He was not a new customer at the Old Ship, of course. It wouldn't make sense otherwise. The bartender there was one of the few men who he had a relationship with, thinking back it was not an unpleasant time. He wouldn't know about his condition as Jerome never stayed at his because he never thought of him; until now. He came relatively early, around 7 PM, down to the Old Ship. It was a good location at least for him, not really crowded and therefore pleasantly few customers. No loud drunks and random people; it was perfect.
He entered the Old Ship with no particular feeling, not even one second he thought that the bartender might feel bad when eventually seeing him with a woman. Their relationship didn't last long, like all other relationships Jerome had. And plus, they had a clean break-up, nothing was there for Jerome to feel bad for. Not like he was one of those guys who minded to meet his ex; on the contrary, it rather excite him to see those different kinds of reactions, expressions. In his golden days, such a thing was his favourite thing he did to pass his time with.
As expected, the Old Ship wasn't too crowded, perhaps also because of the time. At nights, most of the unpleasant people would show up and he just hoped he would be gone from there by then. "Welcome." The sound of a familiar voice greeted as he entered. Then a pair of two, slightly shocked green orbs widely stared into Jerome's eyes like paralyzed, but soon it changed to its usual indifference. He didn't change the slightest, was Jerome thinking that second. Slowly, he sat down on one of the bar stool far away from the others and glanced to the bartender. He on the other hand just seemed to be busy shaking a cocktail. "You're alive." He uttered with his low voice Jerome never could figure out. To that statement, Jerome only smirked.
"The same as always for me." One could see his eyebrows twitched for a second, but soon he prepared a martini after being done with the cocktail from before. "You remember." Jerome stated as the bartender placed his glass in front of him and searched for his gaze, but he avoided it skillfully. "I remember all my customer's preferences." He merely said without looking at Jerome. Jerome only smirked. "Distant as ever, Zen? Come, look, I only came for a drink and do not intend to mess with you." He made a doubtful expression and Jerome lifted both his hands, as if saying he was telling the truth. "Let's talk about the good old times, shall we?"
It was late until he finished his little talk with Zen. He had always been an amusing fellow, it was too bad that he was gay, perhaps they could be friends if it was otherwise. He just can't accept a gay guy as friend, it made him uncomfortable honestly. As he finished his fifth glass, he wanted to go but surprisingly Brea stepped in and went straight to sit down beside him. "Care to stay a little bit longer?" Actually Jerome desired to ask her why she didn't just answer her phone, but he knew he had to restrain himself. "Sure. What do you want? It's my treat." He said with a sweet smile as he finally looked up to her, obviously a bit surprising the bartender. It was indeed unusual for him to wait for someone until this late. Now the bartender had to smirk secretly.
At the very first second he looked up to her, Jerome noticed her condition, all her attire. And then... his sensitive nose was smelling the scent of blood. He gritted his teeth and quickly turned to the bartender. "One martini for me again, please... and do you have a first aid box?" Now the bartender had to chuckle, of course, unnoticed. "Please". Jerome never brought such a word over his lips in his presence. It made the bartender wonder about the woman and he may have glanced several times to her as he brought both the glass and the first aid box. "... what happened?" His voice turned serious as he opened the first aid box, trying to press his urge for blood down and concentrate on what is. Slowly, he touched her forehead. There he thought he could treat her wound with just what is, but it looked worser than he thought it was. "Brea, this is bad. We need to go to a hospital, right now." He stood up, grabbing her hand with force. No, through only his gestures and expression, one could see that he won't accept a no as an answer. Therefore he pulled her, uncaring about whether she already finished her drink and placed the money on the counter. "See you." He said, slightly waving to the bartender and dragged her out of Old Ship.
"Brea, who did this to you? It wasn't because of an accident right?" Finally Jerome asked looking seriously at her after calling a taxi with an impatiently concerned manner. "You don't even need to tell me a lie. I won't buy it. Tell me. I am not such an incapable guy who'd let a woman in trouble alone." There he smiled convincing and for the first time, he told the truth. Despite him being a jerk, he was truly a gentleman to women. At least, when they didn't do anything that annoys him.
