotted a new person taking a seat at the bar, she automatically pushed over the bowl of nuts and pretzels, rattling off a practiced “what do you want?” but with much nicer packaging. As her eyes fell back upon the stranger, she paused and took a cursory glance. He looked rough but that was only a momentary thought -- the more prevalent was the fact that he had a rather handsome face. Adorable even.

He winced as he mulled his options over. Roxie paid closer attention. Strong body, sweet face, little banged up, all he needed was an accent and she was probably going to have a hard time concentrating the rest of the night. But Roxie merely stood by, now showing as much interest as she had by carefully cleaning the glass between her hand and the towel. It wasn’t until he began to speak that she set the glass down and slung the towel onto her shoulder.

>>"Rum and cola, if you don't mind...And a small bag of ice, if you can manage,"

She stared and then snorted. ”In a place like this? That's practically our special of the day, everyday.” Turning her back to him, she leaned down to grab a baggie from the bar’s personal stalk and filled it with a few ice cubes. As she returned to the man she handed over the baggie. ”Rough night?” she asked as she turned and began to get his drink together. What kind of bartender would she be if she didn’t converse with a handsome stranger or two?

There may have been a slight trace of Southern in Jay's voice; like drinking water from a glass that just had lemonade in it would have a hit of lemon to it. Usually, Jay faked exaggerated his accent to woo the ladies(many women were suckers for that Southern charm), but tonight...he just lacked the energy to keep up the act.

Though that didn't mean the woman tending to him hadn't caught his attention. She most certainly had, though he wasn't the type to stare. She snorted at his request, and that brought a smile to his face. “I guess I stumbled into the right place, then,” he said with a chuckle as he took the baggie and held it to his bruising face. “That means I'm one for two on that, anyhow,” he added smoothly.

The young man nodded. “Yeah,” he answered with a sheepish grin. “Went for a walk, took a wrong turn. Some guy tried to take my wallet. He didn't get it, but we both got a little something for our trouble. Figured after that, I deserve a drink. And having it served by a pretty lady….well my night’s not looking so rough anymore.”

Roxie gave the man a smirk as she went ahead and handed him his over-the-counter prescription. The bag immediately went to the man’s face as he smirked in appreciation. Something definitely told her that he was one that needed to be watched out for. Not in an overly villainous sort of way, but more in the vein of a wandering heartbreaker. She had seen the type drift into her bar before, even brought one or two of them home. Much like her, they were gone by morning. It was a good thing that Roxie didn’t freely give out her heart, but was just as free-spirited as most of those wanderers.

>>“I guess I stumbled into the right place, then...That means I'm one for two on that, anyhow,”

She smirked. It certainly sounded like he had had a rough go of it. She turned around, grabbing a clean glass and proceeded to prepare his drink. A simple affair, it wouldn’t take long to have his drink ready but she was curious as to what happened. So she inquired as the liquids were poured.

>>“Yeah...Went for a walk, took a wrong turn. Some guy tried to take my wallet. He didn't get it, but we both got a little something for our trouble. Figured after that, I deserve a drink. And having it served by a pretty lady….well my night’s not looking so rough anymore.”

Another grin crossed her lips as she set the glass down and pushed it across the surface towards him. Sweet talk was something that she was familiar with. How often had she been complimented, praised, and out-right asked out by random strangers and regulars alike? More in a week than she could practically count on her hand. It was par for the course for any bartender, it seemed. But Roxie rolled with with, tilting her head as she curled a few strands of hair behind her ear.

”Smooth,” she teased him. ”Sorry, sweetheart, despite your best lines, you still gotta pay for that drink.” She then just shook her head as she straightened up, hip jutted out as she spoke. ”At least you were able to get away without more than a few love taps. Seriously, this neighborhood’s going to ****,” she grumbled. ”You must not be from around here. Aside from a few of the regulars, few people take to the streets after nightfall anymore. What were you doing out?”

