A clock strikes five am, and a young man in rolled up sleeves takes a hearty draft of his drink. He grimaces, and shakes his head. He's sitting on the floor, back leaning up against the bar he just finished cleaning. The song echoes through the empty club. He closes his eyes and lets it echo through him as well.
"We did it, Cas. One full year." He hoists the remains of his drink at the stage, where the piano sits. The only reply is the mournful tune that comes out of the instrument.
He opens his eyes, and surveys the work of the last year. A beautiful establishment meets his eyes. Clean and new. The kind of place that he and Cas had talked about for years. His hands play on the wood of the bar behind him. Original. As old as the building itself. A concession he'd insisted on. It didn't quite match the aesthetic of the rest of the club but...
Well it was a talking piece at least.
And in the end it didn't really matter. After a year business was booming. Better than he'd hoped, better than anyone had expected.
"Told you we should keep the bar." He smirked.
The piano played.
The man sighs, and hoists himself off the floor. He takes the last of his drink, something expensive that he hates, and leaves the glass upside down on the bar. He walks over to the stage, and stares at the instrument.
Eventually the song comes to an end, and he unplugs the player piano.
"Thanks, Cas. Let's hope next year is even better." He smiles to the stage, with wet eyes. He walks out of the club, locks up and calls a cab.
A neon sign blazes in the darkness, welcoming people to Cassie's Club.
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