Nirvana

Neon. James hadn't been in a bar that had neon in it in what seemed like forever. Maybe he just hadn't been in a bar in forever. Yet here he was, sitting in a booth with his teammates after his first win as a Nashville Predator. Lenny Kravitz of all people was blasting through the speakers, James was sure he hadn't heard Lenny Kravitz since his Dallas days, and as he let his eyes roam around he was sure he hadn't been in a bar like this since then as well. Dark walls, dart boards, chairs lining the bar, the bar top was made out of wood that had been covered in a coat of something shiny, booths tucked in against the back wall and the wall behind the bar was covered in every brand of alcohol he could think of.

Diosa. That was what the sign outside read. He didn't bother asking what it meant. He had taken French in school, not Spanish. This didn't seem like a place his teammates would hang out, though he had been assured this was the usual post game bar, maybe he just didn't know his new teammates well enough yet. Maybe he was just used to the clubs and VIP booths of Pittsburgh. Probably the latter

The worst thing about the entire bar was that it was empty. The neon 'Open' sign had been shut off, the door had been closed for nearly twenty minutes and he had no idea why they were all still sitting there. He wanted to voice this, but he didn't bother, who would have thought after a win in a new jersey he'd feel this bad? He definitely wasn't used to this.

The music was turned down, way down, and he heard clanking around behind the bar, before a brunette popped up from behind it and made her way toward them. The first thing he noticed were the shorts, leaving little to the imagination, then he noticed the rest of her. Tanned, brown hair, and when she got closer he noticed the green eyes. He had seen her somewhere before, he was sure of it. She set several new beer bottles on the table in front of them and Rich grinned, “She finally decides to grace us with her presence.”

She rolled her eyes and handed him a bottle of water, before she dragged a chair from the table across from them and sat on it backwards, leaning against the back of it before telling him, “Well some of us do have to work.”

“Well we did work tonight, a win by the way if you didn't know.” Craig told her with a grin, making her roll her eyes.

“Yeah, you had a goal didn't you? Or was it an assist?” She asked with a smirk.

“You had the game on, just admit it. You love us.” Shea told her, making her shrug and take a drink of her beer.

Rich caught James raised eyebrow and he was quick to apologize, “Sorry dude, forgot. This is Harley, Harley this is James.”

“New guy right?” She asked, and when he nodded she couldn't help but say, “And you probably don't like being called that. Sorry.”

He shrugged, “It's fine.”

He finally remember where he had seen her before. She had been the one behind the bar all night. Not giving any attention to James' eyes on her Harley turned to Rich as he asked her, “You find a new place yet?”

“Does the stock room in the back count?” Harley asked, making the group laugh. She took a another drink and when Rich shook his head she told him, “Then no.”

“You know I have a spare room at my place.” Shea told her, giving her a look that made her narrow her eyes slightly.

“And you know I don't come home until four and sleep until noon right? Hardly a good atmosphere for a newborn.” Harley told him, making him sigh more for dramatics.

“Well you know I have a couch right?” Rich asked her, making her shrug. James remembered the pair of neon green heels that were in the back of the closet in his room at Rich's, and he suddenly felt like he took a room away from her.

She raised her arms over her head and stretched before she looked down at the watch on Rich's arm. Quarter to four in the morning. She didn't bother asking, she knew they didn't have a game tomorrow, or today she supposed. They usually turned in a lot earlier than this, if they showed up at all. She couldn't help but poke fun at Shea, “You know, I was beginning to think this whole parenting thing was sucking all the fun out of you.”

Rich and Craig laughed, Shea simply shook his head, “The miracle of family members that like babysitting. We can both go out at the same time now. You know, you should try it.”

Harley smirked, “Sounds boring to me.”

“I've seen her with kids, she definitely should not try it.” Rich stated, making the guys laugh, Harley simply turned to him, narrowed her eyes and flicked the side of his head.

“Is it gang up on Harley day and nobody told me?” She whined, making them laugh again, rolling her eyes as Rich reached out and tugged on a handful of her hair playfully.

When she tried to hide her yawn Rich stood up, handed her a wad of bills, paying for the rounds of drinks he hadn't even had any part in, and told her, “Alright, it's time for you to drive me home.”

