followstheorders | In the light of day.

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.rp partner: rockandscotch

In the light of day.

Dean woke slowly the next morning, his mind sluggish and disoriented. The first thing he noticed was that he wasn't alone. He laid on his side with another person's arms around him and a warm body pressed up against his back. It wasn't his room at the motel, either. The bed was too comfortable and the sheets smelled clean, not musty.

Without opening his eyes, Dean laid there and tried to think back over the night before. There was no hangover, so he couldn't have been drunk, but his memory was hazy anyway. He remembered checking out a club that was said to be suspicious...

Couldn't really remember going inside, although his mind kept producing hazy images of him on his knees and the smell of sex. Which, really, wasn't the worst thing in the world, but it would be nice to remember it. Some worrisome thought was niggling at the back of his mind, but he couldn't quite make it come forward.

Slowly, Dean opened his eyes and looked back over his shoulder at the man laying behind him.

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Nathaniel appreciated the help and when the bartender got there -- Jackie, a woman a little younger than Nataniel with dark hair and a pretty smile. She knew the job well and she knew how to handle the customers pretty good too. -- he sent Dean over with her to learn the ropes while he took care of some stuff in the back.

He didn't leave him too long though. There'd be customers filtering in soon and he wanted to make sure Dean had the hang of it.

Jackie was pretty cool and she answered his questions patiently, which he appreciated. By the time customers started to come in, Dean felt fairly confident behind the bar. Most people ordered pretty basic drinks, anyway, he'd noticed and the ones who didn't, well... charm went a long way toward smoothing over any delays.

Nathaniel saw Dean handling it alright at the bar, so he took the time to mingle a little bit, talk with the frequent customers for a bit before he made his way up to the bar. "How's it going? Looks like you're handling it alright."

"So far so good," Dean answered him as he wiped down the bar with a rag and looked down the wooden top at the customers sitting at the bar. Everyone seemed to be happy and have full drinks. "No major disasters, anyway."

"Good." He grinned a little bit, watching Dean for a moment. "You seem right at home here. Too bad you already got a job or I might be tempting to try and keep you," he teased.

"Yeah? You can still try," Dean teased back. He did have a job to do, but it was nice to be wanted. For more than just sex, even. Dean gave him a wink and moved to refill a beer for a woman a few seats down the bar.

"I'll have to think of something real good to tempt you." He grinned, watching as Dean stepped away from him to tend to a woman. Good to see him fitting in, even if it was only for a few days.

It felt good. Dean thought this would just be a way to pass some time, but it was oddly satisfying to do something... normal for a change. And be good at it.

When his customers were settled, Dean wandered back down to Nathaniel and leaned an elbow against the bar. "Let me know when you decide what that'll be. I'm curious."

"You gave me a few ideas earlier... just trying to decide if I want to pull out the big guns or not, you know?" Nathaniel knew better than to get too into detail here where people could hear, but he figured that was enough to give Dean some things to think on.

Oh he was definitely thinking on it. He had a pretty good idea of what the big guns were and now he'd be dying of curiosity until the bar closed. He flashed Nathaniel a grin and nodded. "Go big or go home, right?"

That earned a short chuckle. "Right. Let's see how well you do the rest of the night, alright?"

Then he'd decide if he wanted to go really big. Chances were, he was going to anyway.

Dean smirked at the answer. He'd be happy with whatever Nathaniel decided to do. Nothing they'd done yet had disappointed him. And maybe it was too weird to ask a still semi-stranger for something like what he'd mentioned before. Dean was still in one night stand mode, where he had to get everything he could before left or was asked to leave.

He moved back down the bar, checking drinks and giving refills, taking money and delivering change. Even got a tip or three. It was kind of nice to know he could hold a normal job if he ever wanted to.

Nathaniel left the bar to tend to what work he had to handle since it looked like Dean was settling in alright. He had backup anyway, if he needed it and didn't figure he needed him hovering around to watch all night.

Besides, it gave him some time to plan things anyway -- not sure what they were going to do tonight, but he wanted it to be memorable. Not that so far it was really forgettable. As the hours passed by, the people started to thin out and Nathaniel made his way back to the bar again.

Dean was thoroughly enjoying his stint as a chatty bartender. He usually didn't get to talk to this many people at once. It was kind of fun.

