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kalpasio · 1 year

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Old Fashioned

I don't have a link for AO3 because it's not up there yet, but I'll put it here when everything's up!

A Kalpas x Reader Mafia AU! Chapters 1-3 are below!

You trusted Eden. The woman had given you your job, made sure you had everything you needed, and she took care of her employees. So long as you put in the work, you got paid, and the world kept spinning. Even though she made more than enough money singing, the diva happily owned several bars, one of which you managed. This mean you were working most nights, including the night that the Honkai family tried to break in.

There had been rumblings about the family trying to expand into new territory which would include your bar, but most times expansions were cleaner than this. Apparently telling the leader of the group that had come in that they needed to talk to Eden about her paying for their protection was the wrong answer. The second the leader’s look turned sour, all hell broke loose. Patrons of the establishment may not have an opinion on the Honkais, but they sure had an opinion about their favorite bar getting trashed. Between you, the three servers, the cook—who came from the kitchen holding several knives you didn’t even know were back there—and the customers, your unwanted guests were kicked out pretty quickly.

Word traveled fast, and the next day when you called Eden to let her know what had happened, she already knew. She also was already working on a plan to keep the bar safe, which she explained to you that night.

“The Moths are the only group nearby that can really hold a candle to the Honkai family,” your boss explained after the doors closed. She specifically said ‘group,’ because calling the Moth family a mafia would be a bit of an exaggeration. They certainly had a large presence in the area, but they were still rather small, and their territory didn’t even come close to their rival’s. “Since the two are rivals, we can be sure that the Moths will do their best to stop the Honkai from spreading and that includes keeping this bar safe.”

It made sense. Logically, it made sense. But your past experiences with smaller groups made you hesitant to trust Eden’s tactics. This wasn’t the first bar you had worked at, and it wasn’t the first bar you’d had to defend from a mafia, but that didn’t mean it was something you enjoyed. There wasn’t much you could do in this situation, however, so you said a quick ’alright,’ and headed to the back to close up.

You hadn’t expected the Moths to move so quickly. Within a day, they were sending agents to make their presence known, and suddenly your patronage doubled. As nice as the extra business was, you had a lot of extra cleaning on your hands when the Honkais tried to start a fight with your new allies. The head of the Moth family himself, Kevin, was there; and he gave a very clear message that night. “Back off, or end up dead.”

Small or not, the Moths made themselves heard, and you had no more issues with the Honkai family. Your new problems stemmed from Eden’s new relationship. The Moths needed money if they wanted to grow, and your boss was loaded, so it came as no surprise that she had offered financial assistance to gain their protection. It wasn’t like she was pulling from your paycheck to provide the money, but now you were having to add extra expenses to your ledgers, and provide drinks to customers who weren’t always the most polite. Killing someone you’re supposed to be friends with wouldn’t end well, but you sure could yell and scare the shit outta them.

Eden gave you a stern talking to afterwards, but it still had the intended affect. Members of the Moth family that came to your bar treated you and your staff with a lot more respect, and among the dozen or so bars in their territory, yours became the ‘nice’ one. Rowdy crowds were kicked to the curb, high end alcohol was served regularly, and if she was free, Eden would come perform on the small stage in the back. As the family grew, you gained more patrons as well as some new regulars.

Pardofeils would always sit in the corners, and you’d caught her trying to steal drinks more than once. If she was feeling particularly brave, or had a particular request to fill, you could find her sitting at the bar chatting to customers for information. Most nights, however, she kept to herself, and the closest she got to conducting business was when she’d use your back alley for cover of a sale. Because she was so well hidden, to the regular observer, Pardo was just another patron of the bar, not even a notable regular. If you didn't hand it to her first, the drink she would almost always steal was a piña colada.

Hua on the other hand, was not as subtle, but that was intentional. She started visiting shortly after she was promoted within the family, and you were extremely thankful that she did. Lately, a few grunts had been getting handsy with one of your waiters, and Eden had told you she’d take care of it, but nothing had happened. Just before you stepped around the bar and had the two girls thrown out, Hua handled them for you, making it clear that they were in trouble while still maintaining the relaxed atmosphere in the bar. She introduced herself to you shortly after, and told you she’d keep her people in line. She said all this with a smile that was just a little too polite, and hearing her thinly-veiled threat made you laugh.

