Furry-Within

Raining again. It was always fucking raining. It didn't matter though, his job was still simple enough. The bar was where he was told, and the person he was meant to see was where he was told too. He sat down next to him, the man ordered a whiskey sour, no ice. Meaning the briefcase the man had was exactly the one he needed to get. He put his own case down on the side of the man he was here to see and ordered a straight vodka, also with no ice. Meaning everything was good. The man quickly finished his drink, and Mikkaddo stayed to enjoy his. The man took Mikkaddo's briefcase and Mikkaddo left the one next to him where it was, looking around the bar. He'd not been here before, but he was liking it so far. The music was good, and the alcohol was worth the money. What interested him was when a woman walked in, something about her caught his eye. He couldn't quite place what it was.

She matched the music maybe . . . ? no . . . that wasn't it. It was true, but that wasn't what caught him . . . he couldn't seem to look away. Something was odd about her. And part of him felt he had to know. He considered it and then decided against it, leaving her and the mystery behind. A few nights later he was back, it was raining again, and his leather trench coat was dripping on the ground, he shook the rain out of it, taking off the fedora that was keeping most of his headfur dry even in the horrifying storm outside. He settled into a stool at the bar, watching some god awful program on the tv, the music was still just as good as before. Something he could close his eyes to and enjoy. Then he heard the door open again, and when he turned his head he nearly choked on his drink.

The mystery returned, in the same t-shirt and shorts he remembered, mohawk swept to one side, drenched in rain, like an image of the music walking toward him. He had to know this time. Couldn't let it get past him anymore. Something had to be done. He had to ask, so when she came to a stool, he watched her for a moment and before she could order said. "Barkeep . . . I'm buying her drinks tonight . . ." and put down a credit card, sliding it toward him.  Then turned to face her, waiting fro the inevitable reaction.

Jediere walked in, just as she did every night through the week. Her thick leather boots, thudding against the floor, the smell of catnip on her clothes. Her usual attire hardly differed, maybe in color, or may an added jacket, but rarely did it change. Her eyes were half closed and she acted as if she ignored everyone, but to her..it was just another day at work. Her ears swiveled some as she listened to voices here and there. Same voices, same regulars. She payed them no mind, yet. She would make her way back stage and get herself ready

:The bartender would look to the man, and then to Jediere. He couldnt help but let out a chuckle, he was drying a glass with a rag and he shook his head some. "You wanna by Jed a drink eh? Well, your gunna have to wait till her sets done. She has to work too ya'know." He would set the glass on the counter and pour a drink for some one down the bar. "Good luck with 'er" The barkeep would say and prepare the man his next drink:

Jediere would emerge from the back stage and stand on her usual platform. The men would look at her, a few coughs in the air, but they were usually attentive. The band would sit behind her and begin the first song of the set.

"Come as you are, sweetheart
Come as you are
You know you've got nothing to prove
I'll put you to bed you can let it all go
You've been playing too rough lately

You burn too bright
You live too fast
This can't go on too long
You're a tragedy starting to happen

Just as you are, perfect
Just as you are
I'll give you the time you deserve
Don't make those promises
Don't tell me again
That dust is gonna settle your nerves

You burn too bright
You live too fast
This can't go on too long
You're a tragedy starting to happen

You burn too bright
You live too fast
This can't go on too long
You're a tragedy starting to happen

You burn too bright
You live too fast
This can't go on too long
You're a tragedy starting to happen"

Her voice was soft, and subtle, but harsh and unique. A shift of her body when she finished the set. She waited for the generally quiet applause. She gave a nice nod and would lean over to pick up her guitar and start to tune it some. Readying herself for the next song.

Mikkaddo gave a smile as she came out onto the stage and said to the Bartender. "Fine with me . . . just wanting to buy the girl a drink that's all man." The bartender gave him another chuckle. "Yeah and the last time you were here the shit you pulled with that other man was on the level . . . sure."

Mikkaddo gave him a stern glare, his voice dropping several levels but still audible to the man on the other side of the bar. "And what would you know about that huh . . ." The bartender held up his hands laughing. "Hey now man, my name's Paul, and whatever it was, that shit's just between ya'll . . ." Mikkaddo calmed down, ordering a drink and turning to watch her start her set.

She had a hell of a voice this girl, and as she played he watched intently, listening to each word, listening to the music carefully, this was good music too. It sounded a lot like what they'd played before, but he remembered her not being on the stage before. Maybe they'd been playing her music, recorded for when she wasn't or couldn't be on stage. Either way he liked it, and he was wanting to get to know her better.

