have a nice day

It was an unexpected situation when Meg suddenly announced that she wanted to go somewhere and invited Mik along with her, and before he could respond she was already making her way barefoot out the door. Quickly stepping into his thick-soled boots and following after her, keeping her in sights as he trailed after her for a period. Even though his pace was slowed by his loose unlaced shoes, he eventually caught up to Meg, but before he could open his mouth to ask where they were heading she was off running. 

Following her every move and turn, they eventually came upon a set of apartments owned and operated by the pier. Mik was careful and kept his head down to avoid bringing attention to himself, hoping no one would pop out and ask questions when he didn’t know the answers. Mik didn’t realize they were stopped at a window until he heard scraping noises that made his head snap back up. Eyes wide in disbelief as Meg teased the window open and leapt in, his mouth slightly agape as she beckoned him to follow. 

Turning to scan the area around the outside of the apartment to make sure no one was potentially watching this debacle, and once he was satisfied they were very much alone he nodded before attempting to climb in as well.

Mik’s gangly height made slinking through the window difficult. The serious mood broke abruptly when he couldn’t help but poorly stifle a collection of giggles as his toes touched the ground outside, and his hands were planted firmly on the tiled floor inside. After some wiggling, pulling, and kicking to get himself inside Mik tumbled onto the floor. Pulling himself up using the window ledge, and finally closing the window painfully slowly behind them.

Mock brushing himself off as he turned to his surrogate sister, the laughter hiding in his voice was very apparent as he spoke, “Alright, we ran around hell’s half acre to crawl through a window… Not what I was expecting on an off night. So, where exactly is here?”

Watching her brother try to climb through the window was a feat in itself. Meg placed her hands over her mouth to stifle the laughter. Just in case there were nosy neighbors that could hear through the walls. But once he was inside, she quickly grabbed his hand and began leading him through the door. Her eyes scanning over everything that was Finn in this small little apartment. There was nothing that really changed between then and now. Her crystal eyes lingering at the small castle she had hand made for him one year for his birthday. The corners of her lips lifting in a small smile. 

“My ex boyfriend’s,” she said rather quietly, her voice soft, “Do what you will.”

Meghan released his hand and her fingertips quickly found the surface of his couch. Memorizing the texture just the way she had when she had first entered his life. How she had trailed her fingertips along every surface she came in contact with as soon as she was invited. But as soon as she lifted her fingers, Meg found herself in the doorway to his bedroom. A devious smile etched across her features. Crossing her arms and pulling at the hem of her shirt, Meg pulled her shirt up and over her head. Tossing the lump of plum fabric to the floor.

Just as she had pushed her jeans to the floor as well and she began to step out of them..she paused. Hearing the creaking of the floor, Meghan looked up in fear that it might be Finn himself. A sigh of relief pushed through her lips, blowing her curls out of her face at the sight of Mik standing before her.

Mindy sighed an just shook her head, all she had wanted was to help even if it wasn’t much but apparently the girl in front of her either didn’t know how to accept help or liked playing the big bad tough girl. Crossing her arms, she just shrugged and looked down at her phone quickly to check the time before looking back up at the girl. 

“ Do you just not like people helping you? Cause honestly I was just trying to be nice, which is far from my normal self.” She said before looking around and noticing the girl seemed to be right she didn’t a manager type person around. “ I just moved here as well, and already wish I worked with people who were a little less insane. And really? Wow, so i guess that does kind of give you the run of the place.”

“I never had genuine help in my life,” she sad with a shrug.

In truth, she had never known true kindness. It always came with a price she had to pay. Whether she wanted to or not. Meg pressed her lips in a hard line; shoving the memories that flooded her mind back to the depths they came from. Her crystal blue eyes scanned the area for anymore trouble as she listened to the blonde. With Dark seemingly never around it out an enormous amount of pressure on her. This being her first day on the job, Meghan could only imagine what the rest of her days would look like. Not that she was complaining. She knew that the other people who applied for her position would have sold their soul to get the job. Whereas all she had to to was open the door to his office. Plus, she really was used to handsy assholes thinking that consent wasn’t a thing.

