Chapter Text
The neon lights of the nightclub cast the room in a blue-green glow, and the throbbing basslines of the music pulsed throughout the building like a heartbeat. Countless bodies filled the room, dancing, drinking, celebrating, making the most of the night and having a good time. Leone hated it. The music was too loud, the lights too bright, and he always left his shift with a headache from the deadly combination of stimuli. But still, he was here, tending bar as he did every night from Tuesday to Saturday, with Sundays and Mondays off.
What Leone hated the most, however, was the people. Young college twentysomethings who were loud and reckless, laughing as they ordered fruity too-sweet drinks for Leone to mix. And all too often they would try to flirt with him, getting offended when they were met with the cold, short responses that were a key part of Leone's personality. Well, at least the pay wasn't complete garbage, enough to get by on without having to pick up a second job.
That's why he was here, cleaning glasses, back turned to the bar as he over-examined each one for marks in the hopes that he would find any excuse to remain cleaning instead of being forced to stand at the bar, waiting like an imbecile for someone to come up and order a drink. He tucked a strand of hair that had fallen in his face behind his ear, and continued his task.
“Excuse me,” a voice behind Leone sounded, and Leone turned around, seeing a young man leaning on the bar, chest hunched over it and arms bracing himself against the wooden top. He had black hair, styled into a neat bob-cut, adorned with two small yellow hairpins, one on each side of his bangs. His face was soft and pretty, and he wore a loose fitting white croptop, and tight-fitting leather pants, with a pair of black sneakers. He looked exactly like the type of pretty-boy Leone hated.
“You need something?” Leone asked, not even bothering to smile.
“If it wouldn't be too much of a bother, a cosmopolitan would be wonderful,” the man said, oddly polite for someone in an establishment of this sort.
With a curt nod, Leone turned back around, beginning to mix the drink. Add the ice, vodka, cranberry juice, lime, Cointreau, mix for thirty seconds. Adorn with a orange peel. The movements were precise, and in a minute, he placed a cosmo in front of the man, who smiled, and twirled the straw around in the drink for a second, before taking a sip. However, he didn't leave, instead choosing to eye Leone from where he was standing as Leone moved about, collecting money and old cups to bring to the register and sink, respectively. Leone saw this, and moved back towards the man.
“You need something else?” he asked, tinge of annoyance in his voice. The man smiled.
“No, just enjoying my drink,” he replied, tucking a loose strand of hair behind his ear. Leone shrugged, throwing a half-glare the man's way before continuing his tasks.
“How long you been working here?” the man asked.
“Couple months.”
“You like it?”
“It's alright.”
“You're a man of few words, I see.”
“Yep.”
The man laughed, light and airy, and Leone saw him smile out of the corner of his eye.
“What's your name?”
Leone paused. He debated. He didn't really want to tell this guy his name, felt like it would be feeding into... whatever this guy was doing. But he couldn't deflect it, and this guy seemed pretty genuine, as much as people in here could be, at least.
“Leone,” he said, and the man smiled.
“Nice to meet you, Leone,” the man purred, “I'm Bruno. Thanks for the cosmopolitan.”
And with that, the man stood up, and left, leaving an empty cup, and a $10 tip.