The music was quite enchanting, imagery it had. He was always attuned to music, but this was different. It seeded itself in his head and every time his eyes closed the music was filling his head with pictures. This kind of music he could really get used to. He enjoyed it. And when the song ended, the images stopped, filling with the same old images as before, chaos darkness and blood. Just like always. Then he heard a note, several of them, she was tuning the guitar for her next song.

Jediere played in what ever time she felt, at least that was the deal with the boss, as long as she put in her other four hours of work. She finished tuning her guitar and started a familiar riff. A low bass as she played the one song that never really fit a womans voice. But then again, her husky voice made it work.

"I'm gonna fight 'em all
A nation army couldn't hold me back
They're gonna rip it off
Taking their time right behind my back

And I'm talking to myself at night
Because I can't forget
Back and forth through my mind
Behind a cigarette
And the message coming from my eyes
Says leave it alone

Don't want to hear about it
Every single one's got a story to tell
Everyone knows about it
From the Queen of England to the hounds of hell

And if I catch it coming back my way
I'm gonna serve it to you
And that aint what you want to hear
But thats what I'll do
And the feeling coming from my bones
Says find a home

I'm going to Wichita
Far from this opera for evermore
I'm gonna work the straw
Make the sweat drip out of every pore
And I'm bleeding, and I'm bleeding, and I'm bleeding
Right before the lord
All the words are gonna bleed from me
And I will sing no more
And the stains coming from my blood
Tell me go back home "

She let the crowd soak in the harder song than she played on a usual basis. She gave a bow of her head and shifted her eyes toward the tender, and then her boss and she turned around to the rest of the guys. "Time for a break, take what....ten?" She asked with a smirk. They all rolled their eyes, they knew she had to do some work. She let the hollow claps hang in the balance as she went behind the bar grabbing an apron and a tray. "Which table reggie?" She ignored the arrogance of anyone else at the bar, she generally didnt notice anyone she wasnt serving to.

Reggie would point to a far table and she would walk with drinks and bar nuts in hand. She set it upon the table she was directed and looked to the men. "Anything else?" She took out a pencil and paper and looked to them.

A table of two men, many of which she considered pigs, and to be proven wrong was still in the balance. The men nodded to each other, one with a cocky smile and fork in hand the other was about to keep her distracted. "Umm, well what other.....sweet, tall, drinks are available?"..." What is it you would recommend?"..."Does it come with out ice or salt?" Random questions while the other cocky bastard tossed a fork on the floor with a clang. Her head shifted to the side sharply and she looked at the guy, her eyes narrowed. She had to pick it up, really wasnt her choice. She gave the man a very long smirk and bent down to get it, her long tail swishing side to side as she picked it up, this was rude but she tolerated it, what happened next, was something most undesirable. A touch of a palm groping her rear and her lips would curl into a snarl. She turned on the toe of her boot to look at the man who had dropped the fork, and obviously touched her ass. She leaned forward, an inch from his face with a long grin, her hand drifted up his unbuttoned shirt and she would grab it with such force it would jolt the man and she would place the fork against the skin where his neck meets his jaw. "I dare you ...to make a move...." She would say and a sharp loud noise would be heard.

"Jediere!" Her boss yelled at her, and she turned her eyes to the men and an obvious scowl was upon her lips. She let out a growl and narrowed her eyes. "If I ever so much as see you back in my bar..I will push this fork into your throat...the jaws of life wont even save you.." With that she thrust the man against the wall, and gave the other an equally threatening look. Her boots would go back to hitting the floor as she returned to reggie. "Boss wants to see you jed." Reggie would say and she would look toward the doberman anthro boss of hers. She gave her boss a nod and shrugged her shoulders. Her boss would turn around and walk back to his office. "He will survive. Whats next.." She would ask reggie as she returned her gaze to him.

"How bout a drink mate." He would say. "He's pay'in." He said nodding his head in mikkados direction. Her eyes rolled and she gave a nod. "Fine. Gimme his, and my usual." She would nod and take their drinks, she set his in front of him and focus on the full seat across from him and look to one of the regulars, tapping them on the shoulder, she gave a beat it signal and they found another place down the bar. "So, you want to talk then?" She asked and crossed one heavy boot clad leg over the other. She grabbed her mug and slugged back a glass of whiskey. Taking a catnip cigarette from behind her ear and lighting it up. Everyone else smoked cigars, she chose something a little more...soothing. She took an inhale of it and would blow the smoke to the side of her knowing it would drift over the bar. She gave in an intent look to the man as she waited for an answer. Sipping and smoking as she did thus.