Currently, he was having an animated debate with a man at the bar about classic muscle cars vs. new sports cars. Dean didn't care if he was too young to have the opinion... plastic parts on a car were sacrilegious. Bring on the steel and chrome!

"You've got no soul," he told the other man with a pseudo-sad tone as he refilled his beer. "No soul at all."

He grinned to himself as he cashed out that beer purchase and wandered down to Nathaniel's end of the bar. "Either I'm frightening off your customers or it's getting late."

He laughed a little as he settled on one of the stools. "Well, you could do that if you tell the customers they've got no soul," he teased and leaned in on the counter.

"Almost time to close. Looks like you did good too... how'd you like it?"

"He had it coming. Choosing a plastic camaro over a muscle car is grounds for excommunication, you know." Dean grinned at the laugh. He kind of liked the way it sounded.

"Not bad. It was nice to talk to people instead of about them for a change."

"You're pretty passionate about your cars, huh?"

"Good. Maybe I can get your help again tomorrow night too then?" They could use it and Dean seemed to enjoy the job.

"You have no idea." Dean loved his car and, by extension, all muscle cars. He would defend them to the death!

He leaned an elbow on the bar near Nathaniel and tossed a wave to the soulless Camaro lover as he headed out. The crowd was definitely thinning. "Sure, if you want. Does that include room and board, too?"

The last was asked carefully casually. They hadn't directly discussed sleeping arrangements (the actual sleeping part) and he was trying to figure out if his tips tonight would be going toward a hotel or not.

"Oh, I'm starting to get one, man." The enthusiasm was just written all over his face whenever he talked about them.

At the question, Nathaniel paused thoughtfully, considering it. Pretty sure there were a lot of red flags for letting someone you barely knew stay in your apartment. Screamed bad idea usually, especially when there was sex involved. Dean didn't seem like the type who'd push for too much, way too soon though.

And plus, by the time everything was closed out, it'd be after two in the damn morning and they still had plans. He'd feel like a dick, sending Dean out that late to find somewhere to crash on his own. "Why not? Sure sleeping arrangements can be worked out."

Hopefully, Dean wouldn't decide to suddenly spring his crazy on him and make him regret that.

Nathaniel didn't seem too sure about that answer; understandably so, all things considered. Dean figured he'd keep the hotel idea in mind just in case. If for no other reason than others seemed to tolerate his presence better in small doses.

He nodded easily and moved to start gathering up glasses to carry to the dishwasher. "We'll figure it out, I'm sure."

It wasn't anything against Dean really. The guy seemed alright... but they had just met what, a day ago? Wasn't sure if that meant he ought to just invite him on in really. Tonight though, he planned to keep him at least.

He got to his feet and circled around the bar -- he decided to go ahead and let Jackie head home for the night as the rest of the crowd started clearing out.

When everyone was out, he went to lock the doors and get the cleaning done. "Give me a second and I'll get your pay."

Dean didn't take it personally. It was what it was. In truth, it would probably be safer for him if he didn't get too close or attached. If previous experiences were any indication, that was where he'd end up getting hurt. Still, with a guy like Nathaniel, it was hard not to kind of wish he could.

"No rush," he answered with a shrug as he carried a tray of dirty glasses back to the back room and slipped them into the industrial washer. He'd had brief stints in 'legitimate' employment here and there, and these washers were used in quite a few of those jobs. Just like riding a bicycle... some things you never forgot.

Then he headed back to the bar to wipe it down and return any bottles to their rightful locations.

He swept and mopped the floors, wiped down the tables, and anything else he needed to tend to before he went to clear out the register. He counted the money and got the opening ready.

"Hey, here ya go." He turned to hold it out for Dean to take. "You almost ready to head back up?"

Dean reached out to take the money, not bothering to count it. Whatever Nathaniel decided to give him would be fine. It wasn't like he hadn't enjoyed himself.

He nodded. "Ready when you are. Anything else you need done down here before we go?"

"One second." He just needed to put the money in the safe for the night and then he was good to go. After that was taken care of, he came back to Dean and rested his hand on the other's back, motioning he head out.

He hit the lights, set the alarm, and then locked up before he headed back upstairs.

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