Poured Over Ice

He glanced towards the jukebox on the opposite side of the bar, a gaggle of barely legal drinking age girls feeding more coins into the machine and repeatedly pressing the same song. Riku was ready to murder someone.

"Hey Riku! Another glass!"

The silver haired man with seafoam green eyes waved to the patron at the end of the wooden counter and reached for the freezer door behind him. He took out a frosty glass and pinned it beneath the tap as frothy amber colored beer poured out. Riku effortlessly moved it just before it spilled a single drop and walked it over to its rightful owner.

"Here you go," he said with a small smile.

The man was dressed in a business suit albeit the tie around his neck and blazer were long gone. He grabbed a hold of his beer and downed a good third of it before slamming it back down with a thud.

"Isn't there somethin' you can do about them girls," he voiced with an obvious slur to his words. "Gettin' kinda annoyin'."

Riku rolled his eyes. "I know Cid, I'm hoping they get tired and leave soon."

"They are kinda cute," the blonde middle age man said taking another long swig. "Any of them yer type?"

"Don't you think they're a little young for you?" Riku replied with a smirk. "But you like them like that."

Cid shot off a string of curses at him as Riku walked back to his area and wiped down a spot where a pair of customers had cleared out. He quickly collected the few tips they left behind and dumped them into a bucket near the cash register. A quick scan of the bar told him he wouldn't be making much money that night. He noticed one of the aforementioned girls walking away from their pack and right up to where he was.

"Um, can I get another cosmo?" she asked pulling out a bill from her pocket.

"Sure, no problem."

Riku fixed and poured out the drink into a glass, topping it with a curly orange peel. "It's your birthday, isn't it?"

"How could you tell?" she asked taking the drink.

He pointed to the plastic tiara sitting on her head. She quickly slipped it off, laughing at herself. "Oh, forgot that was there. Yeah, it's my birthday."

"And you're paying for your own drinks?" Riku quipped setting his elbow on the counter. "Not very good friends, they should be buying."

She scoffed and took a sip. "I don't care, I'm just glad to be out."

"Are you guys local?"

"Yep," she nodded, "we go to Castle of Dreams University."

Riku caught Cid making faces at him, his lips pursed like a duck. He threw a rag from behind the counter at him, barely missing the drunken blonde. The young woman giggled.

"He a regular?"

"Yeah, that's Cid. Comes in every single night after work."

"Sheesh, I couldn't do that. I'm surprised I'm not already drunk after two drinks."

The silver haired man extended his hand to her. "I'm Riku, by the way."

"Cinderella," she replied giving his hand a soft shake, "what about you? What's your story?"

Much to Riku's dismay the same song Cinderella's group had been selecting came pumping out of the speakers. He crossed his arms and leaned back a bit.

"Eh, what's to say? Needed the work and extra money."

"You don't look too much older than me, are you in university?"

He shrugged. "Wasn't for me. Been working since I got out of high school and haven't given it much thought."

Cinderella grabbed a stool and took a seat. "I couldn't wait to get out of high school. I wanted to get away from my family so badly."

She had golden blonde hair, fair skin, and bright blue eyes. Everything about her shouted beautiful, well off, and a hint of entitlement. There were regular customers, the brutish Cid was sure one of them, but the bar was a revolving door and more often than not he didn't see an unfamiliar face twice. Riku had grown to judge based on first impressions.

"What was so bad about your family?" he asked pouring himself a glass of water.

She played with the peel of orange that sat in her half empty drink. "Believe me, you don't want to hear it."

"Oh come on, tell me. What was so bad? Didn't you get along with your parents?"

Cinderella shrugged, looking away. "My stepmother wasn't much of a parent for me growing up. She only paid attention to her own daughters, my stepsisters. They got everything and I was always left out. I got so sick of it, but couldn't do anything about it. Finishing high school was a godsend."

There was more laughter coming from Cinderella's friends. She lifted herself off the stool and took a step towards them.

"Anyways, thanks for the drink."

Riku waved a hand at her. "No worries."

She waltzed back to her friends as the music carried on and forcing Riku back to his work duties. A gentle night breeze passed through the bar when the front door opened and a trio of moogles came fluttering up to the bar counter. They were speaking a mile a minute in their strange language, and yet Riku didn't need to understand a single word to realize they were having a heated argument. Despite the language barrier, he felt he would try his luck.

"What'll it be guys?"

The largest and fattest of the moogles stuck a hand in his face.

"Kupo! Kupo!"

Riku eased away. Apparently, he was not meant to interrupt their conversation.

"They're arguin' 'bout the new imposed taxes on raw materials," Cid chirped in from his end of the bar. "those moogles are synthesizers and are pissed as hell 'bout the government stickin' their nose where it doesn't belong."

The silver haired man raised an eyebrow at him. "Since when can you understand moogles?"

Cid let out a gruff laugh, immediately coughing his smoke infused lungs out. "Kid, when ya been around as long as I have, you pick up a few things."

The smallest of the moogles waved Riku down and began chirping away. Riku nibbled on his lip having no idea what he or she was trying to say. He looked to Cid and shrugged.

"They want kupo nut brandy on the rocks."

Riku's face screamed of confusion. "Uh, what?"

"Kupo nuts, it's their favorite food and just 'bout anything they eat and drink has it."

He scratched the back of his head. "I don't think I have any of that, but I'll check the back room."

Riku spent a few minutes going through boxes, but ultimately he stood there with his hands on his hips and nothing to show for his search. He came back to see the moogles flying around Cinderella and her friends, all of them dancing to the beat of the music. The blonde looked over to Riku, winking at him.

"No luck?" Cid asked grabbing a hold of his coat and vacating his seat.

"Nope," Riku said with a slight yawn, "but doesn't look like it matters now."

"Guess not."

Cid waved to Riku as he slipped out the front door. "See ya tomorrow night."

A/N: Something a bit shorter and more lighthearted than what I tend to write. No real set plot. As of 1/26/14 changed to a one shot.