this is me trying

“You were a terrified submissive coming to me for help. Of course I had to do all of that,” Moonjo replied, slowly standing back up so he could take his seat back at the table. “You should sit here for a moment and take some breaths. Why don’t you let me get you something to drink and eat? Then I’ll get a taxi for you to go home. How does that sound?”

Gen looked away, not wanting to meet his eyes. Terrified. Did she really look that scared? She stayed quiet as he moved away to sit back down in front of her. Unconsciously she did what he told her to do, her breathing evening out like he’d instructed, but as he continued speaking she finally looked up again and shook her head, “No, I--I can’t ask you to do that. You did enough, you don’t have to spend your money on me.” She assured him. He didn’t even know her... “I have work soon anyways..” not that she even wanted to go anymore, but she couldn’t afford a missed shift..

As the other dominant stepped closer, Moonjo felt the submissive tense up beside him. He stood up, placing himself between the other dom and the sub. “Say one more word to her and I’ll make sure you’re in jail for sexually harassing a submissive,” he said sternly, staring down the other man.

At first, the dominant opened his mouth to speak, but decided against it after seeing the look on Moonjo’s face. There was a reason why he’d been a fixer and personal lawyer for the Vaneti family - he could appear extremely intimidating when the time called for it.

Without another word, the other dominant turned and began to walk out. Slowly, he turned around and knelt in front of the submissive so he could read her face. “Are you alright?” Moonjo asked, looking up at her.

Gen was tense again, angry and upset and...a little scared. But then the stranger who’d helped her was standing up, getting between them and she watched, eyes a bit wide at the interaction unfolding in front of her. Her assailant looked like he wanted to fight back--but then finally deflated and as he walked away Gen let out a breath, still feeling her heart lurching a bit inside herself as she watched him leave, the door slamming behind him.

The man who’d helped her was in front of her then, crouching down to be eye-level with her and she swallowed, licking over her lips as she nodded. “I--yeah. Yeah, m’fine..” she let out a breath, pushing all those errant emotions away as she ran her fingers through her hair, trying to get her composure back, to not look a bit shaken still. “You didn’t have to do all that...”

“Takes practice. Maybe you could use some help.” Maybe she could use a vote of it from someone worth listening to. He wasn’t sure, but maybe he’d get to find out. “What type is that?” He wanted to know, quirking a brow.

He held up his hands in mock surrender. “Maybe you’re just more badass than me, Gen. Ever think of that?” He shook his head. He didn’t get into tattoos until after he’d designated, and from there it had just been an idle thing rather than a hobby. “A big shot artist should wear a lot of art, I figure. So it would make sense.”

Oh that was cheeky. Xavier couldn’t help how it turned him on, even if he tried to keep himself under control. “Just don’t keep me waiting,” he said to her. “If you wait too long, you may lose the opportunity. And I’m a catch.” He gave her a wink at that before taking a sip of his drink.

When he took her hand, he didn’t shake it. Instead, he caught her eyes as he brought it up to his lips. He considered turning it over to press them to her pulse, but thought that might be too brazen. Her knuckles received the honor. “Pleasure’s all mine.”

“Some help in my confidence levels?” Gen asked, tilting her head before she let out a little snort. “Good luck.” WHen he spoke again she looked to him, shrugging, “The type that can handle upset and heartbreak. Or maybe the type that avoids it altogether.” Like recognizes like after all.

When the topic turned lighter, more teasing, she smirked, “Only maybe?” She shot back, clearly more than a little amused. She had to resist the urge to snort again though, “I don’t know about big shot. Most of my art is napkin doodles or half-done canvases scattered around my apartment. I have at least a dozen sketchbooks and not a single one is full.” 

She’d finished her bread, didn’t have a drink...she had nothing to occupy her hands with, nothing to divert her attention to..--so she had nothing to focus on aside from the way her heart skipped a beat, her stomach fluttering. “And if you got your way with that opportunity? ..What would you have in mind?”

“Well… for a start,” he said simply. “As for being sure of myself, well, I’ve come to find that confidence is key in so many things.” Quirking a brow, he looked at her. “Should I have a reason not to be sure of myself? Careful, doll. Might just break my heart.” He was still playing. Xavier was often playing, and so far he liked playing with her.

Looking down at her fingers, he noted the little designs. Delicate. Sweet. They matched her disposition. Still, he had to wonder if she had any bite under that babydoll face and big pretty eyes. “Hell I’ve got…” He set to counting in his head, hands gesturing vaguely to some of the locations as he did so. “Eight?” He ventured. “Think it’s eight. Last I counted.” He gave a smirk that changed into an expression of surprise as she mentioned that she couldn’t show him in a public place. So there was a little bite. “Baby, I’ll go anywhere you want to go if you ever feel like being forthcoming about it.” She seemed to be into it. Why not swing for it?

