Prompt#5: Bartender au

words: 2171

Oh, before i forget there's a small part where a guy is doesn't understand "no" but nothing bad happens.

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Jongup ran into the nearest building to get out of the pouring rain. It was just his luck to get caught in the downpour that had started the second he stepped out of his late crappy class at his university (never wait until the last minute to register for classes, ever).

Jongup shook his hair out as soon as he was inside the building and stared at his surroundings. Oh. He was in a bar. And people were looking at him because he clearly did not fit into the bar scene looking like a drowned cat with his purple mop of hair, backpack on his shoulders, and Jordans on his feet. He knew he should have worn his combat boots today. It was fine, everything was cool. Jongup narrowed his eyes and tilted his chin up slightly. He might look 'cute' and 'lost' most of the time but he could muster up a glare that could kill, or drop ...and boxers. He strut further into the bar and sat on one of the stools at the front bar, placing his backpack on the seat next to his so no one could sit there.

Jongup took out his cellphone and used the oldest trick since the invention of cellphones: pretended to text someone so no one would bother him. "You know, I can see that you're texting no one", a voice full of amusement said. Jongup snapped his head up with his killer glare in place. A guy around his age with brown hair, a leather brown jacket, and black tee shirt held his hands up after meeting his stare. And as much a Jongup wanted to keep the glare on his face he couldn’t. The bartender, Jongup assumed he was the bartender since he was behind the front bar, was extremely attractive and looked nice enough.

"Whoa, that glare is dangerous", the bartender said cautiously. Jongup smiled slightly letting his glare drop. "Yeah, sorry about that.” The bartender lowered his hands and smiled at him with those plump pink lips revealing a set of straight, white teeth. "That smile is so pretty it isn’t any less dangerous,” he chuckled. Jongup rolled his eyes at the dorky compliment good-naturedly but held back his own compliment to give the bartender. He looked even more handsome when he laughed, like a kitten for some reason...and people called him cute.

"I'm your bartender for tonight, is there anything I can get you to drink...?" he asked and Jongup heard the questioning pause for him to say his name. "I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours", Jongup responded with a half smile. It wasn’t to be an but out of precaution. The few times he'd gone to a bar weren't the best experiences for him. He heard Daehyun chuckle again. "Keep talking like that and I’ll think you want to take me home. I'm Daehyun, at your service", he said extending his hand for Jongup to shake. Jongup laughed and took Daehyun's warm hand in his. "Name's Jongup. Willing to take your services", Jongup replied easily...and then blushed after he realized how that sounded. Jongup groaned as Daehyun laughed loudly at his statement and the blush on his cheeks.

"You look a lot smoother than you are", Daehyun teased. "Can't disagree with you there", Jongup mumbled and no he was not pouting. "If you don’t mind me asking, what are doing in a bar, Jongup? You don’t look exactly comfortable", Daehyun said conversationally. Jongup bit the inside of his cheek wondering if he should say the truth, he was escaping the storm, or the lie, that he was waiting for someone. Jongup looked at Daehyun, who raised an eyebrow and smiled softly at him. The truth. Jongup felt he could trust him. "I was walking to the bus stop when it started pouring outside", Jongup answered glumly. "Talk about bad luck", Daehyun snorted. "Well, aren’t you compassionate", Jongup scoffed. "Its all about tough love, babe," Daehyun smirked. Jongup smiled sweetly at the pet name but, “Call me babe again, Daehyun, and you won't make it out of this bar". Daehyun raised his eyebrows but nodded quickly. "That was kind of hot", Daehyun mumbled making Jongup
laugh.

"It was supposed to be threatening not hot," Jongup said rolling his eyes. "Same thing", Daehyun replied as he wiggled his eyebrows. "You , er", Jongup accused him with a shake of his head. "You betcha, daddy", Daehyun said with a wink. Jongup felt his jaw drop and for the life of him he couldn’t snap it shut. Okay, Daehyun made that sound hot. Jongup closed his mouth as he saw Daehyun press his lips together in amusement. Just as Jongup was about to say something, two girls sat at the front bar and Daehyun excused himself.

"Hey, handsome, what can you do for me?" one of the girls said as she leaned over the front bar...her cleavage spilling out of her low cut shirt. Daehyun leaned forward and smirked as he said, "For you, sweetheart, an on your B.A.C.K". Both girls giggled and nodded their approval. "Alright, babe, just don’t keep me waiting", the girl added as Daehyun moved to make her and her friend's drink. "I'll keep'em coming all night", Daehyun said looking at them through his long eyelashes as he placed their drinks in front of them. Jongup had to admit he was a tiny bit upset that Daehyun flirted with the girls...a little disappointed too. Just a little. But also felt a little stupid. Why would he expect Daehyun's flirting with him to mean anything more, really. After all, Daehyun is a bartender and has to be charming to get good tips.

"Hey, sweetie, can i buy you a drink?" a voice next to Jongup said. Jongup turned to look to his side and found a man sitting on the stool next to him and his backpack on the floor. "No, I don’t drink", Jongup replied curtly. The man scooted closer to Jongup; close enough that Jongup could feel the other's heat. "Oh, come on, baby, one beer wouldn’t hurt", the man pushed. "I said no, thank you", Jongup replied coldly. This is why he hated bars, some people just didn’t understand the word no. The man grabbed his forearm and almost yanked him out of his seat. "I wonder if you're as tig-"

Daehyun slammed a small glass on the bar in front of the man. "Buddy, he's not interested. Let him go before I make you", Daehyun threatened. The man narrowed his eyes but got off the stool and went to join a table full of guys that were probably s too.

