icebergbliss

The constant dripping of the gotham rain kept you in a deep sleep that night. You had been curled up tight in the plush comforter, with your legs stretched out on the expensive silk sheets.

This was a normal night for you now, all alone in his big, luxurious apartment. You obviously didn't complain, having a California king sized bed all to yourself. But having someone to share it with makes all the difference.

You've lived with Oz for a few weeks at this point. You've gotten used to the routine. You see him for a few minutes in the morning before you leave for work, half an hour at dinner before he goes back to the lounge, and maybe, if you're lucky, late at night when he's finally done for the day.

There were of course some off days where you would spend some time together, but with how packed your schedules are, it's not as often as you'd like.

All of a sudden you were woken up by the sound of the living room door opening and footsteps.

Oz was home.

It was a comforting, warm feeling. But along with that came a sense of anxiousness. It was sometimes hard to tell what mood he'd be in after work. You rubbed your eyes and rolled over to check your phone, the glowing screen which read 5:32 AM blinded you instantly. It was hard to imagine the kind of schedule Oz was on, working late into the night just to get back up again the next morning. You had no idea how he did it.

You lazily threw the phone back on the nightstand and sighed as Oz slowly opened the door, trying not to disturb you. His scattered steps echoed across the wooden floor, giving you chills.

"Hey." You whispered awkwardly trying not to startle him, which didn't work.

Oz jumped at the noise, not being able to see you in the dark, but quickly let out a quiet chuckle.

"Shit, doll, you scared me."

"Sorry..." you laughed along with him.

He walked over to the bed and sat down next to you, kissing your forehead.

"Didn't mean to wake you up sweetheart, you should go back to bed, I'll sleep on the couch so I don't disturb ya." Oz began to get back up but you quickly put your hand on his arm.

"No, no...stay." You tried your best to not come off desperate but it was inevitable, you never see him.

"Okay." He smiled, "let me go change."

Once Oz was finished getting ready for bed, he slipped under the covers and held you to his chest. He then let out a big sigh.

"Long day?" You whispered, not making eye contact in the pitch black.

"Yeah…..always is."

"What time do you work tomorrow?"

"I'm actually off tomorrow for once, fuckin finally."

Butterflies filled your stomach, you couldn’t remember the last time you were both off.

"Would you wanna do something?" You asked, secretly glad Oz couldn't see the big grin on your face.

Oz started stroking your arm, "hmm, whaddya mean by that?" He then started kissing your neck, making you laugh.

"I don't know, pervert." You jokingly rolled your eyes, "Go to lunch? Dinner?"

"Perfect." He kissed your cheek. "And I assume you're payin?"

You couldn’t count how many times you had been running back and forth across the bar that night. It felt like everytime you had begun to catch your breath, new customers would be demanding your attention.

It was a Saturday night, the busiest night of the week at the Iceberg Lounge. The line had gone down the block, filled with freezing twenty somethings waiting for the chance to get in.

So far, you’ve been a pretty good bartender. Staying attentive to guests, making sure you’re mixing the drinks just right. It was anxiety inducing, but you were enjoying yourself.

“Hey, Y/N, why don’t you go take your fifteen?” One of your supervisors, Nicole, had said to you while she was making a drink.

“Okay, thanks!” You happily obliged, rushing out of the cramped bar before another guest tried to stop you.

You somehow made your way through the crowds and walked up to the next floor. The thumping bass was pounding against your head, making it hard to think.

As you were about to walk into the dressing room, you saw Oz’s office door. Chills began creeping down your spine, leaving you frozen in the dimly lit hallway. You haven’t stopped thinking of your interview with Oz last week. The way he looked at you, eyeing you up and down like you were a marble sculpture. The feeling of his hand stroking yours, and how you yearned for more of his touch.

You had tried to calm yourself down though and not get your hopes up. You had felt a connection, but who knows if he did? He could just be flirtatious by nature, just doing this with all the girls. But, despite that possibility, the thought of you and him together again wouldn’t leave your mind.

