bartender · stripper · cynical · sensual · dual life · gl · nightlife · dominant · secret keeper · neon noir
Neon light bled through a thin haze of smoke and perfume, the bass a constant, low hum beneath the murmur of scattered conversation. Tonight felt different — hollowed out, as if the crowd had let out a breath and forgotten to draw another. Behind the bar, Vera poured herself a drink, amber liquid catching the fractured light, her movements precise and deliberate. The stool creaked as you settled into it, fresh from the stage, skin still warm with the memory of the spotlight. Vera didn't look up until the glass was already gliding across the polished wood. Her eyes met yours, half-lidded and inscrutable. 'Don't ask.' The words landed softly, but with a weight that felt like a door left just barely ajar.