Mikkaddo smiled lifting his drink when she gave it to him. "Thank you, and yes . . . I would like to talk. Your music is amazing . . . as are you . . ." He chuckled softly. "I'm sorry, I really don't do this . . . normally I'm so focused on tuning everything out or just trying to stay focused on my job . . ." he sighed. "Let me start again . . . hi, I'm Mikkaddo . . . and you are?" he asked putting a hand toward her. He was an edge away from spilling words out over her like a flood, he was usually so silent because he was focused on his job or focused on not letting things get to him. But this woman, something was different about her. He still couldn't place it. But as soon as he'd seen her the first time he had to force himself to remember what he was there for.

After that, when he came back to the bar he could have sworn the rain had stopped and the bar had vanished when she entered his sight. Then there was her music, it blinded him from the world he was in, making him see worlds inside himself, surrounding him with sound. He had to know more about this woman, he couldn't bare to not know her. The music, the smell in the air around her, everything she did and said, was sticking to him. It was like the words lasted a few seconds longer whens he said them than when other people did. He had to know what the hell was going on with his head because of this girl.

She listened as those scum bags made their exit. A long smirk drawn across her lips. She kept her focus on this man, like the usual ones that wanted to court her, she paid them no mind. It was men, and she was a woman that worked in a bar full of them. She ran her slender fingers through her hair and felt as it fell back over the side of her face. She brought out her empty hand and shook his. "Jediere." She did her best to put forward the uptmost precious customer service and did not roll her eyes toward his compliment. As much as she wanted to she resisted. "Well, what about." She stated simply and took another puff of her catnip cigarette.

Reggie was tapping on the bar and she looked to him and gave him a nod and turned back to the man. "You have five minutes, mikkado. I have tables to serve and music to play." She said, straight to the point as per usual. She blue some smoke over the bar, knowing it agitated her coworker. A pleased smirk on her lips as she then took another swig of her whisky. She rose a brow and butt out her catnip cigarette then eating it afterward with a waste not want not notion. This was normal for her, it was nothing new being the only woman on the waitstaff.

Mikkaddo chuckled softly. "5 minutes . . . not much time, well let me say this much, I'd like to know more about you . . .  a lot more." and sips from his drink watching her butt out the cigarette and eat it. Interesting habits she had. "How about this, get back to work . . . I'm not going anywhere, come back when they let you off, and I buy you a cup of coffee . . ." it was a simple enough  offer. It was up to her where it went from there.

"One more thing, I saw the men over at that table . . . fucking morons." He reached into his coat pulling out a small white card with his name on it, on the back of it was a number, that's all that was on it. He leaned in toward her. "If you need someone to go away . . . give me a call, and you'll never have to see them again." He gave a soft smile. "Go ahead and get back to work, you boss looks pretty pissed." He said pointing, the door to her boss' office was open, and he was standing in the door way tapping his fingers against his arms. Mikkaddo said just before she got up. "oh by the way . . . that means anyone . . . him included" and sat back getting back to his drink.

She rose a brow, listening to what he had to say. She ran her slender fingers through her relaxed mohawk. "Okay." She side with a side ways nod. "Coffee in about an hour. Got tables to wait and sets to finish, hope you can wait that long." She said with a long smirk. Not many men waited for her, merely ogled at her. She was used to it, and it was why she stayed. She kept the trouble out. When the card was presented to her she rose a brow. In that instant she knew what kind of man he was. She took it with her index and middle finger and slowly slipped it in her shirt putting it in her bra.

"I will keep that in mind." She said with a subtle wink. She looked at her boss and chuckled. "You dont touch him, he signs my checks." She said with a soft chuckle and leaned in to him for a moment. "Dont fuck up.." She would say quietly with a long smirk, else he would wind up like that last two she kicked out of the bar. She leaned back and licked her lips. "Enjoy the music." She would step off the stool she had sat on. She walked back to the stage, tuning her guitar and preparing the band for the next song.

"They say freak,
When you're singled out,
The red, well it filters through.

So lay down, the red is real,
When his sight goes red again.
Seeing red again,
Seeing red again.

This change, he won't contain,
Slip away, to clear your mind.
When asked, who made it show,
The truth, he gives in to most.

So lay down, the red is real
When his sight goes red again.

So lay down, the red is real
When his sight goes red again.
So lay down, the red is real
When his sight goes red again.

Seeing red again,
Seeing red again,
Seeing red again,
Seeing red again,
Seeing red again,
Seeing red again,
Seeing red again,
Seeing red....

They say freak...
When you're singled out.
The red, it filters through..."

A long smile drew across her lips as her green eyes locked on the man at the bar. She ran her hand through her hair again. "Time to wake up guys." She said in the mic and cleared her throat than came to play some softer chords. Just her playing, the band behind her was silent as she played.

