Last Friday Night (ManxMan)

Chapter 7

It was a lot harder to find River outside of a Friday than Hunter expected. The first week, Hunter visited the bar every night, got a virgin drink when he didn't spot River, then left just as quickly as he'd come. It was especially embarrassing when he saw a bartender who worked Friday shifts as well. They always raised a brow at Hunter, recognizing who he was then smiling when they figured out why he was there. So the virgin drinks were helpful to distract from his bright red face.

And when Friday finally rolled around again, River was tickled pink. "Thank you for supporting us so much this week," he told Hunter, voice sickly sweet.

"They told you?" Hunter asked.

"Every single time."

And his laugh when Hunter covered his face with his hands that night was extra loud. Sure, it was incredibly embarrassing but River's reaction had given him a good clue. If he was told after each time Hunter did it, he could be going every single day, just not when Hunter showed up.

The situation was bringing out CIA Hunter. The very next day, he looked Adonis up online, confirming that they opened as early as 11 am, offering light lunch dishes for the early crowd. If River didn't work late hours during the week, maybe he did the opposite?

The commotion Josh created that morning when Hunter took his lunch break outside was unreal. He practically had to swat the man off to get onto the office elevator. Sure he took every meal up in his office so he could eat and work at the same time, but switching things up wasn't that strange.

What was strange was seeing Adonis during the daytime. The bar seemed less electric in the sun, more calm. Like a sleeping dragon, it was relatively harmless now but the potential for more screamed in the back of one's mind. Hunter pulled the door open and steeled himself for some familiar embarrassment. Finding no River, awkwardly asking for something to drink so it's not strange for him to leave empty-handed, etc etc.

To his pleasant surprise, he saw River coming out of the back room. Instead of his typical black pants and open collar white button-up shirt, he had a blazer thrown over a plain t-shirt and dark jeans. His hair was messier if possible, stray curls standing up in random directions that still made perfect sense. Seeing him like this, Hunter thought it was obvious that this is the man in charge.

Hunter strolled up to the bar, carrying the swagger of a man who had finally won. The bar owner glanced up when he approached and Hunter's slight smirk became a full blown smile at the sight of River's shock.

"What, you didn't expect me to keep trying?" Hunter took a seat right at the bar, seemingly the only person doing so at this time of day.

"Honestly no, I didn't." River laughed. He looked around the bar and down at his outfit which Hunter was drinking up like a starved man. "I'm honestly not supposed to be working the bar right now without the uniform...but screw it. Would you like something to drink?"

Seeing River that day was like catching the man at home. He was more relaxed than ever and with most of his patrons at that time of day choosing to sit at a table, Hunter essentially had his entire focus. And that felt really good.

It started a new pattern of Hunter forgoing Fridays most weeks to instead spend his lunch with River. As the days and weeks passed, Hunter was getting a glimpse into River's life, even if it was mainly his life within the walls of Adonis. And, on good days, he was quick to talk about work and the bar, sharing in a way that Hunter loved.

Moreover, despite working in different fields, there was something comfortable about opening up to another business owner. It was a relief, truly. Hunter spoke a foreign language for 2 years and finally found someone who understood.