He watched her watching him, and if he was being honest with himself, it gave him a thrill. When she called his name, something in him stirred, and the smirk that traced his lips was totally involuntary. “Never. Now I’m sure the last poor sap to call you a damsel wound up missing his front teeth. Am I right?” he gave her a wink and bit his lip, knowing what it would do to her. After all, as much as she knew him, he knew her. And she was a sucker for anything flirtatious. But then again, that was his nature with her

“I see you got yourself a nice little gig here. Top Dog and all that Distra.” he grinned, genuinely proud of her. He always knew she’d be able to do anything she set her mind to. “But do you still have time to kick it with the mutts of the world?” he lifted his glass a little at her and winked, teasing her

Had she been a different woman, she would have blushed. But she was not the same woman he had met before. Instead, she snorted at the truth. Her mind reeling back to the last man to have ever even deemed her as something remotely damsel like and how she had not only yelled at him but punched him square in the throat. Meghan was nowhere near being someone that needed rescuing. Not anymore. Then there was that smirk of his. That damned smirk. How it got to her every damned time they had met. The things she did for him and all he had to do was pull on that smirk. But Meg vowed to herself that this time would be different. If only her heart would listen. She always was a fool for the broken bad boys.

“Not before getting an earful,” she said, casting her gaze before she lost herself in those ocean blues again.

She shot the boys across the way a look. A knowing one. They were her boys now and would do whatever she wished. There was a ping of guilt as she looked back at Finn. Her heart telling her to go, but her mind telling her not to risk her job for some guy. A pop over her headset and her boys were telling her to go and enjoy herself; her shift was almost over anyways and they could handle the rest of the night. Meg made a mental note to thank them tomorrow.

She was on a mission. Her strides becoming faster and longer the more determined she became. Meghan could see his apartment from where she stood and crossed her arms in anticipation. Waiting for her partner in crime to catch up with her. Despite Meg being much shorter than her roommate, she was much faster than Mik in this instance. Though as soon as he caught up, she was on her way again. This time breaking into a run. Her bare feet hitting the pavement despite being how cold it was. Meghan didn’t really care. Not with the plan she had in mind.

Finally reaching her destination, she pushed herself on her tiptoes and jimmied the window open. Something that the inhabitant himself had taught her. Not wasting any time with the door. Not this time at least. In the week and a half that she had come to the Pier, Meg had managed to break into Finn’s just to take pictures for him while he was at work. This time, however, she was bringing her best friend, brother and confidant; Mik. Hoisting herself up enough to push herself through the opening, she jumped up once she was through.

Her crystal eyes scanned the bathroom before looking through the gap back at her accomplice.

“You coming?” she called with a smirk.

Carl had been selling balloons for awhile. Some had been taken. But he still had quite a bit of balloons left of various colors. He had been surprised when some kids had been pickier than usual about what they had wanted. It had almost annoyed him for a few moments. But he’d let it roll of his back. He spotted a brunette approaching and she seemed to be eating something. As she came into view he noticed that she was eating blue cotton candy. Crap, cotton candy.

He looked away for a moment careful not to stare knowing his thing about cotton candy in general. He’d had the thing about it ever since he was in high school. He didn’t know how it had started or why. But, it was a really bad time for it to rear it’s ugly head. So he was doing his best not to stare or watch her enjoying her treat because that would just make things worse.

He licked his lips as he heard the sound of a voice and turned to find the woman before him. Purple? Of course, he had a few purple left. What kind of a monster didn’t have purple. “Sure, I have purple.” He replied, moving to grab one of the balloons off the cart.

Meghan watched him intently. He couldn’t have been any older that she was and she couldn’t help but wonder why one would choose selling balloons to pay the bills. But she wasn’t one to judge. Not with her past lovers history. She tilted her head slightly to the left as he reached to get her balloon. Her curls falling gently off her shoulders as she bit on her lower lip. There was still some of the sugary substance on her mouth and she licked it away as subtly as she could. This was precisely why she was never a fan of the treat. Cotton candy was too sticky and sugary for her liking. 

Reaching to grab the string from him, Meg let her fingers graze his. There was no harm in a little flirtation. After all, they were both adults and he was attractive. Not to mention he seemed to give off that “good boy” vibe. Which only made her want to flirt more. Shoving her free hand in her back pocket, Meg pulled out her very thin, purple velvet wallet. 