The both of you got along famously after that, whether she was sitting at the bar chatting with you, or at one of the tables talking with other members of the Moth family. Her presence alone reinforced the idea that your bar was off limits, even though it was close to the edge of the family’s territory. She also made a habit of walking home with you on nights that she’d visit, since the two of you lived in the same building.

Other than those two, you would occasionally see a pink-haired woman who’s name you didn’t know, but you were sure she was part of the family, as well as a pink-haired woman you did know named Elysia. Eden had taken a liking to the girl, and despite being the second in command of the mafia, Elysia still visited often enough that you could recognize her by the way she opened the door. You also knew that she would invariably order a Cosmopolitan to drink while she chatted. What she talked about varied from day to day, but she had ‘accidentally’ let slip that the woman who always sat in the shadows would gladly drink a Bramble with extra blackberries.

There were two others whose drinks you could make without asking: Su—who always got a Jungle Bird when he came for your payments—and Kalpas. It had taken you a long time to figure it out, but the Moth’s main enforcer always enjoyed a whiskey sour, so long as you remembered to add the orange peel on top. It took longer for you to make it than it did for him to throw back, purely because of that garnish. The peel had to be staked on a toothpick, which wasn’t that hard, but then you had to carefully light it on fire so it would smolder, but not so on fire that it would burn away.

This detail added a smokey flavor to the drink that you were certain Kalpas didn’t notice, but he must really like looking at it for the two seconds before he chugs it because he always gave you a nice tip. And by ‘nice tip,’ you mean he was paying your month’s rent every night he came in pretty much. Elysia said he was sweet on you, and Hua tended to agree, but you found it hard to believe the man had anything on his mind other than his next fight.

At first, he didn’t even notice you.

Thursday nights were slow to the point you may as well be closed, or busy to the point you seriously considered hiring more staff. Usually those busy nights were because word had gotten out that Eden would be performing, and the drinks were just an added bonus. Since so many customers would come in just to see her and not actually order anything, Hua had started stationing someone outside the door to collect an entrance fee as well as keep any crazed fans at bay. If there was a performance that month, Su would usually skip his visit, the money made at the door more than covering your dues.

As nice as the extra money was, sometimes the grunt at the door would get a suspiciously large payment, and your bar would get a suspiciously attentive fan. Without fail, at the end of the night, that fan would try to follow Eden out the back door, and without fail, either you or another member of your staff would catch them on the way out. If they were lucky, you would let them off with a warning. If they weren’t so lucky, Eden would catch wind of what had happened, and her usually cherry smile would drop. She’d rather be singing than arguing, so the fights—if you could call them that—lasted less than a second. In most cases, she wouldn’t even bother taking out her second pistol.

Tonight, however, you were hoping to catch the avid fan and avoid having a dead body blocking the kitchen door (which was a serious fire hazard). The bar was packed, even more so than usual. Your waitresses were having to shove their way through the crowds so by the time they got to the table they were serving, half the drinks had spilled. Even customers leaning against the bar top were getting knocked around, a few even falling form their seats. Before the place had been flooded, however, one patron had claimed a seat at the mar, and he hadn’t moved since.

He sat with his back facing you, leaning on the stool more than sitting on it. The fact that he came in at the same time Eden had showed up to get ready immediately had you on edge, and his long standing silence wasn’t helping. Some of Eden’s followers were strange, so by that standard, silent brooding guy was fairly normal. The only thing that had you concerned was the amount of muscle he seemed to have. He’d come in without a suit jacket, which wasn’t that unusual at a bar, but it gave you a clear view of just how much the seams on the back of his dress shirt were struggling. Ass soon as he stepped through the door, he’d begun rolling up his sleeves, and it had you tensing at the thought that he might start a fight.

