November 13, 2017:
Owen shows up at Luke's Bar looking for a job and gets thrown right into the fire.
Luke's Bar
It could be any other bar in New York. It's rather unassuming, built into the corner of the ground floor of an aging brickwork building with apartments above.
A set of glass paned doors lead off the vestibule, opening up into a long and skinny main room that's taken up with a J-shaped bar, while small tables dot what little open floor there is. The left wall is compromised of multi-paned windows bifurcated by white metal blinds, blazed with the occasional neon sign sporting this beer or that booze. The bar itself has a draft station and pair of speed wells along with a myriad of multicolored bottles that are shelved against a mirrored wall. The bathrooms and access to the office and cellar are at the back.
Characters
NPCs: None.
Mentions: Tony Stark, Jessica Jones
Plot:
Mood Music: None.
Fade In…
For some reason Luke's Bar hasn't been the same since he's returned from Wakanda. Mainly because? It's been /busier/. It might have to do with the fact that Tony Stark was rumored to drop in out of the blue one day, and that alone has increased the female populous around here. It's prompted Luke to take a very drastic step: a help wanted sign stuck in the corner of one window with instructions to 'Apply Within'.
The big man is behind the bar at the moment, trying to vacillate between restocking, cleaning glassware, and pulling beers for the rambunctious younger crowd that he's trying to keep up with.
*
The weekend was crazy, not the normal level of crazy that Owen is used to. After a particularly gnarly mission of the coast of Opal City Owen took the day to recover before setting out to mark off his one goal for the day, getting a new "regular" gig. Technically he could live off the stipend that he manages to eek out of Waller, but a, it's New York and b, he likes the idea of having a normal job.
He has seen the sign before and this is one of the less shady places on his list to ask about. Owen steps through the door, looking somewhat respectable in jeans and a clean black dress shirt. He makes his way to the bar and waits his turn, doing the usual eye contact and chin up nod to get the bar tender's attention.
*
Luke slaps a rag down on the bar and pushes it in the direction of Owen, cleaning as he moves and gives the man only a fraction of his attention as he multitasks. "What can I get for you?" The question comes automatically, even as he makes change for the man seated next to Owen.
*
Getting right to the point Owen inquires "You the man I see about the help wanted sign? I'm looking for a new bartending gig." He looks around for a manager's office or any sign that this is anything other than a one man shop, but it looks like this is it, and Luke was behind the bar the first time he looked in.
*
There is a moment where Luke just /looks/ at Owen, sucking in some choice words against his teeth for not being recognized as the namesake of the very bar they stand in. It's a travesty he just shakes away with a twist of big bald head as he flips his rag back over his shoulder. "Boy, I don't know should kick you out or shake your hand. Tell you what, how about an interview by fire. Get back here and pull me four light beers for those college kids at the corner table."
*
Owen was never one for homework, a life skill if there ever was one, so no he does not know that he is talking to the Luke of Luke's bar. His eyebrows raise laconically at the first part and responds with a slow "Oookay..?" , but at the second part he shrugs and makes his way behind the bar, with a much more affirmative "Sure.". He blurs just a second behind Luke's back to take inventory of where all the different glasses, liquors, taps and kegs are. A bar is a bar for the most part so it only takes a super-speed second to realize everything he probably needs to know. While pulling beers he offers, "I'm Owen. I take it yer Luke and I'm the only dumbass here who didn't know that before two seconds ago."
*
Luke exchanges a glance with another customer, maybe a regular by the look of it, as they both smile at Owen's assessment of his identity. "Pretty much." Luke mutters a 'behind you' as he leapfrogs Owen to get to the nearest speed well, putting ice in a shaker before he pauses. "Do you know what the hell is in a Lunar Eclipse?" The new breed of clientele has brought with it trendy new drink requests.
*
Working in bars and restaurants gives someone the automatic response to 'behind' that is so deeply ingrained it becomes a pavlovian trigger. Owen sucks in and grabs the four beers and a tray, without having to ask from where. At the mention of the drink his face falls a bit. He screws up his lip and asks "I doubt you have tumeric infused vodka.. at least I didn't see it? It's that with some honey, some bitters and .. something else, I think" he doesn't remember the rest, but something as floofy as tumeric-infused vodka stands out. His tone is of course respectful for the clients, his face reads like he would rather be tortured than drink this.
*
Tumeric. Infused. Vodka. That looks as if it makes Luke's brain hurt just by trying to conceptualize such a drink. "Right." That would be a hard 'no' to the sort of vodka. "Drop those off and see if you can schmooze the pair red-heads over by the window into ordering something less …just less."
*
Owen nods in the affirmative at the look that Luke gives, as if to confirm that such an abomination exists. He grabs the tray and easily balances it moving through the crowd. Sliding those off he heads towards the red-heads and easily smiles. "Ladies. My apologies. We are actually out of the tumeric vodka…" permanently, but still technically true. "Can I get you something else? I hear Mr. Stark himself endorses the sidecars here. Classics. And you know Tony's got impeccable taste…" Yes, he didn't know who Luke was, and even /he/ heard the rumors of Tony's visits, that's kind of worse.