Her first day off in nearly a week and Meghan decided to sight see. Spending her entire life in the city, she had never seen a place like this before. There was so much to do and see. Not to mention with her schedule being mostly at night and leaving her to get off early in the morning, she didn’t exactly have a lot of free time. It was a nice day. Sun shining on her pale skin and making the red hue in her curls stand out. Meg pulled off some of the blue cotton candy that she had gotten earlier, placing it delicately on her tongue.

Normally, she was never one for the sticky treat. But this was a time for new experiences. At least that was what she kept telling herself. Tossing the rest in the trash next to a balloon vendor, Meg licked the residue from her lips. Her blue eyes looked at the translucent objects and decided that she would buy one. Maybe she would give it to her roommate and hand picked family; Mik. Maybe she would let it go in memory of all the love she had sold her soul to get.

“Do you have purple?” she asked the vendor curiously.

It was well past Mik’s off time from his job at the pier, and after being bored at the apartment for a few hours he decided to go visit his hand-picked family and see how she was doing at her new job. Mik had thrown on a mess of an outfit, which comprised of anything he had picked up from around his room that he vaguely thought was clean. 

Even though the weather was warming Mik couldn’t help but feel the chill, thankful that he had some sense to throw on his well worn and oversized jacket. Taking a moment to mentally prepare himself before pushing the sleek glass doors open to the infamous club, The Underworld. The longer Mik spent meandering around looking for the shorter brunette the larger the knot in his stomach became. His senses were overloaded by the intense crowds, sounds, and lights surrounding his shadowed presence.

Mik’s wandering ceased when he spied Meg, quickening his pace to greet her. It wasn’t until he closed the distance further that he witnessed a man harassing her, and before he could open his mouth to speak up Meg had already told the handsy man off. 

Wasting no time Mik stepped close beside his sister, and what Mik lacked in muscle tone he made up for it in his height. Easily towering over the squat little man, Mik added childishly,“Yeah! What she said!” 

Giving the now stuttering man a cold glare he continued, “She’s given you a choice, asshole. You can either piss off, or security will do it for her. Now pick one!”

The stranger wasted no time in scuttling off into whatever murky pit he’d crawled out of. Mik turned to Meg, large eyebrows knit with concern as he asked pointedly, “First day not going like you hoped?”

Meg closed her eyes in relief as soon as the man exited the club. Her heart sinking as she started to grasp that being the assistant manager at this place was not going to be an easy task. But it was one that she was willing to take. After all, she had dealt with many men like the one she had sent off before. It was just a matter of handling it in a way that wouldn’t get her fired. A sigh of frustration escaped her. Her dark curls bouncing with every movement. But as soon as she heard a familiar voice--a comforting voice--a small smile twitched at the corners of her mouth. 

When Mik appeared at her side, Meghan allowed herself to relax just a bit. After all, the night was still young. Laying her head on his shoulder...or trying to being that he was a good foot taller than she was, Meg whimpered in frustration.

Finn had finished his shift and was ready for a drink. He’d heard from a few of his customers that The Underworld had a new hot manager and that she was quite the firecracker. While he wasn’t the most popular individual, Finn did like keeping tabs on who came and when at The Pier. So of course he’d have to go check her out. In more ways than one.

He sauntered into The Underworld and made his was to the bar. He placed his order and started looking around for the new manager, only to have his attention drawn to a voice that cut through the room like a knife. He knew that voice, how could he ever forget it? It belonged to the most beautiful chaos he’d ever dated. Meg.

Sure enough, there she was - giving out to some sod that thought he could touch her without her permission. Good to see some things never change. He watched her snap at the man and let a wild grin set on his lips seeing the scoundrel slip away, tail between his legs. Once he’d left, Finn caught her eye and raised his glass to her “Distra, still fighting your own battles I see. Don’t need anyone to save you, I see”

As soon as the man scuttled away, it was as if a weight had lifted. Her breathing returned to normal and her heartbeat began to slow. Adrenaline had began to kick in should she have had to fight him off. There was a click as her security asked if she was okay through their headsets. At least there were somewhat decent men that worked here. While Meghan hadn’t gathered enough to really understand Dark, she had spent plenty of time over the last few hours with his security team. 

