saved by okayhela

Valkyrie sat at the bar, hoping something would happen. It had been a slow Tuesday night, with her job feeling pointless. There were no fights, no underage children trying to sneak in, and certainly no harassments of any kind. She hated boring nights with a passion. It left her feeling antsy and ready to fight. Seeing a suspicious figure in the corner, she walked over to observe. “And what exactly do you think you’re doing here?”

Neena’s day had been long. Her shift had been busy, which usually would be a blessing in such a dull place, but today she couldn’t think of anything she would have much preferred than crawling into bed and going to sleep. Of course, by the time it ended, she was so fed up with the general public that she decided she needed a drink before any crawling into bed could occur. That’s how she found herself at the bar across the street, nursing a beer in one hand and scrolling through her phone with the other. She didn’t look up until she heard someone speak, giving the woman a lopsided grin. “Drinking? Or isn’t that allowed here?”

Maria let out a hearty chuckle at that, lifting one eyebrow high.  "Mmm, that’s an interesting choice there.  Run things from this shit town, even if you own all of Chicago.  Probably smart too, no one would really come looking for you here.“  She sighed and leaned back, finishing off her bottle of beer and setting the empty on a nearby table, wondering why her damn pizza wasn’t ready yet.

She wrinkled her nose a moment later.  "There is nothing about you that screams hick to me,” she said and gave Neena a small smile.  "Maybe you’re more well adjusted than I am, since no matter where I am, a part of me is eager to get the hell out.“  She lifted one shoulder in a halfway sort of shrug.  "I don’t know.  The world’s probably rough all over, and I can’t keep thinking the grass is greener on the other side.”

“It is smart, that’s why I chose to do it. We mob bosses are smarter than we look.” She chuckled, giving Maria a toothy grin. Neena sighed, glancing out the window again, quiet enough that tumbleweed blowing down the street wouldn’t look at all out of place. At times, leaving was appealing, she’d be further away from her parents, but living out their worst nightmare right in front of their eyes was a better way to get back at them. Plus, the rent was cheaper here than it would be in one of the big cities.

“Maybe it is.” Neena shrugged, “But maybe it’s not. I don’t think I believe in places dictating happiness. If you’re miserable somewhere, moving’s not gonna do much to change that, maybe it’ll just mean you’re miserable in a warmer climate.” She explained, still gazing out of the window. She’d had friends who’d left school and travelled the world to ‘find themselves’, she didn’t believe in that kind of stuff, not really.

“That sounds interesting,” she responded, smirking as she envisioned Neena working in a casino. Somehow it just fit. Perfectly. “Does anyone ever actually win at those things? Or is it actually rigged and impossible?” She had never actually stepped foot in one, but the movies gave a certain image she had yet to determine true or exaggerated. 

“It’s not really.” Neena shrugged, taking another bite of her donut. People looking in from the outside often commented that her job seemed exciting or glamorous. Maybe at one of the big casinos in Vegas or something, that would be the case. In Deerfield, the most exciting her job ever got was when there was a fistfight at one of the slot machines. “Hardly ever at the machines, pretty sure the odds there are like one percent. People win at the tables all the time. Not that I’m promoting gambling, by the way.” She added, wagging a finger at the younger woman. “They usually lose a lot before they win anything.”

“Dunno. I fell off my bike when I was like six. That was pretty traumatic.”

“Sure. I don’t know who you are, but it can be arranged.”

“Um... I guess? I think I like it the regular amount.”

“You know if you really want to go in for the big mob boss gig, you really got to get to Chicago.  Deerfield is too small town for someone of your credentials, you’re wasted on this place,” Maria said, her lips perking up into a sly kind of grin.  "But I can’t turn down the offer for protection either,“ Maria said and then winked.  "So maybe you should stay here.”

Maria took a deep breath and looked out the wide window onto the street, so dead now, only one car rolling by, slow and easy, one headlight busted.  The whole place seemed dead, or dying at least and sometimes Maria wondered if she was getting sucked away by this place.  Or if she’d always been sucked away and was just walking around like a zombie.  "I don’t know.  I can’t shake the feeling that I need to get away from this place sometimes.  It’s kind of suffocating, isn’t it?  Small town life and all?  I guess growing up in Chicago makes you have a different perspective on things.“

“Who says I don’t have subservients in Chicago?” She asked, raising a brow, “Maybe I’m just running things from afar.” Neena shrugged, biting back a laugh. “Can’t say I blame you there, you have no idea how deep the Deerfield criminal underground runs. Almost like a secret society.”

Neena sighed, following Maria’s gaze out onto the street. This place could be dull at times (okay, most of the time), but it was still home, right? Neena was comfortable here, the thought of leaving... it terrified her. “I think anywhere can be suffocating if you stay too long. This is the only place I’ve ever really been. Good or bad, I don’t know, but it’s home. Maybe I’m just some small town hick, but leaving isn’t part of the plan just yet.”