Instead, he sat down at the bar, sent a glare to all three patrons—who were too drunk to notice—and began his vigil. It had been five hours since then, and with Eden’s performance dying down, you were keeping an eye on the man to see when he’d move. It was difficult with how many drinks you were making, but everyone seemed eager to avoid his little corner, so at least you had a clear line of sight.

One of your co-workers, Himeko, was helping behind the bar, which you were thankful for, because there was a sudden rush of customers when Eden finally finished for the evening. Still the brooding man (that was his name now as far as you were concerned) didn’t move. Most people who were stupid enough to try and stalk the diva would have left to stake out her car by now. For some reason, they assumed that she went straight from the stage to her home without stopping at her dressing room to get out of her ridiculous outfits.

Just when you were starting to think you might have been wrong about Brooding guy’s intentions, he stood from his seat and began making his way through the crowd towards the main room’s back exit. With a nudge to Himeko, you slipped from behind the counter and started following him, though with much more trouble. The man was well over six feet tall, and people were eager to get out of his way. You, on the other hand, were not so lucky, and if you didn’t know the layout so well, you would have gotten lost with how much you were pushed around.

With one last shove, you breached the crowd in time to see the door fall shut. Bracing yourself, you slipped your revolver out form where it was hidden under your apron, and slowly eased the door open. Immediately a pair of sharp eyes were on you. They weren’t familiar, but those broad shoulders certainly were. Brooding guy was waiting for you outside, still brooding, but much more intimidating now that he was facing you.

Muffled voices were the only thing to be heard, though they were nearly drowned out by the heaving beating of your heart. This guy was clearly dangerous. You may not want a fight, but he looked more than happy to start one. The silence between you both was tense. Every shift you made, he immediately picked up on. It felt like you were in your first fight again; small, scared, and woefully unprepared for what stood in front of you.

“You can put the gun away,” a voice finally put an end to the staring contest. You had been so focused, Eden’s sudden appearance had you jumping a little. “I asked him to be here,” she spoke with a graceful wave of her hand and a smile that betrayed how much wine she’d had. Still, this was your boss. And you trusted her. She’d never hurt you before, and you saw no reason for that to change now. Reluctantly, you lowered your revolver—though it hadn’t really been in a threatening position before.

“This is Kalpas,” Eden said calmly, as though she weren’t standing next to one of the town’s most notorious criminals. You knew that name (everyone knew that name) there had just never been a face associated with it, and you almost wished it had stayed that way. Rumors on the street and stories Hua told on long walks weren’t nearly as funny when the person they revolved around stood in front of you. More than anything, he was remembered for the several arson charges on his record, along with the accusations of assault, and the fact that he had gotten away with all that. It was a poorly-kept secret that several members of the jury had been…persuaded to return verdicts of ‘not guilty.’

Now the only question was why he decided to sit at your bar for six hours. You weren’t behind on any payments, and Eden had integrated well into the family, it seemed odd to send someone after her. Kalpas also looked much more intent on burning a hole through your skull rather than hers, so you doubted the diva was the issue here. ‘It’s nice to meet you’ seemed like the wrong greeting to give a man known to carry canisters of gasoline, so you gave him a nod instead and looked at Eden for help. She was—unsurprisingly—oblivious to your struggles, but bailed you out anyway.

“I asked him to come here. You know how some people can get,” her lazy smile turned into a frown that was more of a put, and all you could bring yourself to say was a slow ‘right.’ Inviting a terrifying mobster with a track record of starting fights wasn’t necessarily something that made sense to you, but arguing with someone who committed just as many crimes seemed like a waste of breath.

This whole time, the person you thought was the crazed fan was actually there to stop the crazed fan, and now you just looked strange for following him outside. Do you go back in now? Just say ‘my mistake’ and leave? Should you try to actually talk to these two? You didn’t think talking about the weather would go very far. Weighing your options, you doubted you’d ever see Kalpas again, so it didn’t matter what impression you left with. Turning back towards the fire exit, you narrowly managed to get out of the way before the door slammed open.