Jongup huffed and glared at the floor until he felt composed enough to look at Daehyun. "Thanks", Jongup said. "Yeah, no problem. I'm sorry I would've done something about it earlier but I couldn't tell whether or not I should have", Daehyun said troubled. "It's fine, Daehyun. Really. But I think I should get going", Jongup said serenely. He just wanted to go home right now. He would brave the rain if he had to. "It's still raining outside. You're going to get sick", Daehyun quickly argued. "I'll be fine. There are a lot of taxis this late at night. I wont have a problem finding one", Jongup revoked Daehyun's argument.

Jongup stood up and picked his backpack from the floor and shrugged it onto his shoulders. "Wait. Jongup, don’t leave. Not yet. Can you please just wait until I can take you home? I don't want you out there in the rain. Or alone so late at night. Especially, not after that ", Daehyun pleaded. Jongup sighed. He had to leave, it was late and he was tired. "I can take care of myself, Daehyun. He's not the first I’ve had to deal with and he won't be the last but I’ll be fine."

Jongup nodded a good bye and as he turned to leave he heard Daehyun curse softly. "Hold on, hold on. Let me take you home. Just give me 20 minutes, yes?" Daehyun begged. Jongup turned to look at Daehyun and tell him he was fine but as he saw Daehyun's outstretched hand and pleading look he just couldn't tell him no. "okay, 20 minutes", Jongup conceded. Daehyun nodded and took out his phone, dialed a number, and held it to his ear. “Yongguk, can you do me a huge favor and cover for me for half an hour, an hour tops. I know it’s your day off but please. I need to take a friend home. No! Not like that! I swear! Please, and I’ll love you more than yesterday. Okay, okay, I’ll work tomorrow too, jerk. Thanks, Gukkie”, Daehyun said with a relieved smile.

“Gukkie?”  Jongup asked with a raised brow. “Jealous?” Daehyun asked with a smile. “Kidding, but he’s one of my roommates, like a brother, really. He’ll be here in five, we live close by,” Daehyun explained. Jongup hummed because yeah, maybe he felt a tiny bit jealous, but Daehyun didn’t need to know that. “So, what about you? Girlfriend, boyfriend, overly friendly friend?” Daehyun asked overly casually. “No, not really, but my kitty has a new boyfriend”, Jongup replied with a laugh. Daehyun shook his head in dismay but smiled, “Well, that’s a shame or maybe a blessing”. Before Jongup could reply a tough looking man appeared next to him, raised an eyebrow, and jumped over the counter. “You could have gone around, Yongguk”, Daehyun mumbled. “Yeah, yeah, go away now. I was watching a movie with Himchan,” Yongguk grumbled. Daehyun rolled his eyes but walked around the front bar and motioned for Jongup to go in front of him.

When they opened the door to get outside the bar, they saw that the storm had not let up one bit. Daehyun shrugged his jacket off and held it high above him. “Get under here so you won’t get wet”, he offered. “Such a gentleman”, Jongup said as he ducked under the jacket. “Nah, just wanted you closer”, Daehyun said with a chuckle and earning a smack from Jongup. They reached Daehyun’s car and Daehyun walked Jongup to his side of the car and held the door open for him. “No, really, you’re such a gentleman”, Jongup said again once Daehyun was inside the car. Daehyun laughed and started the car. "I have my mother to thank for that", Daehyun said. Jongup felt his heart swell and warm at the words.

“Where do you live?” Daehyun asked as he reversed out of his parking space. “Um, Alto Heights”, Jongup replied. “Fancy”, Daehyun replied as he drove that way. “Scholarship”, Jongup cleared up. The ride to his apartment was anything but quiet after that. They talked about Jongup’s dance scholarship and after Daehyun proved that he indeed had the voice of an angel Jongup made him sing all the way home.

Jongup looked outside and sighed as he saw his apartment complex. He might have developed a small crush on Daehyun. "Thanks for the ride. I really do appreciate it", Jongup said reaching for the handle of the car door reluctantly. “Let me walk you to the entrance,” Daehyun offered. “No, no, it’s fine. I won’t get lost”, Jongup declined politely. “Okay, but take my jacket so you won’t get wet and I won’t take no as answer”, Daehyun said as he set the brown leather jacket on Jongup’s lap. Jongup smiled and shrugged the jacket on and bid Daehyun good night and thanked him again. As he reached the front doors of his building, he turned and looked at Daehyun who waved good-bye at him and left only after Jongup waved back.

It was only after Jongup was inside his home that he realized he should have asked Daehyun for his number or something. Obviously, to give Daehyun his jacket back…No, other reason at all…Okay, maybe he wanted to see Daehyun again and couldn’t stalk the bar until Daehyun showed up for work without it being weird. Jongup placed his hands into the pockets of the jacket and felt a paper in there. Curiously, he took it out, unfolded it, and read it. “Jongup, you nosy person, (Jongup laughed at that) on the back of this is my number if you’d like it. I would love to take you on a date. Not at a bar, I’m sick of bars. And if you’d let me, I’d love to sing you to sleep and kiss you good morning sometime. With lots of hope, Daehyun, your bartender.”

After giving a very manly squeal, Jongup texted Daehyun. “He gave me a wink and I winked back, and then I think that we hit it off something proper like, I think I like the bartender.”

**

Daehyun felt his phone vibrate and immediately took it out. Unknown number. It had to be Jongup. Hopefully, it was Jongup. As soon as he read the text, Daehyun full bodied laughed, it was Jongup alright.

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Yeah, title is from t-pain's song bartender. sorry, i at titles.

and what jongup texted daehyun is part of the song too. i just HAD TO.

Oh, yeah, and is a drink and 'on your B.A.C.K' is the way the drink is made.