Pride 2022

Pride month had arrived in Junction city. Rainbows and various other colors decorated the streets, for this was a time of celebration!

This was especially true with a fairly well-known hangout for gay folk: Match 'n Sticks. In the morning and afternoon it was fairly silent, only occasionally someone would pop in for a cup of coffee, or simply to hang out with some friends. But as soon as the night started to wrap the city in darkness, people started to roll in. Mostly guys, although some of them also took their friends with them, bringing various walks of life into the bar as well.
As nice as it was to celebrate pride, it also brought a very busy month for the owner of Match 'n Sticks: Titanium. He didn't want to rob his employees from being able to celebrate, and thus was a bit short-staffed during the month. Plus he also made a promise to Moth (one of his newer baristas) that he would let her stay home if he knew in advance that a busy night was approaching. She was still free to come in, of course, but usually it was just Titanium and a few other guys manning the bar.

----

''Come on Bowie, you've been working yourself to the bone the whole month! You deserve a break more than anyone.'' A familiar face told him.
 A female MTT with purple markings was leaning over the bar, looking at the man behind it as he was grabbing some glasses. This was Phantom Amethyst, Titanium's younger sister and fairly well known among the staff and regulars. She was the reason he even got the bar in the first place.

''Sorry Ammy but you know how June gets for the bar.'' He told her as he resurfaced with a pair of glasses.
He put them down on the bar in front of him. He turned to the wall of liquor behind the bar, and grabbed a bottle of rum to pour into the glasses. ''I have a busy night ahead of me.'' He said, pushing one of the glasses towards her. ''If anything I'd like to be in bed by 5am.'' 

''Have you considered closing down for the night?''

''What? And miss my busiest night? Not a chance.''

Amethyst put her hand down on the bar, shaking her head. ''And what if I promise to cover for you, for the next...'' She thought for a moment. ''For the rest of July?'' She suggested.

Although her suggestion was only met with a shake of Titanium's head. He was having none of it.
''Or. You could help me out tonight and keep an eye on the bathroom stalls. I've seen some guys use them as a place to hook up.'' He said, giving Amethyst a side eye. He knew fully well that she wouldn't agree with it.

Amethyst gave him a disappointed puppy-like look before she took a sip of her rum. 

''You know what. I'll see how busy it'll really get tonight, and if we only have a few people in, I'll close down early for one of those night parades.'' He suggested with a strained smile. ''Would that make little Ammy feel well enough to let me do my job?''

''Maybe.'' Amethyst said with a wink. ''I'll come by with Tilo to pick you up tonight then.''

-----

As the night started to envelop Junction city in it's darkness, people started to flock towards the bar. It was to be expected, but what wasn't expected was the amount of people that suddenly started to flow in. This influx of people also caused for an influx of work for the fairly understaffed bar. Although most of the regulars were aware of this, and didn't seem too bothered by having to wait a little longer for their drinks and snacks.

Titanium was tending the bar, mixing drinks for the various orders he received and handing them over to the waiters. While he was working as fast and efficient as he could, the half-promise he made to his sister kept gnawing at him. He occasionally glanced at the clock to see how late it was getting. Currently it was around 1am and Phantom Amethyst still hadn't shown her face around here.

''Are you okay, Titanium?'' One of the baristas asked him. It was a fairly young Yol with pink markings, she couldn't have been older than her 20's.
The purple MTT shook his head. ''Thank you, but I'm fine.''

''Are you sure? You look distracted.'' She objected, tilting her head to the side a little. ''I can take over for a minute, if you need a little break.''

Titanium gave her a bit of a look, not saying anything for a few moments. ''Actually, if you don't mind. I should call someone.''

''Of course, it's why I offered in the first place! Go make your call, we'll be fine!'' She beamed at him. ''And if we need you urgently, someone will just come get you.''

''Thanks, I promise I'll make it up to you after everything slows down.'' He told the Yol before stepping away from behind the bar and heading for a little alcove that lead to a break room for the employees.
The room was a completely different vibe than the main bar area. Where the bar was mostly a red velvety kind of look with black tiles and neon signs all over the place, the break room was mostly a cream color, some pictures of the people that worked here over the years. Everyone looked happy, like they were part of a healthy family.

Titanium walked into the room, took out his flip phone and sat down on a fancy blue sofa that was placed against the wall the pictures hung on. He dialed a number and waited for his call to be answered.

''Hello?'' A female voice eventually responded. ''Titanium? Is everything okay?''

''Hi Heart, everything is fine. I just ran into a small issue and I wanted to ask for a favor.''