His free hand accepted the drink as it was slid towards him. He brought the glass to his lips, taking a sip as he looked the bartender over. He smirked as she teased him, taking another sip. "Who said these were my best lines?" he answered with a wink, before adding, "And what makes you think the drink is the one I'm trying to win over?" He kept the smirk plastered on his lips, but dialed back the flirting a bit--at least for now.

"I'm not from this neck of the woods, no," he answered, his voice growing sincere, even though the words that flowed out of his mouth were mixed with lies. "I work nights while trying to make it as a bassist," he answered. "Didn't have a gig tonight, I've just had to find other ways to supplement my income. Working a delivery job at a pizza place not far from here. Haven't been there long, took a wrong turn, and by the time I found my bearings I'd donated a little DNA to somebody's fist," he said with a slight chuckle.

"But eh, that's just how it goes sometimes. Dog eat dog world, and all that," he smiled slyly at the joke only he would understand the brunt of as he took another sip. "My name is Jay, by the way," he said politely, once again looking her over.

Okay, so he had her attention. Arms crossed under her chest, she leaned back as she teased him about his poor attempts at getting a free drink. Not to be conceited, but it was doubtful that was really what he was referring to. Rather Roxie was playing it a bit teasingly, joking that he was just trying to get a free drink out of her. Though it wasn’t as if she were accusing him without precedence. As a matter of fact, the majority of her compliments were received through similar means. But no, not this time. The wandering eye this guy had was enough to prove that.

>>"Who said these were my best lines? And what makes you think the drink is the one I'm trying to win over?”

Another snort. ”Then let’s hope your best is certainly better than that.” She turned and started wiping down the bar. It was still struck her as odd as to why he was wandering around. He could be one of those hipsters wandering about, trying to feel ‘the pulse of the city’. God how much she wanted to run her fist through those people. Plus, it would be such a waste if that were truly where he was coming from.

>>"I'm not from this neck of the woods, no, I work nights while trying to make it as a bassist...Didn't have a gig tonight, I've just had to find other ways to supplement my income. Working a delivery job at a pizza place not far from here. Haven't been there long, took a wrong turn, and by the time I found my bearings I'd donated a little DNA to somebody's fist,"

God she was glad that he had admitted he was in a fight first. Otherwise that whole “DNA on somebody’s fist” could have been taken in a whole other way. Roxie was able to move past all that and instead tilted her head in thought. Donavan’s was a pretty good pizza joint, and the only one that she could think out as he vaguely gestured to the ‘pizza place not far from here’. Then again, it isn’t as if Roxie wanders the city to see what eateries are still open in this fluctuating economy.

”My apologies,” she said. Taking her bottle of water from under the counter, she took a sip and turned back when he offered his hand.

>>"But eh, that's just how it goes sometimes. Dog eat dog world, and all that...My name is Jay, by the way,"

A smirk painted her lips as she reached out with her free, glooved hand and gave him what would probably be deemed a firmer than normal handshake. Not enough to hurt him, but it would be surprisingly how strong a grip she had. ”Roxanne,” she replied, his strong gaze in no way being lost upon her. As a matter of fact, she simply met him in kind. ”But most just call me Roxie.”

There were certain professions that were statistically harder to take home. Waitresses, bartenders, and strippers got hit on multiple times a day, every day. Jay knew all too well he'd need to stand out. Lay on the charm a bit and all that. Her wit was sharp; he liked that. Even if he didn't get to take a woman home, there was something about the flirting. It was a game to him; even if you never throw the ball, the dog is still more than happy to bring it to you.

“Never show your cards til the betting is done, my dear~ He half-purred, a mischievous twinkle in his eye. Most of his story had been a lie, but that was usual for Jay. However, he felt a little off of his game tonight, as if that guy in the alley had knocked his 'best’ lines out of him. Not that a little detail like that was going to stop him, though.

Speaking of 'details,’ he thought it best that he not mention the fight ending with the other guy sporting some nasty bite marks and Jay having to put his clothes back on. ...Out of context that sounded like an entirely different situation.