He entered the Old Ship with no particular feeling, not even one second he thought that the bartender might feel bad when eventually seeing him with a woman. Their relationship didn't last long, like all other relationships Jerome had. And plus, they had a clean break-up, nothing was there for Jerome to feel bad for. Not like he was one of those guys who minded to meet his ex; on the contrary, it rather excite him to see those different kinds of reactions, expressions. In his golden days, such a thing was his favourite thing he did to pass his time with.
As expected, the Old Ship wasn't too crowded, perhaps also because of the time. At nights, most of the unpleasant people would show up and he just hoped he would be gone from there by then. "Welcome." The sound of a familiar voice greeted as he entered. Then a pair of two, slightly shocked green orbs widely stared into Jerome's eyes like paralyzed, but soon it changed to its usual indifference. He didn't change the slightest, was Jerome thinking that second. Slowly, he sat down on one of the bar stool far away from the others and glanced to the bartender. He on the other hand just seemed to be busy shaking a cocktail. "You're alive." He uttered with his low voice Jerome never could figure out. To that statement, Jerome only smirked.
"The same as always for me." One could see his eyebrows twitched for a second, but soon he prepared a martini after being done with the cocktail from before. "You remember." Jerome stated as the bartender placed his glass in front of him and searched for his gaze, but he avoided it skillfully. "I remember all my customer's preferences." He merely said without looking at Jerome. Jerome only smirked. "Distant as ever, Zen? Come, look, I only came for a drink and do not intend to mess with you." He made a doubtful expression and Jerome lifted both his hands, as if saying he was telling the truth. "Let's talk about the good old times, shall we?"
••••• ♦ •••••
It was late until he finished his little talk with Zen. He had always been an amusing fellow, it was too bad that he was gay, perhaps they could be friends if it was otherwise. He just can't accept a gay guy as friend, it made him uncomfortable honestly. As he finished his fifth glass, he wanted to go but surprisingly Brea stepped in and went straight to sit down beside him. "Care to stay a little bit longer?" Actually Jerome desired to ask her why she didn't just answer her phone, but he knew he had to restrain himself. "Sure. What do you want? It's my treat." He said with a sweet smile as he finally looked up to her, obviously a bit surprising the bartender. It was indeed unusual for him to wait for someone until this late. Now the bartender had to smirk secretly.
At the very first second he looked up to her, Jerome noticed her condition, all her attire. And then... his sensitive nose was smelling the scent of blood. He gritted his teeth and quickly turned to the bartender. "One martini for me again, please... and do you have a first aid box?" Now the bartender had to chuckle, of course, unnoticed. "Please". Jerome never brought such a word over his lips in his presence. It made the bartender wonder about the woman and he may have glanced several times to her as he brought both the glass and the first aid box. "... what happened?" His voice turned serious as he opened the first aid box, trying to press his urge for blood down and concentrate on what is. Slowly, he touched her forehead. There he thought he could treat her wound with just what is, but it looked worser than he thought it was. "Brea, this is bad. We need to go to a hospital, right now." He stood up, grabbing her hand with force. No, through only his gestures and expression, one could see that he won't accept a no as an answer. Therefore he pulled her, uncaring about whether she already finished her drink and placed the money on the counter. "See you." He said, slightly waving to the bartender and dragged her out of Old Ship.
"Brea, who did this to you? It wasn't because of an accident right?" Finally Jerome asked looking seriously at her after calling a taxi with an impatiently concerned manner. "You don't even need to tell me a lie. I won't buy it. Tell me. I am not such an incapable guy who'd let a woman in trouble alone." There he smiled convincing and for the first time, he told the truth. Despite him being a jerk, he was truly a gentleman to women. At least, when they didn't do anything that annoys him.