''Oooh a favor... Sounds serious'' Heart stitch said with a cheeky undertone.

''Listen. I made Ammy a promise that I'd close down the bar tonight and go with her to one of those night parades.'' He paused briefly. ''Well, you know how busy Match 'n Sticks gets during the night.''

''And now you need someone to come bail you out so you can hold up your promise to your little sister?''

''Yeessss, and I was hoping you could cover for me. You're off this night, right?'' Titanium asked her, sounding just a little desperate.

His question was met with silence, which frankly made him a bit nervous. ''Well...?'' He eventually asked, unable to bear the silence any longer.

''Sure, I can take over your shift.'' She eventually replied. Clearly having kept him waiting to yank his chain a little. 

"Heart, you're a life-saver!" He exclaimed in excitement.

"Eh, don't sweat it. Just know that you owe me, big time." She told him with an audible wink. "Now go, prepare for your little outing with your little sister. I'll be over in about 10 minutes."

''Great! I'll let the rest know you're taking over for a while! Thank you!'' He said before he hung up the phone by simply closing the device shut. He left the break room to return to the girl he left in charge.

''Welcome back, how did it go?'' The girl asked while pouring a drink for a customer near the bar. ''You seem relieved.''

''I called a friend to ask if she could cover for me. So there will be someone else manning the place during the rest of the night.''

The Yol looked a little surprised by what Titanium told her. ''Someone else? Do the rest of the guys know them?''

''Yeah she's one of the regulars! Have you seen the woman who looks like she's wearing a sweater under everything?'' He asked, gesturing over his upper body.

The girl tilted her head for a moment to think. ''I don't think so...?''

''Oh you mean Heart?'' Another barista butted in, only just arriving at the bar with a tray in their hands. Titanium nodded at them.

''She's nice. Though I'm not sure how she is to work under. I hope she's not someone who would work us to the bone.''

''Nah, Heart probably won't overwork you guys too much. Maybe only a little bit as she gets into the flow of things.'' Titanium said, grabbing a glass to help the other two get their orders done. He would be waiting for a little bit anyway.
------

Titanium eventually returned to the break room and couldn't help but pace around for what felt like an hour. Heart finally showed up before he managed to walk ditches into the flooring.

''Put down your towels and glasses, help has arrived.'' She announced.

The man's head perked up as soon as he heard the footsteps behind him, just before she announced her arrival. He pretty much ran over to her and grabbed her hands in a grateful way. ''Thank you so much for taking over my shift! Have you seen Ammy out and about by any chance?''

Heart glanced over to how Titanium grabbed her hands, but didn't think much of it. She shook her head when he asked about his sister.
''You mean the girl with the long ponytail, purple and pink markings, can't shut up about this guy called Wolfsbane?'' 

''Yes!''

''Sorry, I haven't seen her around.'' Heart admitted, shaking her head. ''Maybe you should check her place, see if she didn't just forget about you and fell asleep or something. I fairly often catch Dolly doing that and I'll have to drag her to her own bed.''

Titanium thought about it for a moment, releasing Heart from his grip in the meantime. It didn't sound like like to just pass out somewhere, plus they both lived above the bar, so he must've seen her pass through the bar at some point... Right?

''I suppose I better see if I can find her upstairs.'' He eventually told her. ''If anything I suppose I can still take the night off.''

''Sure, if you can live with pushing your shift onto me, who had her day off today.'' Heart said with a wink. She patted his shoulder and directed him towards the door. ''Go find Ammy. I'll hold down the fort for you. But know that all tips you normally get, are for me this round.''

Titanium nodded, not paying too much mind to what Heart said. She deserved those tips anyway for helping out in the first place. He headed for the door clearly marked as ''Private area'', as it lead to his home upstairs. Once upstairs, he pushed open the door to his living room, and lo and behold. There Ammy was, curled up in her dragon form, on the carpet in front of his couch. There was a second figure with her, sleeping on the furniture above her. Given from the striped tail and horns, and very purple skin, this was probably her Yol boyfriend, Wolfsbane.

The male MTT looked a bit disappointed that he went through all that trouble for nothing, but at least he could still spend some time with his sister and her boyfriend, when they wake up. He walked towards his bedroom to fetch a blanket, gently draping it over the two. He patted Amethyst on her head, before turning into his dragon form and laying down beside her.

''Looks like you two forgot about the parade we were supposed to be going to.'' He said, although softly as to not wake them.
''It's okay, we can see about going to another one tomorrow.'' He said with a little smile.