He watched as Tally lowered his gaze and dropped his shoulders. He turned and shuffled towards the stairs. Sam sighed. The young man had attacked someone with a knife and had managed to make Sam feel bad for being pissed off about it.
He glanced around. If any of the customers had seen, they had all now turned back to their conversations and drinks. Nobody seemed to care. But there were customers waiting. Sam plastered on a smile and got back to work.
It was a little while later before he could check for Tally. Sam looked over and saw he had slunk back downstairs and slipped onto his seat behind the bar. He was sitting calmly and quietly.
Relieved, Sam turned his attention back to his customers. At break time he took Tally upstairs and shared his chicken and rice from his freezer of batch cooked meals. The young man ate quietly and seemed subdued. Sam shook his head, he wasn’t going to apologize for being angry. Tally couldn’t go around threatening people with knives. He needed to learn that.
They went back downstairs, and Tally made a beeline for Joseph. Sam watched uneasily for a moment before shrugging. It was harmless and probably even nice for Joseph to have someone to talk to. The man never tired of telling anyone who would listen about the love of his life that had slipped away.
Time passed in a blur of customers, but eventually things quieted down and he had time to talk to Rafe and Mark. Mark’s arm was draped over Rafe’s shoulders and the couple were laughing happily. Sam smiled, they had both been regulars before getting together and he felt like he had had a front row seat to their blossoming love.
He slid the two vodka and oranges in front of them. Rafe’s hand covered his, holding it in place. “Want to join us?” he asked coyly, moving his hand to trail up Sam’s arm.
Sam smiled and started to think of a gentle way to decline, but suddenly Tally was there, pushing Rafe’s hand off of him.
″You don’t get to touch him! He is mine!” snarled Tally. His eyes blazing ferociously.
Rafe blinked in surprise. “Sorry, I didn’t realize.”
He straightened up and Mark let his arm fall off of his shoulder. They both took their drinks and walked away quietly. Their good mood appearing thoroughly evaporated.
″What the hell is wrong with you!” growled Sam.
Tally stared up at him with big blue eyes, looking for all the world like a puppy who had been kicked and didn’t understand why.
″You can’t stay here if you are going to keep behaving like that!” Sam struggled to keep his voice down.
Tally’s bottom lip wobbled and suddenly he fell to his knees, wrapping his arms tightly around Sam’s legs. Surprise burned away all of Sam’s anger and he stared down in confusion.
″I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” babbled Tally in a frantic whisper. “I’ll learn, I’ll do better. Please don’t send me away.”
Sam swallowed over the sudden lump in his throat, realizing with surprise that he had only meant that Tally couldn’t stay downstairs at the bar. For some reason, kicking him out had never crossed his mind, and the very thought was horrendous. Whereas logically, he should at least want to. He had only recently met Tally, and the young man was proving to be a complete handful. A walking disaster and liability. But for some reason, the idea of Tally leaving caused his heart to clench.
″Hey, hey. It’s okay. I only meant about staying at the bar. I’m not going to throw you out.”
Tally sniffed and climbed to his feet, dragging his sleeve across his face to wipe his tears away. Sam heard a gasp and looked up to see Deirdre on the other side of the bar, staring at him in shock, her eyebrows nearly disappearing into her hairline.
Sam realized what it looked like, Tally had obviously been kneeling in front of him and it did look like he had wiped his mouth. Sam felt himself flush bright red, but he pulled Tally into a hug. Comforting him was far more important than dissuading Deirdre of her dirty notions.
″I’m sorry, Sam,” sniffled Tally against his chest.
″Shh, I’m sorry too. Just stop attacking my customers, okay?”
Tally nodded enthusiastically whilst still pressed in close.
Deirdre stepped up to the bar and put her elbows on it. “Hey baby gay, so what’s his cock like?”
Sam stared at her in open mouthed horror but Tally stepped back from their embrace and whirled to face her, a huge grin on his face and his eyes sparkling.
″It is magnificent!” exclaimed Tally.
Deirdre erupted into a cackling laugh whilst Sam wished the ground would open up and swallow him. He’d never been so embarrassed. Surely Deirdre knew him well enough to know he’d never do that behind the bar, in front of customers. Regardless of the impression Tally was giving.
Somehow, despite all of that, a little thrill of pride tingled through him at Tally describing his cock as magnificent. Just how long had the young man been staring when his towel fell off?
″Are you even legal, kiddo?” asked Deirdre, as she dabbed the tears from her eyes.
Tally nodded earnestly. Sam shot Deirdre a hurt look, did she really think that badly of him?