Once you had fallen out of your trance, you walked into the dressing room to retrieve a small snack from your bag. The room was cluttered with wigs, makeup bags, and dresses scattered across the different makeup desks. You were secretly intimidated by the other women here, their makeup and hair was always done so flawlessly. It’s like they had put on a whole different persona before each shift.

You looked into one of the dimly lit mirrors to check on your makeup. It wasn’t smeared, thankfully. Despite how overheated you were surrounded by the crowds. You had on glittery silver eyeshadow with black eyeliner and dark red lipstick to compliment the look. With that, you had on a tight fitting, black silk dress. You didn’t wear dresses like this often but it suited you well, complimenting your figure. It was one of the few things you wore that made you feel confident.

The fifteen minute break flew by and you rushed back downstairs to continue working. It had luckily calmed down a bit, leaving you time to get to know your coworkers. They were all very welcoming and nice, asking you about your life. During your conversation with Nicole, you had noticed Oz walking by. You didn’t wanna be rude, but you had completely tuned her out, praying he would stop by to talk to you.

He was walking with two other men in suits, he didn’t appear to be in a rush. You guessed it was most likely two of his usual rich friends. They were laughing about something as they made their way to pass through your bar area. You quickly turned back to Nicole, nodding along as you pretended to listen. Your eyes would continuously dart back and forth, waiting for Oz to walk by.

He was dressed in his usual fancy attire, wearing a matching white suit and pants with a purple button up underneath. As he walked through the club, the crowd instinctively parted. Whether they knew who he was or not, they knew he was important. They knew he had the power.

As he passed by where you were, you shared a quick glance. You gave him a light smile, but he didn’t return the favor. The second you smiled, he looked away without acknowledgment. Part of you felt a little let down, but you tried to not take it personally. Nicole was looking with you too, and quickly sighed.

“Thank god he didn’t come over here.” She laughed in relief.

“Why not?” You asked as she walked over to make another drink.

“It’s just, he makes everybody here so nervous. He’s nice enough, but he’s a scary guy. No one here wants to mess up in front of him.”

“I didn’t think he was so strict.”

“Just don’t get on his bad side and you’ll be okay. Honestly, the best way to be with Oz is to not have him know you exist.” She laughed.

“Do most people here like to fly under the radar then?” You awkwardly chuckled.

“Oh yeah. He doesn’t really talk to us that much though anyway. You’ll mainly deal with the supervisors, like me. He’ll be spotted walking around the club, but he’s too busy to actually get to know us. Which, is a blessing in disguise.”

A customer was asking for your attention and you quickly turned around to get back to work. You knew not to get your hopes up. But you did anyways. You didn’t know what you were thinking, expecting a man that important to like you. You felt embarrassed.

Before you knew it, it was time for your closing duties. Though the rest of your shift went by quick, that sad feeling stayed in your chest. You wanted nothing more than to go home. Since you were still being trained, most of the staff had finished their closing duties and left. It was just you and Nicole behind the bar. It felt weird seeing the club like this. The once dark, mysterious interior was now a fluorescent lit aftermath of a drunken storm.

Nicole had her backpack and coat on, just about to leave. “Alright, you need anything before I head out?” Her voice echoed.

“No, I got it. Thanks for your help today!” You smiled as you wiped down the bar table.

You and Nicole said your goodbyes until it was just you finishing up the cleaning. It was eerie being all alone in the lounge, so you tried to finish as quick as you could. But, the usual room tone was interrupted by the familiar scattered footsteps walking down the stairs. Oz looked at you and smiled, making your stomach drop instantly.

“Hey, sweetheart! Been lookin for ya.” He continued walking towards you, leaving you frozen in shock.

“Hi, how was your night?” You gave a polite smile, trying to speak in a chill tone. Pretending like he hasn’t been on your mind the entire night.

“Not bad, not bad.” He said, now standing only inches from you on the other side of the bar table. “Was hoping to talk to you though. Sorry I didn’t stop by earlier, gotta put on a show for these wall street guys that come in. Y’know?” He chuckled.

“No worries at all. You’re a busy guy.”

