"So, you been working here long?" You asked the sharp-haired vocalist as she gracefully stepped down from her spot lit podium, a wave of whistles and applause rolled around the dimly-lit room as she finished her set for the night.

"It's been a few years... What's it to you?" Her eyes glanced to the tattered and vacant stool next to you, she thought for a few moments before lifting her ruby dress and placing herself upon it.

"Can't a guy be curious?" Magnolia scoffed and Charlie, the floating bartender, wandered over.

"The usual?" He asked as you pondered how his hat stayed perfectly on top of his spherical head. Magnolia only had to nod and a small glass of whiskey found it's place on the bar, sat neatly next to it lay a small bundle of cigarettes.

"Trust me, with most of the guys that come here, there's only one thing that they're curious about." The glass soon emptied into her pursed lips and a long drag on her cigarette added to the swirling clouds of smoke that filled the room. "What about you? You don't look like the usual jet-head that wanders through here."

"I came to hear the famous Magnolia sing." She smirked and with two fingers called over Charlie who filled her glass until the amber liquid sat still under the rim.

"You always this much of a kiss-ass?" She asked, raising the cigarette to her lips once more.

"No, I'm serious." She looked up at you under her eyes, a glimmer of a smirk began to curl the corners of her lips. "I heard some raiders talking about you before we... came to a diplomatic resolution to our problems." She chuckled and finished her drink once more, this time refusing a refill from Charlie and instead sliding off the stool to her feet.

"I take it you're done for the night?" She brushed down the back of her short dress.

"I'm done for the night here... I've got a room in Rexford. It's getting late so if you want to stay for the night with me you can, save you throwing caps away."

"Don't worry, I've got a few caps put to the side-"

"It wasn't a request." Under the bar she took your hand and encapsulated it in hers. "Stay the night, you won't get murdered I promise, unless you piss me off, of course."

~*~

Written by Aaron.