The man who stumbled out looked exactly like very other customer in the bar, his only distinctive feature was the frantic look on his face as he scanned the area. Beady eyes passed right over your scowl and Kalpas’ glare and locked onto Eden’s clearly drunk gaze. Having the main enforcer of the Moth crime family here suddenly made sense. This fan was so intent on getting to ‘the love of his life’ that he missed the step out the door and would have fallen face down in the back alley if Kalpas hadn’t caught him.

You weren’t entirely sure that was better. Kalpas held the stranger’s shirt collar tight enough to eave wrinkles that would never iron out. The poor guy was thrown against the wall beside you and held in place by the hands that were still dangerously close to his neck. Despite the clear danger, he only seemed interested in glancing around Kalpas to catch sight of Eden. Truly a dedicated fan. Another rough shove got the creep’s attention, and he was immediately chewed out.

Not that you wanted Kalpas to kill the guy—the whole reason you’d come out here was to prevent that—but it still was a bit shocking that there was no blood spilled. Two people known to kill on a whim in an alley with someone they clearly disliked, and yet, all that happened was some shouting and rough handling. Eden chatted with you as though you both were drinking tea in the park, and not like you were witnesses to any sort of crime

According to her, Su was tired of covering up for all the people who went missing after Eden performed. Honestly, you weren’t surprised; when half a dozen people disappear after following the star, someone’s going to notice. This meant Kalpas was in charge of keeping them away, but also was banned from doing much more than rattle anyone they ran into, hence the lack of bloodshed. If Eden was doing a show in town, she’d have a guard dog, at least for a while.

Once Kalpas was done putting the fear of god into Eden’s latest fan, the four of you went your separate ways. The stranger left first, scrambling out onto the streets and booking it. His attacker went next, heading out at a leisurely stroll with his hands in his pockets like nothing had happened. You saw Eden to her car, and bid her and the driver goodnight, then headed back inside.

Typically, Eden only did a show at your bar once every other month. There were other venues in town, and she wasn’t even in town all that often. Her singing career had her traveling all around the world, and if anyone found out about her ties to the Moths, they turned a blind eye in favor of hearing her music. As popular as your boss was, it came as no surprise when she was asked to record some songs for the radio, and since the studio was only a few miles away, she came around to perform at your establishment more often.

In your mind, spending the whole day singing only to drive a bit and then sing some more was an extremely stressful way to spend your day, and there was no way Eden enjoyed trying to balance recording, negotiating with Elysia, and staying out late to perform. To her, however, visiting the bar was a break from it all. Hours spent locked in a studio with the producer as her only company was draining. Seeing a crowd respond to her songs was something she lived for; so, yes, the late nights left her a little tired, but it was worth it.

It was a win-win. You (technically Eden, but it ended up being your responsibility) made money, she got to unwind, and her presence at the bar had the Honkai family thinking twice about harassing you. The only real downside seemed to be a certain constantly-furious criminal following Eden around.

Kalpas was far from pleased about being dragged around, at least as far as you could tell. The scowl on his face only seemed to vanish when he was fighting, so you didn’t have a very good baseline to tell the difference between a ‘normal Kalpas’ frown compared to an ‘angry Kalpas’ frown. Regardless, he could be found sitting in the same seat at your bar every night Eden performed. He always came in early, once you even found him leaning against the bar waiting for you to show up for the night.

The first few times he walked in, Kalpas would take his seat and stare intently at you while you worked. His eyes were always blazing and it felt like he was judging your every move, even though you knew he had no clue what you were doing. Any attempts at conversation were met with silent glares or promptly shut down. The closest you got to a sort of interaction between the two of you was when you placed a glass of water on the counter for him each night.

Monday nights were slow, so that was the day you usually took off, but this week you were short two waitresses. Kiana had attempted to cook and ended up with food poising. You were more surprised that she was allowed in the kitchen than the fact that she got sick. The second waitress, Mei, was smart enough to avoid the food, but as Kiana’s roommate (and nothing more, they both insisted) she needed to stay home and look after her. Knowing it would be a quiet night, you came in to cover both shifts, and put off your chores for the week until Wednesday.