*
It was a long shift, every time they tried to get down to 'brass tacks' about employment, a new rush would hit and Owen would get roped into his continued help. Despite 'last call' the place doesn't wind down until nearly 3:00 am by the time the door is locked behind the last customer. The place looks like a hurricane hit it, and Luke looks like he was spit out by the same storm. Now he's busy counting out the drawers, making three different stacks. "So. Got a last name, Owen?"
*
Falling into the easy routine of shutting up the bar, Owen takes a minute to rub his eye. He is used to the schedule but the weekend was a little more exciting than usual. He replies "Mercer. And I have a reference from my current place if you want.." The current job that he needs to leave for 'reasons' that only Jessica Jones knows and he's playing close to his chest. Not really caring if Luke sees, Owen uses a burst of speed to clean up one of the more disastrous areas in a blink of an eye. Metas are common enough that it usually doesn't cause him any issues.
*
Even if one is used to the idea of there being Metas, it's another to see their unique talents emerge out of the blue. Luke pauses momentarily, a twenty dollar bill hovering in his grasp before it finally concludes its trip to one of the piles. "Huh." He says beneath his breath, giving another shake of his head. "What's your 'current place', and why are you leaving it? You in trouble? Because I'm a little full up on trouble right now."
*
Being a only sometimes speedster still makes Owen almost as impatient, so it's hard to do some of the more monotonous tasks without it now. He stops, as Luke asks about his current place. "A bar up in the bronx, Paddy's..?" Half asking if Luke knows of it, but continuing on regardless. "And no. No trouble. I'm actively avoiding any and all trouble. I've sworn off trouble." Okay, he has sworn off a particular type of trouble that would love to catch back up with him. "And if that follows me, I'll be out of your hair before anything causes you issues." Speed blur to the next set of tables before finishing "I'm quick like that."
*
"Mmhmm." Luke rumbles to his talk of trouble, managing to make those vibrations sound sarcastic. "Look, the truth is my own life is out of control right now, and it's taking me away from the bar. If I can find someone I trust to help me run the place, it'll be a huge relief. But I got a few rules." One of the stacks is put into a deposit bag for the bank, another disappears into his pocket and the last - an even cut of the tips - is slid across the bar for Owen.
*
Stopping what he is doing for the moment to come back to the bar he leans on it as Luke talks. He nods and does a head tilt as if to say 'I know out of control' but remains silent. When Luke slides the cash across, he looks down at it and then quirks and eyebrow and leaves it where it is. "I'll leave that there until hear more about your rules." He doesn't expect them to be crazy, but hey, it's probably best to know that before taking even his cut for the night.
*
"Whether or not this works out, you earned that tonight." Luke starts as he leans his big frame against the back bar and his thick arms weave together across his chest. "We don't Meta in front of the customers." We, implying plenty right there. "I don't need any more attention on this bar. This place is my baby. Don't let shit get broken, take the customer fights outside, and try to leave your own drama outside the door. Don't steal, don't lie, and don't skip on a shift unless it's an emergency and then I better get a phone call."
*
Well those are certainly reasonable, so Owen has no problem taking the cash up off the bar. His eyes only slightly narrow at the we part, but following up on that right now seems like a dumb idea, even for him. He says, "Agreed. I can handle most rowdy customers, without anything extra, and I'll happily make sure nothing happens to your baby. Any of my drama comes calling, I'll keep it far from here." Ooh boy does he hope he can live up to that one, he's done okay so far but if his run in with Jessica is any indication, he's not as scott free as he had hoped.
*
Finally seeming satisfied, both with Owen's performance tonight and his quick and seemingly earnest answers, Luke uncoils his arms and passes one black paw of a hand across the bar to Owen. "Luke Cage. Glad to have you aboard." And that's as simple as that. "Swing back by tomorrow, and I'll have a key for you, and if you need a place to stay, there is a vacancy in the apartments above here. Though not everyone wants to live that close to their place of work. We'll figure out your schedule and write down your phone number before you leave."
*
Smiling a bit as the man extends his hand Owen gives his best firm handshake and is slightly puzzled by the ridiculously firm hand. "Glad to be aboard Luke." He nods at the instructions and waves off the bit about a place to stay. "Sounds good to me." He blinks a bit at the write it down, with the tech on most people's phones it's a simple thing to share contact info, but maybe Luke is just old fashioned? He finds a napkin and a pen to scribble on. "Anyone else on staff or am I your sole henchman?" Funny bit of phrasing, that.
*
'Henchman' causes Luke to make a bland face, and yes, he's rather old fashioned judging by the way he takes up the napkin and turns to pin it on a cork board near the register where it looks right at home with other business cards, scribbled notes and such. He rattles off another name, "He helps me from time to time, but no offense to the man he's getting up there in age and can't keep up with this new influx of crowd. He'll bar back on the weekends and fill in when necessary, but other than that it'll be just you."
*
"Well I'll be glad to cover whatever shift ya need, or bar back if it helps. I'm …" Owen almost gets into it a little bit, but decides any comment about his past is just going to make Luke more nervous and there's no reason to do that. ".. happy to be on board." He looks around and says "Mind if I grab a smoke outside? Unless you need anything else?" It's mostly shut down and he desperately wants to check in on a few things left over from the weekend if he can.
*
"Nah, man, we're done here for tonight. I'll just run the last of these glasses through the sanitation, and break down the last of the liquor boxes out back. Thanks for your help tonight, I was seriously in the weeds." Luke hitches his head towards the door. "I'll lock up behind you."