Chapter Text
It was a lovely evening in Liberty City. The time was 6pm, as the roads got busier, crowds increase, and people stepped out more to explore the beautiful city. The evenings were the best time to go out, especially when it would be cold. The city rushed during this time, people returning to their homes after working long and tiring shifts, the subway and stations crowded because of work hours. But everyone here was very used to this hectic lifestyle, having adapted to it after spending their life working in this city, making a living and doing whatever it took to survive.
In Dukes, it was quite calm. The weather was cooler there due to all the trees and greenery in the parks, as the neighborhood was known for that. However, it was a little busy at the Steinway Beer Garden, given that it was a Saturday evening. People there sat together in the garden at different tables, drinking, chatting, and even arguing there. Some of them smoked cigarettes outside the entrance, talked about their lives, tripped over each other, totally hammered to forget about their sorrows. It was a pretty usual sight at this place, it gave the bar a normal feeling, the drunk and friendly crowd was the reason why the place was lively during weekends and holidays.
You enter the bar, hearing the Irish music first as you sit on the stool in front of the bartender. Some of the stools besides you were occupied, others vacant, as the bartender smiles at you. You smile back a little, thinking what should you drink on this cold evening. It had been a while since you drank, you could really use a nice beer, the one which the bar was known for. It had the best beer in Dukes, and the Irish-Americans often came here to get drunk, play darts and sing Irish songs.
"Hey, Good evening. What would you like to drink?" the bartender asks.
"Hey, nothing special, a pint of Blarney's, please. Thanks" you nodded and looked at her.
"A pint of Blarney's, right away." she cheerfully turns and prepares your drink.
You drink your pint a few moments later, looking around. The bar wasn't too crowded, just a few people inside, way lesser than the beer garden outside. A man caught your eye as you sip on your beer, he looked veryfamiliar. You saw him sometimes at the bar, talking with his friends and the bartenders, and some people from the Irish mob. He wore a white button down shirt, with a black zip up jacket and trousers. He also had his picture in the bar, with a green tie and an off-white shirt with some thin lines on it, his hair gray, dark brown eyebrows and piercing grayish-blue eyes. Maybe he partly or somewhat owned the bar? You wondered. He was a cute man, indeed, you thought. He didn't talk much, and drank occasionally at the bar, checking stuff. A part of you wanted to approach him sometime, ask him out, even. What could go wrong anyways?
You finish your pint, as you look at the man, who sat a stool away from you, ordering his drink. He always seemed like a chill person, was nice to people here, from what you saw.
"Hello, what's your name?" you ask him, smiling softly.
"Hey, uh, it's Derrick. Derrick McReary." he looked at you, his piercing gaze on you.
"Hi! I'm (y/n), I see you here often, thought I'd...talk to you. It's good to meet you, Derrick." you smile a little.
"Hey, good to meet you too, (y/n). Yeah, I come here sometimes. I own some part of this bar, and I've got some friends here as well." he looked at you and nodded.
"That's nice! We should...talk sometime." you look at him.
"Yeah, why not? Come here, sit with me. Let's talk over a pint, okay? Get to know each other?" he offered, as you go and sit besides him on the unoccupied stool.
You sit besides him, feeling his knee brush slightly with yours. Neither of you backed away, so you just stay that way. You feel his cologne, it was soothing and could be smelled more because of the close proximity. Derrick was friendly to say the least, as you chat for a while, drinking your beers. As you talk, you start to find yourself attracted to him. He was...appealing, more than you imagined. He was charismatic, and had his charm too, which seemed to work well on you. You both talk about your backgrounds, and things you did to make a living. He seemed to be more quiet on his part, not being very open to disclosing details about his occupation, like you did.
You gaze into his eyes and chuckle softly, listening to one of his stories from his younger days, as you brushed your thumb on the back of his hand, his knuckles, gently. You loved how small your hand looked compared to his, as he held it softly, your fingers tracing his palm, liking the smoothness of his skin, combined with some roughness too. Your fingers intertwine as you gaze at each other. His voice, his eyes, the gray hair, were all very attractive, and the drinks you had weren't helping much. For someone in his 50s, he was a pretty decent man, you thought.
It was 8pm, as you laugh with him, sitting on the stool besides him after a game of darts, which you lost, of course, and on your fourth (and hopefully, last) pint for the night. Your head was rested on his shoulder, your hands still fidgeting with each other's fingers, since the last two hours. You had a fun time with him, he was funnier and better than you thought, even a little competitive during darts, but that would be his Irish nature, as he mentioned earlier during your conversation. You were actually interested in him, wanting to get to know him more, to hear more from him, maybe even touch him more. You finish your last pint, as he was still on his fourth one. The bar was almost empty at this time, just a couple of people on the cushion seats drinking.
"Hey... I had a really good time with you tonight. Maybe we see each other again? I would like to get to know you more." you say as you get up from the stool.
"Sure. I had fun too. How about we, um, go on a date or somethin'?" he smiles a little at you. You liked his charm.
"That sounds nice. I'd like that, yeah. Thanks for talking to me, I enjoyed tonight" you smile at him, giving him your number and hug him a little. He smelled so good.
"Absolutely. You're a good person, (y/n). I look forward to seeing you again. Cheers" he nodded and you lean forward, pecking his cheek. He had such soft skin, a little dry. He notices your blush, as you leave, not leaving his gaze until you reach the door.
You go out, in the beer garden, your head spinning slightly due to the drinking and your mind felt a little clouded. Derrick was a cute man, you thought. He was so nice to you, kind, also wasn't a creep, unlike the other men his age in this city. You definitely wanted to see him again. He was an interesting man, and had an appealing personality. You take a cab home, thinking of everything which happened tonight at the bar. It was sweet and pleasant, as you smile a little to yourself, looking at the window. What was making you like this? Was it really him, or the four pints you had back there? Could be both.
You sigh, looking at the sky and the cars passing you by in the cab. You couldn't wait for your date. And hopefully, Derrick called you back, hopefully.