“Yeah, I’m glad I found you though. Was worried I wouldn’t get to see ya.” He said as his eyes wandered down your dress. “You uh, look good tonight doll. Real good.”

You felt your insides melt, all you could do was blush like an idiot. “Oh, thanks. Y-you don’t look so bad yourself.” You immediately looked away, you weren’t confident when it came to flirting.

“Pssh, stop. You’re sweet.” He laughed. “You know, since it’s your first day. Why don’t we have a drink, to celebrate, y’know? In my office…If you’re too tired though I get it.”

“No, I’d love to.” You said almost immediately, trying not to show too much excitement.

“Good, follow me. I’ll make anythin’ ya like.” He winked.

Oz began making you a rum and coke, your usual, behind his mini bar. You were sitting on the couch instead of across his desk this time. It felt weird, but good. Like this once formal place you two shared was now more intimate. You couldn’t help but gaze around the office while you waited, looking at old pictures, trinkets, curious to know the backstories of each.

“Here you go.” Oz said walking over and handing you the drink.

“Thanks so much, you really didn’t have to go to all that trouble.”

“It’s no problem. I’m happy to.” Oz said sitting down next to you.

The second he was next to you, you instantly felt that same nervousness you had the week before. His presence alone made you queasy.

“So, how was your first night? Anyone give you trouble at the bar?” Oz said, trying to break the silence.

“It was good! Everyone was really nice.” You said before taking a sip of your drink.

“Good, That’s what I like to hear. I know starting a job on the busiest night ain’t easy, but you did great. The customers seemed to like ya.”

You gave him a confused look, “Oh, I thought you didn’t get to see me.”

Oz laughed, “Sweetheart, I see everything in this place.” He beckoned to the glass wall of his office, showing the now dimly lit empty club. “I always keep an eye on my girls, making sure they’re okay.”

You smiled, trying to hide your embarrassment knowing he definitely saw you glancing at his office repeatedly.

The two of you talked for a while, you slowly began to let your guard down. Your once tense shoulders were now relaxed as you listened intently to Oz talk. His voice, though deep and raspy, was calming to you. You would have no problem listening to him for hours.

Oz would slowly find excuses to scoot closer to you, whether it was to take a sip of his drink, or adjust his shirt. The two of you were almost touching knees. He was the first to initiate more contact, finally, as he rested his hand along your lower back. He managed to do it in a casual enough way as he was telling a story, but all you could focus on was how it felt as his hand rubbed your back slowly.

“You’re so beautiful, doll, you know that?” Oz whispered in your ear, making you shiver.

You didn’t respond, but your blushing showed without fail.

“Gotta be honest, ever since the interview…” Oz slowly began to move his hand from your back to your thigh. “I haven’t stopped thinking about ‘cha.”

“Me too…” you said, trying not to blush even more.

“I mean jesus, the way that dress fits you…” Oz then began kissing your neck before continuing, “you’ve been driving me crazy all fuckin’ night.”

As he kept kissing your neck and shoulder, you accidentally giggled, making you cover your mouth with your hand instantly.

“Sorry.” You awkwardly laughed, afraid you’ve ruined the moment.

Oz chuckled, “Don’t be embarrassed, doll. It’s cute, lets me know I’m making ya feel good…” He continued kissing before saying “Let me make you feel good.”

You leaned your head back, giving in to the sensations. His hands began to explore your body, touching all the right places. It’s like he could read your mind.

Suddenly though, you glanced at the wall clock across the room. The time read 3:30 AM.

“Shit…” you muttered, trying to figure out what to do next.

“What’s wrong?” Oz said letting go of you.

“I forgot, I have a 9am class tomorrow…” you sighed.

“Here, let’s get you home.” Oz said helping you off the couch.

“I’m sorry…”

“For what?” Oz smiled.

“For having to leave, I was really enjoying our time together.”

Oz walked over and gave you a kiss on the cheek. “Me too….how about this, why don’t I give you a ride home? It’s too late for you to walk to the train.”

“That would be great, thank you.” You smiled.