Funny. It was that bar in Laughlin City two years ago that made her think of it. That huge jar of tips that she had been tempted to steal from. She had been starving, and she wasn’t above taking what she needed to survive. So when she found herself in a small town on the coast in Connecticut, it was the bartending and waitressing jobs that drew her eye in the local want ads.
“You sure you’re eighteen? You look awful young.” The deep voice of the bar manager boomed in the cramped office.
“Actually, I’m 21. Here’s my ID.” She handed over the card, and made ready to pull a second one from her wallet if it proved necessary.
“So it says. OK. You can start on Friday. I’ll put you with Marla. She’s been here the longest. You’re what, a ladies size small?” The large man screwed up his face as he opened his bottom desk drawer and began pulling shirts and aprons out.
“A small is fine.” Marie smiled to herself. It was easier than she thought it would be. Getting the fake ID’s was a learning experience to be sure, but she was thankful for the knowledge that wasn’t hers rolling around in her mind. She figured Magneto was probably the greatest criminal mind of his time. He had survived his youth by willpower and cunning, and some of it he had passed on to her.
“Here are two shirts and an apron. We’ll start you on Monday.” He handed over the dark grey polo shirts and black apron and smiled up at her. “Any questions?” he asked kindly.
“Um, yeah. What if someone bothers me or touches me? I’ve never been a waitress in a bar before.” It was a partial lie. She’s never been a waitress in her life, let alone in a bar.
“Good question,” Mark answered. His name was embroidered on his dark blue polo shirt. She had forgotten it when he’d first introduced himself. “Darwin! Get in here! Come meet our new cocktail waitress, Marie,” he bellowed towards the office door.
The young man who walked into the office had to turn sideways to get through the door. Marie had never seen anyone this big. He was well over six feet tall, and she could only guess at his weight. He wore a black t-shirt that strained across his wide chest and stretched to cover his enormous shoulders and biceps. He was bald, had dark skin the color of mocha and dark almond-shaped eyes.
“This here is Darwin. He’s our bouncer. It’s his job to make sure no one harasses you,” Mark said.
Darwin smiled down at her, literally blocking the overhead light and covering her in shadow. He had a pleasant face and wide smile. He turned and left the office without saying a word.
“He doesn’t talk much, but he’s a hell of a bouncer and barback. Okay. We’ll see you on Monday at five. Welcome aboard, Marie.” He dismissed her from his office just as his phone rang.
Marie gathered her new uniform and left the bar.
She figured the bartender, Marla, was at least half as old as God. The little old woman was covered in wrinkles and skin that looked like brittle paper. The glasses she wore round her neck were as thick as coke bottles, and Marie had to wonder why she didn’t just keep them on her face instead of sliding them off and on a hundred times a night.
Marla was, in Marie’s humble opinion, the nosiest person she had ever met.
“So where you from? Somewhere down south, right? You married? Got any kids? How old are you, honey?” All of this interspersed with instructions on how to cocktail waitress that were barked at her with far too much frequency.
She had never worked so hard in all her life. The physical toll on her body reminded her of the toughest workouts in the Danger Room. Those taught by Logan. At the thought of his name, the Logan in her brain reared up and took notice of the barroom. He smelled the sour whiskey and thick fog of cigarette smoke. He approved. Marie found herself sizing up every man in the room. Trying to see who would give her a good fight. A real challenge.
Dammit! She pushed The Wolverine back in his cage and vowed to not think of him again. She had enough going on around her tonight as it was. It seemed as soon as she cleared one table, another was dirty. She would deliver one round of drinks, only to turn and have to deliver another to the same table moments later. She would say this about the Navy guys she served drinks to: they weren’t lightweights.
The bar also served a limited menu of bar food of the fried variety. The cook, Eddie, turned out to be the nicest person she had met so far.
“Jesus, Marie! Slow down. This ain’t a race,” he chided her as she loaded her tray up with food orders.
“They’re waiting for me,” she cried at him, exasperated.
“Bullshit! They’re a bunch of drunken sailors who order from you to look at your tits and ass. Relax.” Marie took his advice to heart, and found it much easier to handle her orders when she wasn’t worried about the people waiting for them.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And really, everything was going well. She had run from the school. Run with little money and few possessions, but she had made progress with her mutation. She had left without gloves, and before she could think to buy any, a stranger on a bus had brushed up against her. Skin to skin contact. Nothing had happened. Curious, Marie had slowly started testing her poisonous skin on those around her. Only once did she feel the pull of energy that made her unique.
It had happened at a fast food restaurant outside of New York City. She stood patiently in line waiting to place her order when the man in front of her banged on the counter and began screaming at the woman behind the register.
“I said no salt on my fries! No salt! What are you, deaf? How hard is it to remember no salt?” The man banged on the counter again, then reached over and grabbed the woman and began to shake her.
“Please stop! I’m sorry! Let me go!” The woman’s voice was panicked and high.
“Fucking forget it!” He released her and spit on the counter. He ran straight into Marie as he stalked towards the doors. Her bare hand touched his hairy forearm. And her mutation flared to life. She had pulled back from him in time. Just in time. He had looked down at her in astonishment before he turned away.
She still didn’t know if it was fear or anger that triggered her power. Maybe it was both? And what about the kiss with Logan? When she tried to remember her exact emotion, she found she couldn’t. Or maybe wouldn’t. There had been lust. She was a warm blooded female after all. But there was anger too, and fear. As much as she wanted to know the limitations of her power and control, there was no way to test it. She did not need anymore people living in her head. So she had forgone wearing gloves. It had helped her blend in. And she was careful. She avoided touching people, and she was an expert at it. But if someone touched her skin to skin on occasion, it wasn’t too big a deal.
“I need ice, Marie!” Marla had to yell to be heard above the country music the deejay was playing.
She made her way back to the kitchen to fill one of the big grey tubs with ice, like she had seen Darwin do several times already. She had it full and was leaning against the ice machine when she felt a pair of arms around her. She turned suddenly, nearly spilling the ice all over the floor.
It was Darwin. He gripped the tub and hefted its weight easily. She looked up at him and saw him frown and jerk his head to the side.
“What? Marla said she needed ice…” He walked to the counter and sat the ice on the smooth steel surface. He waited patiently for Eddie to turn around notice them.
“Hey Darwin, what’s shaking?” Eddie smiled when he turned from the fryers and deposited fries on a plate. Darwin nodded to her and pointed at the ice sitting in front of him. “Oh. I get it. Marie, it’s not your job to get ice.”
“But I can carry it. Marla said she needed it.” Marie was confused and a slow blush was making its way up her neck.
“That’s not the point, Marie. Darwin’s here to do the heavy lifting. If she needs ice, she needs to ask him. Marla’s messing with you. Trying to see what she can make you do. You don’t fetch anything for her. You start doing that, and you won’t be able to take orders. All the drunks will go to the bar to order everything. You lose tips. Get it?”
“I get it.” Marie felt like a fool. “Sorry, Darwin.” She looked up at him and watched him smile.
“Oh, he’s not mad at you. He just doesn’t want you to hurt yourself lifting heavy things, or to lose any customers.” Eddie turned back to his fryers.
Darwin nodded. He lifted the ice and turned in one swift motion, and Marie followed him into the bar.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
I don't own X-Men, yadda yadda.