Himeko was behind the counter as expected, getting ready for the night when you came through the door. She raised an eyebrow at the apron being tied around your waist and the fact that you were on the wrong side of the bar. “Looking for more hours?” she teased

You let out a snort and leaned on the counter. “Kiana and Mei called out, and you know Raven won’t waitress no matter how much you pay her.” Himeko shook her head and sighed at the situation. “All I can say is I better get some very nice tips tonight,” you pushed off the counter and headed for the kitchen to get ready. It had been a while since you’d done anything other than work the bar. The third bartender, Bronya, had left after a disagreement with Raven, and you’d been dragging your feet about getting a replacement. Two months wasn’t long enough for you to completely forget the routine for setting up, and soon you were standing at the bar helping Himeko organize some of the bottles.

Hearing the door open, you glanced at the clock and saw you still had a good twenty minutes before opening. When you turned to tell the customer as much, you were met with Kalpas, and the words out of your mouth were “What are you doing here?” Immediately you winced; getting in a fight had not been on the to-do list for the day. Himeko shared your startled look, but she also seemed to be considering if she should move further away from you to be safe. While poorly phrased, you meant what you said. Kalpas only came in when Eden did, and there was no way she’d show up on a Monday. Please don’t let Eden show up on a Monday.

If he was bothered by your comment, Kalpas didn’t show it. He made the short walk from the door to his bar stool and stared you down like he always did. “Eden’s here. I’m here,” he said as though it were obvious. Himeko and you shared another scared glance, this one for different reasons.

“But it’s Monday,” she tried to argue. All she got for an explanation was a shrug. Turning on your heel, you went to the back again and down the side hall to the dressing rooms. Before you even reached the end you could hear Eden humming through the door and you froze mid-step. Spinning around again, you walked a little too fast and pushed the door open a little too hard. Looking Himeko in the eye, you told her.

“We’re fucked.”

It being a work day and the show being last minute seemed to do very little to reduce the number of customers jammed into every seat you had. As soon as you’d found out, you called in some more waitstaff, but you were still running around like a chicken with its head cut off. You’d thought people would drink less to avoid a hangover in the morning, but in fact they drank more because they’d all ‘had a bad start to the week.’ As though severe dehydration would help.

Your only saving grace was surprisingly Kalpas. At first, he seemed to be laughing at your frazzled state, but after sending several glares, you were too tired to care. Running between the bar and the tables, you were constantly pushing against people which only made your job harder. Around the counter, there was practically a wall of people, and the only gap was the small amount of space next to the angry mobster. As much as you hated being so close to him (you’d always had a strong sense of self-preservation) it was the easiest way to get to Himeko and pick up or shout out orders.

Every time you ran back from a table, you expected the little window to be filled by someone, or even Kalpas himself to take up the space, but the opposite ended up happening. When you were handing an order off, the crowd all shifted. Someone at the other end of the counter had fallen into an overenthusiastic hug that had the whole line tipping until you were crushed against Kalpas’ arm, your death grip on the bar top the only thing keeping you up. He gave an extra mean scowl when you glanced up, but there wasn’t much you could do about the situation. As soon as you were able, you were back on your feet and carrying martinis across the room.

Next time you ran up to the bar, Kalpas had leaned his elbows back on the counter. He was taking up more room, but instead of narrowing the gap, it got bigger. Patrons that saw him stretched out also saw the tattoo on his forearm and the scars on his knuckles that practically screamed ‘wiseguy.’ Whether he did it intentionally or not, you sent a silent thanks his way every time you took advantage of the opening.

The worst part of the night, by far, wasn’t the shouting or the spilled drinks, or the missing tips, or even the harassment. No, the worst was at the end of the evening when Eden announced she’d be back on Friday.

The whole day it felt like you were just waiting for tonight, so rather than pace around your apartment until you put ruts in the floor, you headed to the bar early. There was no rush, no one else would be coming in for another hour, but you walked like one of Honkai’s men was following you the whole way. A few blocks later, you were fishing for the keys and taking deep breathes to calm down while you still had the time to do so. Stepping inside, you flicked the lights on and locked the door behind yourself like it was any other day.

