Rizo was behind the bar this evening, mixing cocktails and making passes at a couple of fangirls down the bar from where Banner sat with his Blue Moon. Rizo was a ladies man, darker and more chiseled than Banner's rugged looks. More than once he'd seen the other go home with a girl he'd turned away. Rumor that he was a vampire didn't hurt, either.
"Yo, Ban." Riz was suddenly standing in front of him. "It's your night off. Don't you ever go home?" The bartender's lips pulled in a smirk and the dim house lights glinted off the gold ring in his left ear. "Got nothin' better to do?"
Banner shrugged and took a pull on his beer, which Riz immediately topped off.
"Your paycheck won't make it out the door," Riz warned though they both knew it was a lie. Riz wouldn't charge him--boss's policy.
Banner shrugged again. He didn't drink enough for the boss to want to charge him, anyway. As for going home…Banner frowned as Riz echoed his shrug and moved away to offer the fangirls his attentions again. He knew he probably should go home to his shoddy little apartment and deal with the mountain of laundry piled in the tiny living room--he was wearing his last clean shirt. He didn't like being home much. It reminded him how much his life currently sucked.
"All work and no play make Ban a dull boy," a voice teased from his right.
"Yeah," Banner agreed without elaboration. He didn't even glance over at the speaker. "Hey, Vesi."
The woman who stepped up beside him made Rizo's two fangirls glare in utter, furious jealousy. She possessed naturally what they had gained artificially, and carried herself with the confident grace of knowing that. She wore an open-backed silvery-blue haltertop that fit like her own tanned, smooth skin and equally snug denims with a pair of high heels that matched her shirt. Her dark hair was shot through with bright blue. She only allowed it to grow to her shoulders. Her eyes were as bright blue as the streaks in her hair. Banner knew she had been in more than one man's dreams--himself included.
Like Banner, Vesi was a Pariah. Her abilities dealt with the properties of water. Her name even meant Water in Finnish. Like Banner, Vesi could also hide easily in society, and, like Banner, she chose to work at the Vault. Unlike Banner, she could make a small fortune every night.
"Go home and get some sleep," she chided him as Rizo filled her drink orders. "Then go out tomorrow and play." She elbowed him in the chest when he pivoted to regard her. "The last place you need to be on your day off is at work."
Banner grumbled into his beer as she walked away, but Vesi was right. He watched her navigate the narrow paths among the tables as he finished the Blue Moon. He set the glass down, nodded to Rizo, and shoved off after Vesi. He followed her through the maze of patrons until he was near the Vault's door, then slipped out without saying goodbye. She'd probably gripe about it when he came to work late tomorrow night.
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