Crowded Room

"Hey," I said, my hand still a tingling from touching his shoulder. He was nearly as muscular as Wes, but not quite. "How you holdin' up? You've been handling stuff with such ease, I am still trying to figure out how in the hell you don't drink a shot or two." Liam laughed, and the smile that came with it touched his eyes.

"I've got to keep a straight head. I mean, after nearly losing my father, I've got to keep all my senses on high alert," he replied, continuing to clean up. I looked around the general area and there was broken bottles, glasses, and a couple of stools. Guess things got out of hand and I didn't even realize it. Studying Liam a bit more, I notice a cut just above his left brow, which was still oozing blood, but only a little.

Reaching into my bag, I pulled out a tissue -- I kept them on hand; never knew when they might come in handy -- and pressed it against his brow. He flinched, and I showed him the blood. "Hold still for a moment, this won't take long," I said, finishing up the wiping and grabbing a butterfly bandage and putting it on the cut. "There. All better," I said, smiling and throwing the trash in the can beside the bar.

"Thanks," he said, looking at me with a look of utter curiosity. I just saluted him and said my goodbyes to everyone, my eyes meeting Liam's for a long moment before I walked out into the night.

Jarrek

I kept an eye on Liam once Jace walked out, noticing he had stared at the door for a long moment before finishing up the cleaning around the bar. Jace never did that for anyone -- not even Wesley. Wonder what made Liam so special? Wonder if it was because he was Old Man Emerson's son, and he didn't want to get fired?

I finished up behind the bar, locking up the hard liquor cabinets. Throwing the rag down on the counter, I was just about to walk around when Liam stopped me. "Hey, Jarrek," he said, causing me to face him. Everyone else was gone so it was just him and myself.

"What's up, bouncer?" I said, a playful smile playing at my lips. He chuckled a bit before speaking.

"What's Jace's deal?" he asked, and I knew what he meant. Relationship status, orientation, the usual.

"He's a 22-year-old DJ, best in the business. Gay, although I have seen him kiss on girls -- and that was when he was sober, but I could tell it was because he just trying to enjoy himself. He's had a rough last three years, losing his only brother, so he's put a lot of time and energy into working. He's single, broke up with a long-term boyfriend of four years when the other guy was bitching about him not being home often enough," I said, my eyes looking at a picture of Jace and Zeth that was hanging over the bar on the inside where no one from the floor could see it.

I motioned Liam around and pointed at it, watching as a saddened expression appeared on his face. "Zeth was his only living family when they moved here. The mom died after giving birth to Jace, causing the dad to give them to an adoption agency and taking his own life. Neither parent had siblings, and no living grandparents," I said, feeling tears sting my eyes. "All they had was each other, and now Jace doesn't have anyone to call family."

I saw Liam trying his best to hold back the tears, whether from a personal battle, Jace's story, or both, I wasn't sure. "Thanks, bar keep," he said in a hoarse whisper. "I'll see you tomorrow." I nodded, patting his shoulder, and walked out.

I felt my heart break, wishing I could get the biggest secret off of my shoulders, but knowing I'd lose everything if I did.