And then when she asked for his name, his grin softened. “It’s Xavier,” he told her. “House Maine.”

“If that’s the key then no wonder I’m shit out of luck when it comes to most things in my life.” She mumbled it more to herself than anything, finally giving in and grabbing a slice of the bread from the basket to rip apart and nibble on, realizing then just how hungry she was after her long work shift. “You seem the type that can handle it.”

Gen found it quite easy to verbally spar back and forth--found it fun. It helped that outside of the last couple minutes she had virtually no idea who the man was. Strangers meant not having to wonder if any semblance of her past was known. To him he was just...his waitress. Nothing more, nothing less. It certainly made things easier. “Pretty sure I had more than eight before I was even twenty.” She teased, smiling at him again. Doll. Baby. It all sent little shivers running down her spine, soothing over her like a balm she hadn’t really realized she’d needed. 

“If I ever feel like it I’ll be sure to let you know, baby.” She shot right back before popping the next bit of bread into her mouth. 

“Xavier.” She tested it on her tongue before she nodded and shifted, offering her hand out, “Nice to officially meet you.”

He laughed again and very nearly considered pushing back on her, taking out his phone, and setting a timer for eight and a half minutes. However, he was far too amused by the look on her face to really make it into a Dominance and submission thing right now. He just wanted to enjoy the time. But then… “You can always make up the other eight minutes with me sometime when you aren’t on the clock.” Xavier’s brow quirked. He spoke it into possibility, charm on his face. It wasn’t an order, but he was confident enough to make an assumption.

“Thirty, huh?” he asked her. “That’s a lot. I’d have to work hard to catch up.” Xavier had several tattoos marking his forearm, his bicep, his chest, and a few other locations. All were black and gray and all were had their meanings or didn’t. “Definitely didn’t design them, though. I’m not that kind of talented.” He was talented in other ways, but he certainly was no artist. “Which is your favorite? Of your tattoos?” He could see a little ink peeking out from under her sleeves and he suddenly found himself interested. 

When she asked for his name, he watched her for a moment. “Ask me for it,” he said lightly, a bemused expression lingering on his lips. “Sweetly.” He loved hearing a pretty submissive say please.

“Only eight minutes, huh? You seem awfully sure of yourself.” She teased, figuring again a little harmless flirting never hurt anyone. Gen’s smile grew at his comment, less teasing and more genuine as she nodded, “Granted, a lot of them are small. But yep, thirty.” she tapped her fingers along the table as she said it, a couple designs on the digits. “How many do you have?” His question back at her made her raise a brow, her smile turning a bit bemused, “That’s something for me to know. And it’s not exactly in a place I can show publicly.” she mused, watching him as she said it to gauge his reaction. 

She paused as he spoke again, eyebrows lifting for a moment at his pseudo-order. She could easily say no, just get up and go on with the rest of her shift. And yet... “Can I know your name, Sir? ..Please?”

“If your manager gives you shit, you can send them over to me. Customer’s always right, right?” Shaking his head, he watched her with a slightly knowing expression on his face. After all, he’d caught that flash of teeth on lip and the way her voice got all airy. It was always an ego boost, frankly. 

When she negotiated, he laughed. “Ten,” he countered. After all, he couldn’t let her win so easily. “As for what I want to talk about… Why don’t you tell me about you, Gen the waitress? Anything but talking about work.” 

Pushing the bread basket over to her for her to take one if she wanted, he lifted his drink and sipped it, his gaze never leaving her as he studied every move of her body and tick of her face. He liked doing that–breaking people down into their nuances and trying to figure out what he could learn about them beyond what they told him.

Gen narrowed her eyes a bit thoughtfully at him, figuring he had a point. But still. She wouldn’t ever jeopardize her job, she needed it far too much. “Seven.” She countered back, eyebrow raised at him and a little smirk tugging onto the corner of her lips, glancing at the clock on the wall for good measure before back to him, listening as he spoke once again.

Anything but work... “I have close to thirty tattoos. Almost all of them I designed myself over the years, I’ve been painting and drawing since I was a kid.” And almost all of them easily covered up by her uniform, only the ones on her fingers visible, and occasionally peeking out on her wrists from under her shirt sleeves. “And other than work and art, I don’t really think there’s a lot more about me to talk about.” certainly not with a stranger at least. “Wish you could take back your countered time yet?” she teased, eyebrow going up again. “Or are you at least willing to tell me your name now.”