Really, it was. Or, at least, that’s what you were trying to convince yourself. Eden had brought in huge crowds plenty of times. This was nothing new, and if you’d survived it before, you could do it again. Your pep talk continued as you started pulling chairs off of tables and heating up the oil fryers. All you have to do is make drinks the same as any other night. If customers get pissed, that’s their problem. You can’t just make the crowd go away. Gosh you wished you could make the crowd go away. Disappearing clientele probably wouldn’t be too good for business though, so that fantasy would have to be shelved for later.

For now, you needed to focus on bringing in the new kegs you’d ordered and taking out the old ones. Flicking open the lock on the back door, you’d barely turned the handle before it was swung in and narrowly missed your nose. Your reflexes may have been quick enough to dodge that, but they weren’t fast enough to recognize who was on the other side of the door before your fist was making contact.

“Shit. Fuck, I’m sorry.” Kalpas gave an unamused look at your apologies and didn’t even say anything as he pushed his way inside the bar. Once his back disappeared behind the swinging door separating the kitchen from the rest of the bar, you looked down at your hand. “Fucking ow,” you whispered to yourself while trying to shake some of the sting out of your knuckles. Glancing at the door to be sure Kalpas hadn’t come back to kill you for the mild inconvenience, you sent a silent curse his way and went out the back door.

What the hell was he doing here anyway? you wondered while hauling in the first keg. Eden being here would make the most sense, but it was still super early, even for her. Turning off each valve you took the last keg out of the series and slid the second into its spot. Shuffling the new keg into the open space, you reconnected the three and went out to the bar to double check the pressure.

“You done whining?” Of course Kalpas was sitting at the bar, already leveling you with a glare. Ignoring him, you tested the tap and headed back out once you were satisfied. It was definitely a dangerous game to be playing, but you already had a lot on your plate, and talking to someone that frustrating wasn’t something you were particularly keen on doing. Plenty of customers would fill that role later tonight anyway.

Grabbing the empty keg, you brought it out back to be picked up and hauled in the next full one. Shifting the line like you had with the last draft, you connected the lines and went back to the front where Kalpas was lazily looking at a switchblade as it reflected what little light was able to slip past the curtains. You hesitated for a step, worried he might just be testing the weight of the knife before he drove it into your neck. But you couldn’t let him know that. Taking another step like nothing had happened, you managed to make it all the way to the tap before you gave in and looked up at your only customer.

“I don’t know what you’re crying about,” Kalpas sneered while placing the tip blade on the counter top and balancing it with a finger. “You didn’t even hit me that hard.” Secretly, you wished you had hit him a little harder, but given how your knuckles were still throbbing and he hadn’t even gotten a nosebleed, you doubted that would help.

“I’m not crying, I’m working,” you stated and poured another small glass of beer. Kalpas gave a scoff and you rolled your eyes, but the conversation didn’t go any further. Satisfied with the amount of foam in your cup, you dumped the beer, but just before you set the glass down you saw Kalpas lift up the knife and prepare to drive it into the wood. It only lasted a second, but in your mind it felt like you were glaring at him for a century without anyone moving. Normally the heat behind your eyes would have been enough to get anyone to back down. You weren’t so lucky this time.

Your brain didn’t even know what was happening, but your hand was moving just as Kalpas brought the blade down towards the counter. At the very last second, you slid the cup under his knife and its tip shattered the glass instead of splintering wood. Your hand was bleeding, but you’d won that fight and the stare you gave barely hid your anger.

“Don’t fuck up my bar,” you threatened and let go of the now broken cup, letting all the shards fall. The base remained strong, protecting the wood, though there was a deep chip in it now. Kalpas laughed as you walked away, but he didn’t try it again.

Last night had been just as tiring as you expected, but it hadn’t ended in disaster. Today you had come in early to clean up the mess that had been left overnight, and Kalpas had been leaning against the bricks next to the door waiting for you to unlock the bar. Now with the taps connected, shelves restocked, tables wiped down, and ash trays dumped, everything was looking ready to go. There were still a few minutes before the place opened, and Raven was running late—not that there was a whole lot for her to do at this point. You headed back to the front, hoping to relax for a minute before everything went downhill. Kalpas was still sitting in the same seat, pointedly ignoring you, just as you wanted.

