Log: Lil and Garrison

[x-diamondlil.livejournal.com]

Lil tries her hand at the other side of bartending when Garrison shows up at Harry's after her earlier conversation with Adrienne.



It was quick becoming a standard uniform on game night. A pair of cutoff shorts and trainers paired with a cropped Yankees jersey that left her stomach bare and a good portion of her chest visible. Lil knew she had pushed the limit with Harry the first time she'd worn it but come the end of the evening when the drawer was counted, there was little to be complained about by anyone. Since then, every night the Yankees played, beer kept flowing, sandwiches and wings kept getting dished out, and Lil kept stuffing her pockets with tips while providing the patrons something to watch during commercials. All the men currently sitting at the bar loved it.

Except for one.

Lil smirked at the scowling Mountie as she dried a pint glass. "Something wrong, Gar?" she asked innocently, making sure to keep the glass low enough so the view of her jersey was unobstructed by her arms. "You don't look too happy. And I didn't even spit in your drink this time."

"Yeah, not only can I not get the channel switched over because everyone else is watching the damn Yankee game, but now you're wearing the jersey of the Evil Empire, betraying your own country for the worst of the worst." Kane said sourly, taking a sip from his pint. "As revenge, I've already started circulating the rumour in the bar that you're a lesbian in the latter stages of syphilis."

"Aren't you a fucking sweetheart. Good thing I'm not interested in screwing any of them or I'm be pretty pissed at you. Besides, you're the one who always suggested I learn to like the game," Lil pointed out as she put down the glass and began filling another for a customer who signaled for a second round. "Assimilation, eh? New home, new team. You can thank your sister for helping me find it."

"It figures. Then again, my sister also likes the damn Habs. She's obviously influenced by silly things like winning the Stanley Cup when choosing a team to root for." Garrison said, tilting his glass towards her. "This is just a betrayal of all that is good about baseball though. Even as bad as the Bosox are, they still don't represent the destruction of the game that Steinbrenner's odious influence has wrought."

After placing the beer in front of the patron and adding it to his tab, Lil moved to stand in front of Garrison, one golden brow arched in amusement as she leaned forward on the bar. "You're using words that mean absolutely nothing to me, you know that, right? This jersey gets me twice the tips I usually make in one night and if it means I gotta sacrifice your love for a few hours," she sighed, patting him on the cheek a couple of times, "so be it.

"I cannot tell you how much I hate you right at this moment." Kane said. It was mostly a joke, but unintentionally reminded him who wasn't on the stool next to him watching the game. Every time he remembered their fight in the Brownstone, Kane got angry all over again. Part of him was even mad at Jake, who he'd barely even seen, for screwing up Adrienne's first foray back into the world of dating so spectacularly and getting him blamed for it.

Hands planted firmly on her hips, Lil watched her fellow countryman before heaving a large sigh. "You're such a fucking girl," she told him before moving to the doorway behind her, sticking her head in. "Harry, I'm taking my break," Lil told the man sitting in the office who merely grunted at her in return. She shrugged, then offered a little frown to the woman down the other end of the bar before grabbing two beers with one hand and Garrison's arm with the other. "Come on, Beaver Boy."

"Wait, the game--" Kane protested lamely, but let Lil drag him off. Obviously there was something she wanted to talk to him about, and it wasn't like he was particularly happy to brood alone.

"Is on in other rooms," Lil replied, guiding him past the bar and into the back where a small space had been converted into a place for employees to crash. Sparse but functional, it had a little tv set, a couple of chairs and card table. "I ain't gonna drag you out back for a quickie or to mug you," the blonde chuckled as she set the two bottles on the table, along with her pack of cigarettes and lighter before she sauntered over to the television and flicked it on. "You want the Yankees or something else?"

"It's fine." Kane sat down. "Why are we doing the private room thing tonight?"

"'Cause I wanna practice my lap dancing skills," she answered, flicking on the game then tossing him the remote before plopping down in the other chair. "You look like shit, Gar. You're brooding and I figure you've listened to my crap enough times, I owe you. So, you wanna talk, talk. You wanna drink beer and watch baseball, can do that too. Or both." The blonde shrugged one shoulder then offered him one of her cigarettes.

"Oh god, you're trying to be comforting. Vikks would be fucking appalled at you right now." Kane said, an expression somewhere between surprised and horrified on his face. Traditionally, Lil had had time in her life for the problems of three people; herself, Madison and Victoria Kane. Obviously the time at the mansion was changing her more than he thought.

"To answer your question, no, I don't want to talk. I have someone I'm pissed at, they don't give a shit, and it really doesn't matter any more. That's not being broody. It's being realistic and irritated."

"Suit yourself," the blonde woman said, shrugging one shoulder as she lifted her beer to her lips for a long sip. Her eyes remained glued to the television, watching the game for a moment before adding, "But if you're moping about Adrienne not giving a shit, you're wrong."

"I am not moping. I'm pissed off because someone who I thought was a friend decided to make me the villain because they couldn't handle their own drama." Kane said with a dismissive wave. "I mean, seriously, if you can't deal with nailing your date, blaming the nearest target for it is seriously not fair."

"Oh for fuck's sake. Do you really think she'd be so freaked out about it if you weren't a friend? She's got a movie of your arm being ripped off in her head so of course she'd gonna freak out a little," Lil scoffed, fixing him with her gaze now instead of paying attention to the television of her drink. "Especially if you show up minutes later, waltzing outta someone else's room."

"Yeah, still not my fault. I don't need to be screamed at in the middle of the night, and since then, no apology, no nothing. Just avoids me like I'm trying to ruin her life or something." Kane muttered. His tryst with Wanda had been exactly that; a night that his last couple of years had mostly denied him. All he'd wanted was to do something like a normal person, and now they made him feel guilty about it in the first place.

"I'm sorry, but it's not fair." He said finally, aware of how petulant it sounded.

"Hey," Lil said sharply as she put her drink down and reached across the table to take his chin in her hand and force the Mountie to look her in the eyes. "I am not saying this is your fault, Gar. You had a fucking lot to deal recently. More than anyone should have had to deal
with but when you went missing, when we all thought you were dead, that stayed with people because we fucking care about you. And Adrienne is one of those people - moreso because she saw it. I ain't saying she was right," the blonde added quickly, knowing he would pounce on it if she didn't continue, "but just accept she had a hard time and is still dealing with it, too. She's gonna apologize," Lil said with certainty as she let her hand drop to the back of his palm and give his fingers a squeeze.

"I doubt it. Adrienne is looking for someone to blame because she botched her foray into the dating world again, and I happen to be the convenient target." Kane said, ignoring the attempts at comfort. He was happy to be mad at Adrienne. It made things simpler.

Another shrug and Lil settled back in her chair, removing her hand from his to take up a cigarette which she lit and inhaled deeply from. "I talked to her. She's gonna apologize. She's just working to overcome her pride before she does but she's gonna do it."

"Oh good. I get a grudging apology later because she feels she has to. Yeah, that puts our friendship right back on the rails, Lil." Kane drained the rest of his beer and stood up. "You know, I'm not really in the mood for the game right now. I appreciate that you're trying to help, Lil. I do. But, well, maybe it's not a question of anything anyone else can do. See you."

The blonde shook her head and likewise stood but instead of following him, moved to the opposite door that lead out back where she could finish her smoke. He could be such an ass sometimes but Lil was finished trying. Comforting wasn't in her nature; she made the effort and had failed. No use getting pissed off about it. "Whatever. Go mope or brood or get drunk or fuck Wanda again but you see Harry on your way out, tell him I'll be back in after I'm done."