The White Rose

‘Take me with you. For laughs, for luck, for the unknown. Take me with you.’

Phoebe watched from behind the counter, arms propped, keeping an eye on the few customers who loitered about the bar. It had been a busy first day (of many, she was sure), but it wasn’t over yet.

But–she could allow herself a few moments, she decided, as she felt a tiny rumble against the table, the voice following it making her face break out into a grin. Phoebe turned to coworker, delighted and somewhat honored that he had come to see her.

She could always make him smile, and had remained one of the few people who possessed such a magic. 

“Me? Oh, nah–I’m alright, I think…” the minotaur rumbled, in his usual manner, his shoulders raised in a brief shrug. “Actually–no, maybe just…a water, I guess, if you’re not doing anything” he stammered.

“It ‘as,” Phoebe agreed before laughing under her breath. “I noticed. Place’s certainly gets busy don’ it? Nothin’ I can’t ‘andle though.”

Phoebe gave a nod. It was better than having no money for food, too. She felt that lady luck had blessed her twofold. One for steady-paying job. The other for the person sitting at the bar in front of her. The unicorn gave one more quick look around to check if any one looked like they would want any more drinks. Finding none, she turned back to Ralph.

The strip joint always had a consistent downtime between the end of dinner time and the midnight hour, where the vibrant lights would dim and the constant pound of the bass would die down. A few lingering patrons were hovering about the bar, sipping at half-empty drinks and taking quick glances at the stage, but the liveliness of the busy hours was fading. It was the first time, in a long time, Ralph felt like he could lift his eyes from the patrons and turn them towards the club’s newest employee. 

Ralph paced over to the nearest bar stool, half-sitting and half-standing on the two-sizes-too-small seat, and tapped a single finger to get his coworker’s attention. “You got a minute?” he asked, brow raised’t mean t’bother you, on your first day, and all, s’just…nice t’be working together, y’know?”

Phoebe watched from behind the counter, arms propped, keeping an eye on the few customers who loitered about the bar. It had been a busy first day (of many, she was sure), but it wasn’t over yet.

But--she could allow herself a few moments, she decided, as she felt a tiny rumble against the table, the voice following it making her face break out into a grin. Phoebe turned to coworker, delighted and somewhat honored that he had come to see her.