Heading to the far side of the room, you sat sideways on one of the padded booths, and laid back with a groan. Through the windows, you could hear the sounds of pedestrians passing by and the occasional car trundle down the street. The owner of the store next door could be heard arguing with a customer on the other side of the wall, while a dog barked at the train rolling through town. A smile came to your face at the moment of peace all around you.

This was a close to quiet as the town got. In the morning there would be workers fighting for the last spot on the bus, and boats miles away sounding their horns for no reason other than to interrupt your sleep. Once the bar closed for the night, wiseguys would fight in alleyways, and you’d be woken up to shattering glass. Complete silence made your skin crawl and every muscle in your body tense in anticipation, but where you were right now—relaxed, in your bar listening as life happened around you—this was bliss.

There had been nothing to warn you of what was coming. No yelling or doors slamming or tires shrieking against pavement. You took a relaxing deep breath in, then nearly choked on a gasp when you heard the shot ring out far too close for comfort. Immediately, you stood up from your seat. Kalpas remained where he was, not even flinching. Good for him, you thought bitterly and rushed behind the bar to grab your revolver. Once you felt the familiar weight in your hand, you locked your eyes on the door that led to the dressing rooms and held your breath.

This is why you hated silence. Any pedestrian with an ounce of sense was off the street, cars found a different route around, and any barking was hushed before it started. Even the train had moved on, leaving you with only the sound of your own shallow breaths and rapid heartbeat. There was the tapping of shoes meeting the warped wooden floors. The soft click as you aimed your gun at the door the noise was coming from. The sound of the latch turning and wood groaning form the shifting weight. You remained tense as the door opened, adrenaline pumping to prepare you for whatever stood on the other side.

All you caught was a glimpse of light pink, then Kalpas’ arm was blocking your view as he pushed your gun down towards the floor. While his actions were calm and made you think this might be a friend, his voice gave the opposite impression. He spoke in such a low tone you almost couldn’t hear him. The hand on your revolver hadn’t moved either, his grip only tightening in anger and making the metal creak.

“Elysia.”

You took a breath so sharp it burned your nose. Eden had mentioned that name multiple times, but you knew better than to look too much into it. Asking about such important members of the family was a good way to end up at the bottom of the river with a pocket full of rocks. What Elysia might be doing here you weren’t sure, but the blindingly white blouse, flashy skirt, and pink hair lined up with what you’d heard about the girl, and you weren’t about to ask stupid questions. Kalpas seemed unbothered by her presence—or rather, more annoyed about her being here than scared. He still stood a step or two in front of you, so worst case scenario, you could duck behind him and potentially escape.

“Kalpas!” Elysia smiled and you almost felt sick. “I didn’t know you were here!” She started walking towards you both, and if it weren’t for the firm hand on your gun, you would have taken a step back. Her movements all had the same effortless grace Eden always bore, but there was a threat lying just under each and every motion. You hated being nervous. You hated feeling weak. Standing before Elysia like this, however, you were given no other choice.

“We had another run-in with a fan,” she gave a giggle that made it sound like she was meerly gossiping and not talking about a murder. That’s surely what this is about after all. Some poor idiot got too close and met their idol for about three seconds before also meeting her pistol. “Can you go back there and handle the clean up?”

Silence and a glare came in response, but Elysia didn’t notice. “It is your job after all. Don’t worry,” another giggle had you tensing. “I’ll keep your friend company while you’re busy!”

Dealing with Kalpas was bad enough, and you could only handle being around Eden because you had known her for so long. Elysia looked like she could eat you alive with that smile hidden behind perfect pink nails and carefully curled hair. It was odd to think about how terrifying she could be when her main business was drawing people in, not scaring them away. A brothel run by the deadliest woman in town wouldn’t have very many clients if she openly advertised herself as such. Clearly she was doing something right; nearly every cop was aware of (and supported) her business, and her contributions to the family made your bar look like a lemonade stand.