Running her hands through her curls, she breathed a sigh of relief. But that changed when she saw him through the throng of people. Finn was possibly one of her best conquests. Not only was he devilishly handsome but had wit that could match her own. Their relationship was also the only one that hadn’t left a bad taste in her mouth. All it took was the sound of his voice to send her heart beating again. Nothing she shouldn’t be used to.

Mindy spun around an looked at the dark haired woman, her expression chill at first before it melted into a rather sour looking resting bitch face. She really didn’t like the girls’ attitude, considering she had just helped her. “ Well excuse me for trying to help, next time I’ll let you suffer alone. Also I was saying it so he could leave, I could care less who actually runs this place unless they have deals at the casino.” She spat out before crossing her arms and looking the woman over trying to figure out if she could take her on if need be. “ Also If you run this place, then are you married to this Dark fellow or something?”

She raised her brows at the blonde. There was no need to size her up. Meghan had no intent to engage in a physical fight. Besides, it was her words that she fought best with. She shrugged at the threat. Nothing she wasn’t already used to in the first place. Meg wasn’t used to help and had no idea on how to even accept it. 

Mindy was at one of the bars on the pier gathering info on people, she had went home earlier and changed into something a little more comfortable an was enjoying the small slice of nightlife that this place had to offer.  Sighing she sipped at her beer, before noticing a little drama going on out of the corner of her eye. Setting down her beer she got up and stood back a bit watching the confrontation go down as the dark hair girl told off the man. He didn’t seem to back down though, and that’s when Mindy decided to step in. “ Listen man back the fuck off you heard the lady, I run this place an I can make sure you never step foot outside again. “ She said before grabbing him by the shirt, and tossing him towards the door. 

It only took a glance to see the blonde making her way for the two of them. Before she could open her mouth and tell her that she got it under control, the blonde had thrown the man out the door. Meg blinked, unsure of what to say or do now. This woman had claimed to run the place but she didn’t look like Dark which was why her attitude reared its ugly head.

Only her first night on the job and there were already handsy assholes. Meghan had swatted off as many hands off her body as she could count. But one entitled man in particular would not leave her alone. Her patience beginning to wear thin, Meg turned around, unknowing of anyone else around her. 

The snow crunched under her feet as she continued to ball up fairly decent sized snowballs. She hoarded them in her hands before she crept behind a tree to hide them. By now, her pile was fairly big. Standing behind the tree, she peered around the side, waiting for the children to not expect it. Anyone passing by would probably say it wasn’t fair that she was alone, but they had no idea. Shae was a beast with snowballs. The girl had quite an arm and with her frustration with the holidays, it wouldn’t be all that hard to beat these stupid kids at a snowball fight. While the thought of staying inside was better than being outside, she’d gotten hungry and didn’t have food in her apartment. Kids didn’t want to play against each other and that was how she’d wound up in this snowball fight.

She wasn’t necessarily a fan of kids, but didn’t really have any issues with them. If they behaved, she could deal with them. Now, it was fairly amusing, whether she admitted that she was having fun or not. The snow wasn’t falling anymore, so there wasn’t any snow getting stuck in her eye. It was just her and the kids. This way, she could forget about everything else in her life, forget about the stupid feelings, the lack of friends and the stress of the casino.

Hearing someone’s voice, she lifted her head, noticing Meg standing there. Things had been off with the two of them lately, Meg having heard about Finn and Shae’s past. She didn’t have any kind of feelings for him and wasn’t about to ruin their relationship. In fact, she was proud of Finn for even having one. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d actually slept with him and didn’t think Meg would’ve cared that much, but who was she to judge. It wasn’t her jealousy. But she wasn’t going to say anything, not now.

Chuckling, she packed a snowball and threw it, causing one of the kids to fall over, hitting him straight in the center of his parka. “I tried to escape completely, but they begged me to stay. This is better than working. You’re welcome to join if you want. I could use some help. Maybe we can get over whatever nonsense this is,” she stated, packing another snowball, trying to figure out where the kids were going.

Tension was in the air. Or least it felt like it to Meghan. Then again, everything always felt like tension to the curly haired woman. There wasn’t anything that didn’t fill her with anxiety these days and it was maddening. She hated being like this. Harboring things so deeply within her that she was sure she would crack eventually. This was no exception. Meghan wanted so much to let things go and be carefree. But she wasn’t sure she knew how to be that way entirely. Everything in her life had always been so hectic and chaotic that she was always walking on egg shells. Not for anyone else’s sake but her own. 