“Pleasure’s all mine,” he said with a smile as he shook her gloved hand. Once his face no longer had a pulse, he set the baggie on the bar, but where he could get to it again later. Then, he took a healthy swig of his drink.

“Ya know, if this place is into live entertainment, maybe you can here me play sometime, he said after a moment, opting for a smoother approach. The wit, he may come back to later, but he was feeling her out, figuratively, of course. Though with some luck...

>>“Never show your cards til the betting is done, my dear~ “

Roxie just grinned in reply. Goddamn, it was as if this guy had read her blog (if she were stupid enough to own on) before he came in tonight. The guy was a complete piece of work. He had an attitude, a swagger, and an overall handsomeness that was practically called out to each and every one of her nerve endings designated for bad decisions. But Roxie wasn’t one so easily swept and that sphinx-like demeanor she kept about her was more than enough to keep her from showing her whole hand. She was experienced enough to know how to play the game smart.

Her hand curled in his and she shook it firmly. She didn’t squeeze his hand too hard (she didn’t want to break it) she merely was just sharing in a bit of comradery. This city could be a real *itch and it was always comforting to know that you weren’t the only one being kicked in the teeth.

>>“Pleasure’s all mine,”

”Oh, we’ll see about that,” she grinned. If he wanted to play the flirtation game, then she would meet him blow for blow.

The saucy bartender may not believe in love anymore, but she did firmly believe in lust. Sometimes you just needed a warm bed to slip into and someone to help work off that building energy. She wasn’t saying that Jay had a definite foot over her threshold but she was willing to entertain the idea rather than dismiss it entirely. Roxie would still remain cautious. He was handsome, he was flirting, but there was every possibility that he was either a hidden psycho or she would wake up the next day with her wallet missing. So careful steps would be required, at least until she got a better bead on him.

>>“Ya know, if this place is into live entertainment, maybe you can here me play sometime.”

She snorted. ”I don’t hire the entertainment, I just pour the drinks.” She stepped away for a second, a small sway in her full hips as she poured a drink for another patron. Once that was done, she returned to the conversation with Jay. ”You got a band?” she inquired, tilting her head in a flirtatious manner. ”Or would this be a solo bassist performance?”

When she took his hand, he couldn't help but notice she had quite the grip. Something told him she wasn't giving her all, either; she wasn't straining, and her face looked as calm as it had been. She could probably break him in half if she so chose. Not that this realization would scare him away; not in the slightest. There was something to be admired about a strong woman that could take care of herself.

"Oh, we'll see about that."

"With any luck, yes we will~" he replied, relaxing in his seat a little. At least he'd stopped hurting, for now, anyway.

"Well, I don't know the one who does, and sometimes the best way to land a gig is put a bug in a bartender's ear," he said with a slight smile.

"I'm in a band. Wyvern. Good kids, don't start trouble. They come in, play their gig, maybe have a drink, then go about their way. I like to stick around a bit, personally," he added. "Though, I'm not above a....solo performance, either." His face sported a coy smile as his eyes twinkled a bit.

>>"With any luck, yes we will~"

Another smirk but Roxie played her cards close to her chest. She was enjoying this back and forth with Jay but she wasn’t going to give him the all clear just yet. Why not just have a bit of fun first? It was probably the only that she would get for awhile. Tonight seemed like it wasn’t going to get any more lively. As much as she loved most of the clientele, it was rather mind numbing. Even if nothing came from this interaction, at least Jay would serve as a suitable distraction for the next bit.

>>"Well, I don't know the one who does, and sometimes the best way to land a gig is put a bug in a bartender's ear,"

”Haha,” she grinned. ”I hear that one alot. You realize how my demos I get with pleads to ‘pass it on up’?” She leaned down, grabbing a small trashcan under the bar and lifted it. ”This is the boss’ file cabinet for demos.”