She rolled her eyes at that, but didn't object, and neither did any of the other guys. She put her chair back and let Shea and Craig out the front before she locked up. James stood awkwardly beside Rich as she shut the lights off and lead them out the back. Once they were outside and she locked the back door James noticed the Charger parked by the curb, he had to guess it was a 70 at least. Rich got in the back, deciding for once to be nice and not make the one who couldn't fit sit in the back, and James got into the front.

Harley pulled away from the curb so quick James flew back against the seat, and he let out a small laugh. As they were driving Rich told her, “You can park on the street. This piece of shit isn't allowed in my driveway anymore.”

Harley looked at him in the rear view mirror and told him, “American muscle always beats foreign shit.”

“So you say.” He said with a grin.

“So I've proved.” She told him.

- - -

James woke to music, not the kind he was used to from Rich, instead it was classic rock. He looked over at the clock beside his bed, ten to eleven. At least he hadn't slept all day. He pulled himself up, and rested his elbows on his knees, head in his hands. After letting out a breath of air he pushed his hands through his hair before he got up and searched for something to wear. Throwing on a t-shirt and a pair of shorts he slipped into the bathroom unnoticed.

When he made his way into the kitchen he found Harley standing at the stove with her back to him. She was in a tank top and a pair of sweat pants that were clearly much too large for her, they were rolled at the waist at least three times, and tied tightly. Her hair was pulled up at the top of her head, and it was then that he seen the tattoo on her shoulder blade, monarch butterflies and three red roses that wrapped around her shoulder.

She turned after hearing his feet on the floor and smiled, “Morning.”

He nodded and cleared his throat before saying, “Morning.”

“Want some breakfast?” Harley asked, pulling him out of his thoughts, she sent him another smile as he looked up at her again, this time looking slightly alarmed. She let out the tiniest of laughs and motioned to the food on the stove, “Pancakes, eggs, bacon.”

“Uh... yeah thanks.” He told her as she pulled out three plates, handing him one before she filled the other two.

James couldn't help but laugh as she picked up a tennis ball and whipped it at Rich, who was asleep on the couch. He jumped up with a start, swearing at Harley, before disappearing down the hall. Harley took the seat across from James at the table before she asked, “So... where'd you come from?”

He raised his eyebrow, “Canada?”

Harley let out a laugh and shook her head, “I meant where did you play before here.”

“Oh. Pittsburgh.” He told her with a nod, digging into his breakfast, trying not to think of how odd it still was not to be back there across the street for breakfast.

“Penguins right?” She asked, and when he nodded she grinned to herself.

“I'm actually surprised you knew that.” Rich told her as he walked back into the kitchen, dropping down onto the chair beside her and immediately biting into a piece of bacon.

Harley rolled her eyes at him, “Contrary to your belief, I do know a thing or two. I did know several of your teammates before I knew you.”

“Right, sorry, sometimes I forgot you actually had a life before you met me.” Rich said with a grin.

“Oh and it was a great life, I didn't have to deal with you all the time.” Harley muttered, making Rich and James laugh.

“Do you remember the part where I so kindly took the couch and let you have my bed last night?” Rich asked her, and Harley rolled her eyes.

“Oh, bed... I want to go back to bed.” She said softly, leaning her head against her hand.

“I have no idea how you survive, I'm still slightly convinced you're a vampire.” Rich told her, shovelling eggs into his mouth.

“Thanks, I appreciate that. Nocturnal does not mean I'm Dracula reincarnated.” Harley stated before she looked down at her phone when it beeped.

“Well I'm probably just gonna watch TV for a while, so feel free to go back to bed. I'll wake you up at two if you want.” Rich told her, paying more attention to his food than her.

Harley shrugged, “I'm up, I might as well do something productive with my day. Like actually go looking for an apartment, I forgot how uncomfortable your bed is.”

“You mean magically comfortable.” Rich corrected, making her roll her eyes. In the near year she had known Rich she was sure she had never met anyone with as hard of a bed as he had. The first time she slept in it she compared it to sleeping on the concrete floor of the bar, which she had done a time or two before she got a couch for the stock room.

“Keep telling yourself that.”

When she got up to clear her plate and start doing dishes James had to remind himself that he still had no idea what the deal was between her and Rich, and until he knew that she was completely off limits. Even if he had spent most of his sleepless night thinking about her, and those damn shorts.