No amount of mental pleading seemed to be enough to stop Kalpas from abandoning you, however, and you withered under Elysia’s gaze as he left. Her grin almost had you convinced she knew just how badly you wanted to avoid her, and she was enjoying your torment. With your—unwilling—personal shield gone, you retreated behind the counter in the hopes that it would provide at least some sort of protection. It brought you comfort, if nothing else.

“Want a drink?” you offered, looking for something to keep your hands busy. Elysia gave a thoughtful hum and slid onto one of the bar stools, adjusting her skirt to fall just right. Once finished, she leaned an elbow on the bar and settled her chin on her fist. The smile that settle don her lips was so predatory you could almost imagine Kalpas giving the same look before beating you to a pulp. As much as you wanted to run to the kitchen to avoid those sharp eyes, you stayed where you were and distracted yourself with wiping tiny fragments of glass off the bar.

“I had this drink a while ago, but can’t remember what it was called.” Elysia took a strand of hair from over her shoulder and began weaving it through her fingers while still staring you down. “Eden recommended it to me, and all I know is that it was pink and fruity.” Well that certainly narrowed things down. ‘Pink and fruity’ was practically worthless information, but the fact that Eden knew what it was called actually helped.

You see, the diva could probably list every wine known to man, but she left mixed drinks to you and the other bartenders that worked for her. When you asked her what she did know how to make, you were able to list them all on one hand. A cosmopolitan was the obvious choice of the bunch, but you decided to ask, just in case.

“Fruity like cranberries?” you spoke while leaning down to grab a cocktail glass from under the bar. Elysia gave a happy hum and a short giggle as you got to work. It was easy to fall into the motions and ignore the woman in front of you just like you ignored any other customer while you were focused. The moment gave you a chance to finally release the adrenaline that had been holding your shoulders taught for the past ten minutes.

Slipping the slice of lime onto the rim of the glass, you slid it forward toward Elysia and waited for her approval. Without even taking a sip, her smilE had softened to something that might almost be considered friendly. It was certainly an improvement over the unnerving look from earlier. The moment the glass touched her lips, you knew you’d passed the test. Elysia gave a properly pleased grin and took a second sip that nearly drained the cup. In a matter of seconds it felt as though all the tension left the air and you could breathe again.

“That’s exactly what I had in mind.” The compliment had you giving yourself a mental pat on the back and you were finally able to untangle your fingers from the towel at your hip. “Edie always keeps the best bartenders to herself,” Elysia gave a put that could have anyone forgetting what she did for a living. “I really don’t know why. All she ever drinks is wine anyway.” You snorted a little at that last bit. Eden hadn’t asked you to make her anything since she’d hired you, and you were certain you could’ve passed off a regular soda for the gin and tonic she asked for.

Suddenly, Elysia gasped as if having a revelation. “I should steal you for my bar!”

“Ely, please stop trying to poach my workers.” Eden came through the side door that lead to her dressing room with Kalpas in tow. The two women playfully bickered while your boss joined you behind the bar and poured herself a glass of wine from a bottle that was probably worth two months of rent. “There’s nothing stopping you from visiting if that’s what you’re after.”

“But imagine how many customers we could pull in with this cutie behind the bar!” Elysia grabbed Eden’s hand in both of hers like they were in a play and Kalpas gave a short laugh at the display.

“You already stole Lyle and Carole with that argument. It’s not easy to replace bartenders right now.” Elysia continued to hold the hand she’d captured while Eden threw back her glass and set it on the counter for a refill. This pattern continued until the bottle was empty, at which point Raven slid through the door while tying her apron and shooed the girls away and back to the dressing room. With them out of your hair, you left for the back to do some last minute checks.

#azaryawrites #kalpas x reader #tamalethebear #honkai x reader #hi3 x reader #I fear the star rail players who come here #I promise I am just as confused as you are #not yet edited!#mafia au #I have GOT to get some kinda line break for tumblr

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