Roxie tossed the bin back down, her gloved hands falling to her hips as she leaned back and tilted her head. She looked Jay over again. Stagger Inn wasn’t known for its live music but surely she could talk Jaime into trying it out. He was a gruff, cantankerous old fart, firmly set in his ways, but often times he listened to Roxie’s suggestions. She didn’t know why. Maybe his kids didn’t visit him enough? Maybe he was senile? Whatever the case, he would often take her word with more weight; not that that was always a good thing.

Eh. Maybe if she heard Jay play she could pass it along, but not more than that.

>>"I'm in a band. Wyvern. Good kids, don't start trouble. They come in, play their gig, maybe have a drink, then go about their way. I like to stick around a bit, personally, Though, I'm not above a....solo performance, either."

Admittedly, she almost lost him with the name. The band’s name was Wyvern? Like, those cheap subdragon things in Monsters & Mazes? She snorted a bit, shaking her head. It was just a good thing that Jay had a cute face and a nice body (from what she could see) because the nerd sh*t was definitely not her scene. But she said nothing about it and, instead, smirked as she leaned in at his interest in a solo performance.

”Would you now?” she teased. ”Shame…” her voice dropped lower. ”...I hear that having a partner is so much more fun.”

Jay didn't play the game as....cautiously. He never showed all of his cards, so to speak, but he knew which ones to show. Which ones to hide. Flirting was a delicate art, but it seemed to be one that the two of them had pretty well mastered. And that's what made it so much fun.

"And that, is why I don't pass out demos," he said with a smirk. "After replacing their former bassist, I pretty much also became the unofficial PR and booking guy," he added with a shrug. "Being more experienced in that field, they found I can usually land them better gigs. But nah, instead of demos, it's easier just to put word out, maybe get someone with a venue to check out another gig, and let it go from there. Honestly it saves on time and money that way, and that's space for one more thing in your trash can," he said with a smirk and a wink. Talking business was good; it was a way to relax and get a better look at the other person. Jay kept his wit and his humor sharp, as well as laying on the charm a little.

Admittedly, Jay liked the name Wyvern. Dragons and things of the sort were cool, but the nerd card was one he kept very close to his chest, which was why he'd dropped the not-so-subtle hint that the band was named before he got there. At the same time, he showcased his experience just a little. Experience was another way of saying 'I'm damn good at what I do.' Though...in all sincerity...Jay wasn't looking to score that kind of a gig. It was just a conversation topic, but if a gig came of it, then one couldn't complain.

"If you're suggesting a...duet...I'd certainly be game," he said just as softly, a slight purr to his voice. Though it wasn't a cliched cat purr, this was more akin to an idling muscle car. There was a sense of power to the intoxicating quiet, a slight hint of eagerness if one knew what to listen for.

Roxie was intrigued. Jay was handsome and he knew all the right things to say. He was clearly practiced when it came to trying to seduce a woman. His words and his roguish glances, they were enough to make Roxie want to take him by the hand and drag him to the back storage room for a quick one. Clearly he was sent here by the gods to utterly test her resolve; he was practically an archetype for the kind of guy that Roxie would throw herself out unashamedly. Then again, it wasn’t as if she were trying all that hard to deny him either.

The flirtation game was strong.

There was obviously some nerd speak there when it came to the subject of his band. Wyvern. She wasn’t well-read in a lot of the fantasy stuff but she knew enough to call a spade a spade when it was presented to her. Normally this kind of thing would have been a knock against him but, not knowing if the band name was his creation or just what he had to contend with as someone else’s, she supposed she could be lenient. Besides, with a face like that, how could she say stay mad?

>>"And that, is why I don't pass out demos...After replacing their former bassist, I pretty much also became the unofficial PR and booking guy...Being more experienced in that field, they found I can usually land them better gigs. But nah, instead of demos, it's easier just to put word out, maybe get someone with a venue to check out another gig, and let it go from there. Honestly it saves on time and money that way, and that's space for one more thing in your trash can,"

She smirked. So he was the new fish. Not only that, but he was taking it upon himself to get the name out there because he was the one with the most experience doing so. Makes sense. Maybe she would have to listen to his music after all, especially if he was a world that he was that familiar with. She always preferred experience to novices.