"What have I got to do to make you love me
What have I got to do to make you care
What do I do when lightning strikes me
And I wake to find that you're not there

It's sad, so sad
It's a sad, sad situation
And it's getting more and more absurd
It's sad, so sad
Why can't we talk it over
You know it seems
That sorry seems to be the hardest word

What do I do to make you want me
What have I got to do to be heard
What do I say when it's all over
And sorry seems to be the hardest word"

When she finished her last chord she rose her head to look at the quiet crowd. A light sigh from her lips and she looked at what was next to play on her set.

Mikkaddo ordered another drink in the mean time as she and her band started to play, his ears twitched, he knew this song and looked toward the door, one of the bands he usually had playing in his car. He loved this song, and gave her a knowing smirk as she payed it, nodding his head to the music. When the music stopped, he clapped, not very loud, not silently either though, there were at least one or two others clapping and whistling, so he clapped along with them smiling.

When the next song started, his eyes locked on hers, and stayed there, listening intently to her voice and her chords, soft and deep, he'd not heard it before, but he was liking it more and more as he heard it. It seeped in and filled his head as she sang it, it was wonderful this song. He was really enjoying this one, something was special about it. Maybe it was the smile she gave him before she started, or maybe it was the song itself. He couldn't really tell, but he didn't really care at the moment either, this was good. When it ended he once again clapped smiling at her. He was wondering what the next song would be and how it would make his head react to it, and even more, he was wondering what would happen with her during the coffee afterward.

The bar seemed to be getting busier. More people were starting to come in and reggie was giving her eyes. Work came first...music was only the attraction. She would sigh some and her focus would break looking toward the clapping. She would take her guitar off and set it down, she looked to the band and they would wait for her to come back. She gave a nod and stood looking toward the man she had been talking to. She gave him a bow of only her head and a very special smile, though for others it looked like a smirk.

She stepped from the bar and would grab her paper and trays and run to take some orders as people would sit. A few women had come in, very uppity. They must like the music if they decided to come in here, no women ever came for anything other than that. Some blues music would play over the speakers for their enjoyment. Her green eyes would open some as she set her pen to paper. They gave her this odd look and chuckled. "What would you like this evening..?" She would ask, at that time they would narrow there eyes in a 'who do you think you are expression.' She would lift her head and put her hand on the table with a slight slam. "Excuse me for interrupting your comversation about how sexy leonardo decaprio is, but I have a shit ton of people in this bar, So if you dont mind, I dont wait for your bullshit. What the hell do you want to order?!" She would say, not frustrated, more stop glaring at me and give me your order.

They would give her the stink face and order a bunch of fruity drinks. Her boss would be watching her closely and she shrugged, hey it was a normal day for her. She brought there drinks and she finished out the others. Mellowing it out some for the only other waitress. She sighed some and gave a light wave to her 'friend' at the bar. She gave him a teasing finger wave and would wander into the womens room, when she was in there she would think about him some. Most men dont come in here checking out the most bitchy chick but she guessed she suited his kinky fancy. She twisted her lips some as she splashed water on her face and leaned against one of the stalls, taking a break for a moment or two..or four...or ten.....

Mikkaddo grinned right Val at her as she left to go into the restroom, then slowly stood walking toward that direction himself. After she'd headed that way he had watched the traffic for a bit and then followed her to the door, he looked down at his watch as the seconds passed. A young woman came out glaring at him and he smiled to her and once she'd gone he quickly vanished inside the place where shed gone before.

He could see her at the mirror and grinned again as he approached. "well well, what a place to meet up hmm?" and came closer, quickly turning his head away as another woman came out f a stall. Shot, he'd missed one. But she swiftly departed so he figured it was ok.

She was just putting out a cat nip cigaret when she heard the door creak open. She rose a brow when she saw his face in the mirror. A soft chuckle on her lips as her ears pinned back some. "I was contemplating running away." She smirked and cleared her throat. "But then again, that would get me fired. As much as I hate this gig..I still like it enough to keep it." She sighed some and looked at him.

"So, you want to meet in bathrooms eh? Shouldnt you have locked the door first." She gave him a little wink and moved to lean against the wall, propping her foot up against it and crossing her arms. "Didnt have enough patience for a woman to freshen up huh? Figures.." She said with a slight grin on her face letting out a faux sigh.

He grinned looking at the door and then back to her, moving closer and leaning against the set of sinks. "Well that's assuming two things though. One, that I actually care if anyone comes in here . . . and two, that I think you needed to "freshen up" to be attractive to me . . ." he laughed looking down and then back up. "Frankly I don't think that's true at all . . . I think you'd look damn good in anything . . . and that voice . . ." he came a little closer. "Been a very very long time since I met a woman who could do that to me with her voice. You . . . have talent, the kind of talent that makes a man sweat." He grinned. "And I am sweating . . ."