Xavier raised a brow as she set down the bread and the drink. A cutiepie face and a pleaser’s heart, it seemed. God, what a fucking wet dream. When was the last time he had managed to swing through on a casual encounter like a waitress and a customer? It had been a while. He was usually so busy with business that he just had one of his subs come over and kneel for him. He hadn’t gotten it without paying for it in a while. Was it wrong to consider what she’d look like at his feet? He’d like to smear her modest lipstick. Would her babydoll eyes look all the more sweet with her eye makeup running down her cheeks?

Christ, Xavier, calm down. He nodded to the drink. “I appreciate it,” he told her simply. 

Her question was the problem, frankly, because Xavier couldn’t let the opportunity pass, could he? His voice went low as he leaned forward. “Depends on what you’re offering, doll. I can think of a few things.” Nodding to the seat across from him, he added, “For starters, take a fifteen. Sit and talk to me.” The order came out naturally, easily. Whether she’d listen remained to be seen.

Since Marco, Gen had gotten her needs fulfilled by following orders around the restaurant or even a handful of times with professional Dominants. She hadn’t really...done anything outside of those settings in a long, long while. And maybe it was for the best..it was what was safest--or at least that’s what she tried telling herself. But as the tone of the man’s voice, Gen felt a shudder run down her spine and she bit her lip, letting out a breath. “I-I’m on the clock...” 

Granted though, the restaurant wasn’t too busy right now, and other than him, she didn’t have any other tables she was waiting on... 

Gen let out another breath, biting down on her lower lip as she sat across from him, “Five minutes.” She shot back, raising a brow at him before nodding to him, “What do you wanna talk about?”

Clearly, the submissive was in distress. She clutched his hand tightly, all but begging him to play along. Moonjo gave her a slight nod and squeezed her hand softly for reassurance.

It didn’t take long to figure out exactly what had disturbed her. A dominant made his way to the table, clearly hellbent on pursuing her. Moonjo laced his fingers with the sub’s, making them appear more like a couple. “Is there a reason why you’re chasing my girlfriend?” he snapped at the other dom, glaring up at him. “Are we going to have a problem?”

Gen felt her nerves relax just the tiniest bit as the man not only nodded, but squeezed her hand and then laced their fingers together, really trying to sell it that they were a couple and she should be left alone. She stayed quiet for a moment, watching the stranger who’d come to her rescue, listening to him, before her assailant scoffed and Gen’s eyes moved upwards again, narrowing a bit.

“She should’ve said so then.” “I told you I wasn’t interested.” Gen snapped back, her jaw clenching even as the man took a step closer to the table, his gaze leering, moving from her eyes down to the open vee of her shirt, making Gen feel uncomfortable, exposed. “Sluts like you don’t know what you want.” 

“Well.. Pleasure to meet you, Gen,” he said with that same charming grin.

If he watched her leave, it was surreptitious. But she was good looking, and had one of those cutiepie faces for which he was a sucker. If anything, a sweet smile often lifted Xavier’s spirits. 

Lifting the phone he had previously discarded, Xavier began to send a few texts to try to move some things around to account for the appointment that he had just lost. Discounts, time slot adjustments. It was a real pain in the ass. He let out a sigh. So much for lifted spirits.

Gen wasn’t exactly the type to flirt at work (or at all) but the man was attractive and really- who could blame her? Besides, not like anything would come from it. She was better off alone, just like always. It was safer that way. 

She came back a few minutes later with the drink (that maybe had an extra shot) and some fresh bread as well, hot out of the oven and she slid it down in front of him, noting the bracelet around his wrist. “You seem really busy so..figured maybe you could do with eating something too? Unless you’ve already ordered actual food?” She asked as she put down the glass next and she nodded over to the menu sitting untouched beside him. “Is there anything you’re in the mood for, Sir?”

“You’ve got a good intuition,” he praised before glancing once at the menu. “Let’s start hard. You know what they say about liquor before beer.” In the clear. “How about some gin and soda?” Xavier considered for a moment before electing to shoot a shot. “And how about your name?”

“Or maybe I just know that when I’m frustrated a good drink helps.” She shot back with a little smirk before hearing his drink order--admittedly not one she expected from someone who looked like...well, like him-- but she nodded just the same. The next question surprised her as well and she thought on it for just a second. “Gen.” she replied, the same little smirk softening into a little smile as she took a step back, “And I’ll be right back with that drink.”

Looking up to answer, Xavier paused. Holy shit. This girl was a knock out. Instantly, a charming grin spread over his lips as he cocked his head. “If you’re offering,” he said simply. “Sorry about the uh…” He nodded to his phone.