“Tea might. I won’t,” Michelle warned with narrow eyes, as if she was never going to forgive Neena for her blasphemous comments. “What is it you do again? Besides sit in my seat, robbing me of one of the few joys I have in this world?”

“And what a shame that’ll be.” Neena replied, shaking her head. “I work over there.” She replied, jerking a thumb over to the casino not too far down the road. “Dealing cards, breaking up fights, that kind of cool stuff.”

“On behalf of all tea– both iced and heated, that is highly offensive,” Michelle responded, wagging a finger in the other woman’s direction. “Some light reading on Ron Stallworth. He’s cool. First African American on the Colorado Springs Police force…. infiltrated the KKK… got his own Spike Lee movie…. pretty neat stuff,” she explained. “What are you doing here, in my seat?”

“Eh, I’m sure tea will get over it.” She grinned, taking another sip of the coffee. “Mm,” Neena hummed in recognition, the mug still to her lips. “I saw it, the movie. ‘Pretty neat’ indeed.” She agreed. “My shift starts in an hour and I need food and caffeine to survive it. Your seat is the best one here, so I took it.”

“I can’t?” Michelle countered, head tilting to the side in false consideration. Because it sounded like she just did. She claimed it, along with her spot– which Neena had also stolen from her. As if to answer her question, Michelle lifted her tea to her lips, taking a sip before setting it back down. “The book can wait.” 

“Whatever, wise guy.” She chuckled, making a show of rolling her eyes. She took a sip of her coffee, eyeing Michelle as she sipped at her tea. “Smart choice. Cold tea is even grosser than regular tea.” She smirked, placing the mug of coffee back on the table. “What’re you reading?”

“I mean, you could always just pay me off too.  I’ve always wanted to be a dirty cop.  They always have the nice houses and nice cars.  It really seems to be the way to go these days,” Maria said, her lips still curved up in an amused smirk.  She was at least proud that her morals stood enough to not have given into that temptation when it had been set before her before.  But honestly, it had always seemed a pretty near damn thing.

Maria was snorting a few moments later and she shook her head.  "I’ve never been able to eat one, I just collect them until I remember to toss them. I think I still have childhood trauma from the time one cracked my tooth,“ she said and sighed, taking another long swig of her beer and finishing it off.  "You’re right though, I should have known before. Everyone I meet that seems at least halfway decent is secretly a criminal which puts me in a really tough situation.  They’ll make movies about it someday.”  Maria sighed just a little and tilted her head back.  "You ever thought about trying to get away from this place?“

Neena hummed in agreement, “We’ll keep it all under the table, off course. We criminal types are good at that.” She laughed, “It does seem like the life, doesn’t it? You’d never have a worry in the world, either. I’m very loyal -- I’d have to keep all the other gangs off your back, as long as you keep covering up all my shady antics.” Of course, Neena’s antics couldn’t exactly be called shady -- maybe amoral at worst.

“You cracked your tooth on one of them?” Neena winced, “That’s the kind of stuff super villain backstories are made of.” She shook her head, chuckling to herself. “Just make sure you cast me well in the movie of your life. Someone who can capture my essence, y’know?” Neena chewed her lip as she pondered on the next question. “I guess,” She shrugged, “I think I just got comfortable here, though. Maybe one day I’ll travel or something. Who knows.” Neena sighed, “Why?”

“You would be surprised how many plans involve you. Your time in the casino will probe invaluable when we finally go for our grand heist. Don’t know what the heist is just yet, but I’ll figure it out.” She grinned at her friend. “Well that sounds dangerous, old ladies have a surprising amount of strength. Good thing you got out of their.”

“Mm, like Ocean’s 8 style? I like it. You can be Debbie, and I’ll be Lou. Are we gonna find ourself a crew? Work solo? The possibilities are endless, Val.” Neena laughed, leaning back on her chair, digging her heels into the ground. “Yep,” She started, popping the ‘p’ sound, “They’re vicious, really. One guy got hit by an umbrella once. Almost took out his eye, it could’ve been a bloodbath, I’m lucky to have escaped with my life.”

“Don’t get deep and philosophical on a simple question. That’s my thing,” Michelle frowned, letting out a dramatic sigh before taking the empty seat across from Neena. “Val probably didn’t tell you, but that’s my spot. So now I’m going to sit here and watch you eat your food and drink your coffee until you leave, so that I can drink my tea and read my book the way I always do. Cool?”

“You can’t just claim it, you know.” Neena chuckled, taking another bite of the donut as Michelle sat fown across from her. “Nah, surprisingly your choice of seating at a random cafe didn’t come up in conversation.” She explained with false shock, before breaking into a grin. “I mean, feel free to sit and watch me eat, but won’t your tea go cold?”