“I never thought you one to entertain kids,” she said with a light laugh, “I guess there’s a first for everything.”

Her eyes scanned the kids that were waiting Shae to throw more snowballs. Her dark haired companion had never seemed the kind to give into a child’s plea. Yet here she was. Their eyes were eager and ready, pleading her to join and give them more of a challenge. Meg had never been one for snow and she wasn’t exactly prepared for a snowball fight. But there was a tug in her heart that told her to stay. To try. To reach out and be a friend again.

Holidays were always rough for Meghan. Christmas being the hardest one of them all. Before she uprooted her life to the Pier, holidays were spent going from house to house. Family dinner to family dinner. Persephone was always thrilled to go to their grandparents house and stock up on sweets while Meg would have been content just staying at the house by herself. Her grandparents had always went all out for Christmas and always forgot about their sons’s oldest daughter. But Persephone was always included. Which was why once arriving, Meghan had spent all her time in the backyard. Laying flat on her back in the freezing, wet snow and staring up at the blinking lights that hung from the rooftop.

It was therapeutic in a way for her. Just escaping the bustle of her massive family in the cramped, tiny house. No one ever came to look for her except for her father when it was time to open presents. She was forgotten and alone. Meghan liked it that way. Meghan could hardly remember her first Christmas away from home. With the only thing she really remembered being giving Finn the miniature castle she had made and the key to her apartment.

Now, on year two away from home, Meghan found herself staring up at the rooftop of her apartment. Her crystal like eyes narrowed against the brightness of the snow that coated it. A reel of blue and white lights hung from her fingertips. She took a tentative step forwards...but that was her first sign. Meg slipped on the ice that had caked the stone steps leading up to her front door. Falling flat on her back and she could feel the bruise that would follow on her tailbone.

“Fantastic,” she breathed, “Fuck the holidays.”

It was almost therapeutic for the enigma of a woman to be out by herself. It had been ages since she went to a bar by herself. However, it had also been too long since she had went to bed at nearly 11 o’clock at night. Finding it easier to deal with the world around her when she was a grandma and went to bed at an early hour. Since Hayden was letting her off earlier these days. It was almost like he was being nicer to her in the days since the boys had broken her confidence at work. Overhearing their conversation on her headset was not something she had intended on doing.

Meghan had ordered something both festive and potent. Peppermint being her go to flavor around this time of year since she loathed eggnog. Which most everyone else loved. When the bartender slid her her drink, Meghan hadn’t even looked at her cup before she took a drink. Her nose immediately scrunching upon the thick texture of the drink. Looking down, it was now obvious to her that her drink had been switched or mistaken for someone else’s.

“Hey!” she called over the sound of Santa Baby playing through the speakers, “This is eggnog and Kahlua! I asked for peppermint!”

But the bartender simply turned his back and made another drink for someone else. A heavy sigh passed through her lips as she felt the weight of the seat next to her shift. 

Faking being sick to call into work, Meg had made it her day’s goal to stay in bed. Not wanting to do a damn thing was on her bucket list for over a year now and  she was determined to make it work. But as always, things became rather boring and Meghan found herself sending her best friend a text message. It had been some odd months since the two had seen each other and Meg was starving for some girl time with someone that wasn’t a girl that had slept with her boyfriend.

“Go out with me tonight?”

Waiting for her response, the brunette made herself a cup of eggnog in the kitchen. Usually, she hated the taste. Avoiding it at all costs around the holidays. However, with it being her second Christmas at the Pier, Meghan decided that one cup couldn’t hurt... Especially since she was spiking it with vodka. Taking a quick drink of the spiked substance, Meg reached for her phone again.

“Nvm, just come over to Finn’s. I have vodka and eggnog. We about to get fucked up, bitch.”

☕️ - Your character spills hot chocolate on someone

🌟 - Your character is hanging up Christmas lights and needs help from someone

🎄 - Your character knocks over a Christmas tree

❄️ - Your character gets caught in the cold without enough clothes

🍝 - Your character is trying, a failing, at cooking a holiday meal

🍻 - Your character drinks eggnog that's a bit too strong