Gen noticed the way the man seemingly paused before a grin overtook his face and all the while her eyebrow stayed up--albeit now accompanied by a bemused little smile on her face. “I mean, I’m not your waitress, but between us it kinda seems like you could us one.” She replied before waving off the apology, “It’s fine. We’re all allowed bad days.” Gen assured him before nodding behind herself to the bar, “So what would you like?”

Open Starter

“God, what’s a man got to do to find a hard-worker who isn’t out to suck me dry in all the ways I don’t want?” Xavier muttered to himself as he hung up his phone. Bullshit. One of his girls was asking for a raise when she didn’t have the put out to back it up. Xavier took care of the submissives that worked for him, provided what they needed. But some of them were so fucking high maintenance sometimes. “Fucking Christ.”

Gen rose a brow as she finished cleaning one of her tables up at the bistro she worked at, looking over at the man who was muttering angrily to himself a couple feet away. He wasn’t one of her customers, but she wasn’t about to just walk off either, so she she headed over to him, tilting her head a bit, “You good over here? Sounds like you maybe need a drink...?”

Nothing good ever came out of allowing his sister a free reign over his life, Dae knew this and yet he’d allowed Kira to set him up on a blind date. At the time, it seemed like a good idea to make her stop asking three times a day, but now faced with the reality of having to go through with it, Dae felt sick. Literally. He felt worse than he felt before he had to enter a cage match. That said more about him than anything else probably.

And his date was late. So there was that.

He was about to stand up when someone approached the table.

@bretonstarters​

Gen had done the rounds of her tables that evening- taking orders, friendly small talk, being the picture perfect waitress in the hopes of getting some decent tips. But for quite some time now a guy was sitting along at a table set for two, and honestly, after a solid half hour went by, she felt bad and walked over with a free drink refill. “Hey um..thought you might like a new one.” she offered, passing over the glass. “Is there anything I can get you...?”

MoonJo turned the plastic T-Rex over in his hand, sighing softly before setting it next to his coffee cup. Liam had insisted he take it with him for his new job in case he needed protection. Clearly, the kid had read right through him when he pretended like this new job was going to be a great and wonderful thing for them.

He ran his hand through his hair and moved his gaze back to the computer screen. There was a list of cases he had to read through to find a precedent for Georgette’s takeover, but all of the words were jumbling together to become little more than mush.

Sighing again, Moonjo shifted slightly in his seat, coaching himself to be disciplined and read - but just as he started, he was interrupted by the chair in front of him screeching as it was pulled back. Had the coffee shop gotten that full? He glanced up in time to see the person plopping down in front of him. “If you’re looking for company, I won’t be any,” he warned.

Gen just wanted to come get some coffee, needing the caffeine for the closing shift she had coming up soon at the restaurant she worked at. But what she hadn’t expected was for a pushy Dom to follow her down the block and even into the cafe, not taking no for an answer when she said she wasn’t interested. So instead of running (or turning and slapping him and potentially causing a scene when he crowded into her space) she quickly scanned the area and when she found an empty spot she slid into it, only hesitating a second before reaching over and snagging the stranger’s hand, practically feeling like she was being chased. “Just play along. Please.”

“Who’s to say I didn’t go straight home to compose?” Lachlan raised an eyebrow at her, raising the bar further still, “You’re welcome to come over to the estate and have a listen any time you’d like, Genevieve.” He loved the name, a soft smile settling on his face as she looked back up at him and called him sir. “Well then, I won’t apologize for stealing your time and company.” Finishing his drink he set the glass on the bartop and then leaned in, ghosting her hair over her shoulder before whispering in her ear, “Dance with me.” The tips of his fingers trailed down her shoulder and arm before circling her elbow and tugging on her fingertips. Some part of him wanted to drag her past the dance floor to his car and straight home, but his expression remained, for now, fairly settled and flirtatious. His only giveaway was his lust blown pupils wandering Gen’s frame.

Gen tried to find a witty retort, but nothing really came to mind--not when the thought of him actually...making a song based on just her name swirled through her brain. If he was telling the truth..it’s probably the single most romantic thing anyone had ever done for her. ...And that was just sad considering they barely even knew each other. Letting out a breath, Gen shook her head, “Well...if that’s the truth, then maybe I should make a plan to come by as soon as I can.” and even if it was a lie and just a ploy to get her in his room..she didn’t really find that she minded- not when he was that gorgeous to look at. “Feel free to steal all you want.” He was leaning in then, brushing her hair over her shoulder to expose her ear and as he spoke she felt his fingers trailing down her arms, causing goosebumps to erupt over her skin. When his hand came down to hers she let it happen and she shifted a bit, curling her own fingers around his and she gave a little squeeze, “Lead the way, Sir.”