The line was getting thinner between the two of them. After he had made some off-handed comment about doing a solo, she teased him by suggestion that duos tended to be better. Really it was up to one’s preference but for her, she usually always enjoyed a partner. And given the flow of their dialogue, it only seemed appropriate to share such thoughts with the intriguing Jay. And such was it that he closed the gap a bit closer.

>>"If you're suggesting a...duet...I'd certainly be game,"

Roxie smirked. He was interested, she was interested, she didn’t see a wedding ring on him, so far all signs pointed towards a rather fun night. Not that she was worried that the guy could be some psycho reading to tear her head off -- she’d beat him to it if he tried anything. Given that she had no other plans for the night other than finishing her shift and heading home...why not? She wasn’t going to deprive herself a tasty morsel like Jay if she could help it.

”...All right,” She grinned. Taking a dish rag, she dried her hands and started t step away from him but not before she clarified. ”I get off at 2:30am. Maybe…” a teasing smile. ”...I’ll take us someplacee to set up a…private performance? If you’re actually game?”

One of two things will happen: A.) he’ll jump a the chance and agree to wait until she was done, or B.) he’ll admit he was just flirting for the sake of flirting and had no real intentions of trying to bed her. In either case, the situation would work out for her.

Jay had actually found himself getting lost in the conversation; she was actually quite enjoyable company, if he was perfectly honest. She was obviously good looking, she knew how to hold a good, innuendo-laced conversation(though that was probably from being a bartender), and most importantly, she was into him.

She was good at this, but so was he. He felt his mutation was perfect for him; cats hunt using stealth, you don't see them until it's too late. But dogs...just go for it. Not that she was prey to him; this was all just a game to him. Only instead of chasing sticks he preferred to go after pretty women.

"Two-thirty, huh?" he said, looking at his phone for the time. "Oh, I'd be game. I'm sure I can find some way to occupy my time while I wait," he said with a grin, sitting back as he finished his drink.

Okay, Roxie was going to go for it. Why not? Jay was charming, handsome, and he looked like he could keep up with her the rest of the night. Boyfriend material? Hell no. Warm company for the night? Hell yes. Roxie could see some fun times ahead and she would be denying herself if she didn’t at least try. So with a sweet smile and a flirty gaze, she decided that she would go ahead and offer an...invitation. Nothing outright or promising, but just enough to see what he would do with it.

2:30am. That was when she was off. Was he willing to wait around for her? Though he wasn’t more than a bedmate, she hoped the answer was yes. Girl’s gotta get her kicks somehow, right?

>>"Two-thirty, huh? Oh, I'd be game. I'm sure I can find some way to occupy my time while I wait,"

She grinned and nodded her head. The smile on her lips was playful as she gave him some parting words. ”Good…” another smirk. ”...then I can occupy your time afterwards.”

With that she turned and continued her shift. She didn’t bother Jay, but instead was busying herself with her duties of cleaning up the bar, chatting with the clientele, and pouring drinks. If her future companion needed another, she would gladly provide but she kept their talk minimal, preferring to not get distracted the rest of her shift. She wanted to focus on getting things done before she left. By the time that the last customer had left, Roxie shooed everyone out proceeded to close up.

2:30am

Roxie, still dressed in her tight jeans and loose top, pulled a leather jacket over her shoulders as she stepped out the back door, into the alley. Her dufflebag slung over her shoulder she cast an eye down both ways of the alley before locking the door behind her. She told Jay to meet her out here so she was hoping that he wasn’t standing her up. Otherwise, not only would she be disappointed, but she was liable to shove a beer bottle down his throat for keeping her from procuring another companion before the evening was out.

Stepping off the step and onto the wet concrete, she cast a glance around before she called out carefully. ”Jay? You here?”