By Chance: Fate Finds You

Two --{-@

Ari walked into her apartment and put her gift bag from Cady, and the other bags she had acquired during a birthday shopping splurge, on the kitchen counter. She had a few hours before she had to go to work, so she decided to take a nap. Stripping off her worn jeans and sweater, she flopped onto her bed and fell asleep almost instantly.

Her phone buzzed twice, waking her up. It was dusk outside, meaning she'd slept for quite a while. She picked up her phone and tried to read through the blur of sleep still in her eyes. It was a couple of texts from a number she didn't recognize.

Whoa, Nelly, he was just FULL of poise and personality now, wasn't he? Ari hit reply, and typed her response while imagining a robot voice reading it aloud.

She got up and took her phone into the bathroom with her, placing it on the counter while she brushed out her hair. Ari didn't always splurge, but she did spend money when it came to her hair and skin. She pulled it into a loose chignon, letting a few very wavy tendrils fall around her face. She just finished adding some gold and pearl hair pins when her phone buzzed again.

Was this guy Data from Star Trek? Ari punched out and hit send. She saved the number as "The Borg" in her contacts and went back to getting ready for work.

She looked through her closet, frustrated. She didn't tell anyone her when her birthday was, but she liked to dress up a little more for herself when it came around. Plus it was Drag and Dance, which was always one of her favorite monthly shows. After dismissing a purple romper and several little black dresses, she remembered her haul from earlier.

She went to the kitchen and grabbed the bags from the counter, bringing them back and tossing them on the bed before digging into them. She brought out a pair of skin tight black cigarette pants, with zippers down the ankles to makes sure the shape of her legs showed. Perfect. Her new slip-on black wedges came out next, and would match that and give her butt some lift. She eyed the angora off-shoulder sweater. Eh, it would get sweaty if the club was crowded, which was pretty likely tonight. She hung it on a hanger and put it in her closet instead. She had the top from Cady, but it was maybe a bit...much.

She took out the top and looked it over with a scrutinizing eye. Couldn't wear a bra with this one. She looked down at her chest in its lacy bra. This was a pretty hot top, but Cady wouldn't have bought her something she couldn't pull off.

Dare she?

She dare.

She unhooked her bra and wriggled out of it before hanging it on a hook on the backside of the bathroom door. She slipped the top on and tied the three closures at the back, thanking her bestie for choosing a top with a soft polyester lining. Beauty on the outside, comfy on the inside. Just like her Cade. She did a quick spin in front of her mirrored closet door, and decided this was going to be the outfit for the night. She looked good, she'd get the attention and compliments she needed to ease the edge off of the 36 years she had been feeling today.

As she contemplated whether or not the outfit needed a necklace, she heard her phone buzz in the bathroom. Tossing the bags from the bed onto the closet floor, she went to check it.The screen read 'The Borg.' Sighing, she swiped the message open.

This guy was going to be a real barrel of fun. The phone buzzed again, 'Pitbull' popping up with a new message.

Ugh, her mother was a freaking Master of Information. She could put the FBI to shame. Ari couldn't even muster a response. Her mood was sour as she grabbed her jacket and purse and walked out the door to go to work.

--{-@

The music was loud and energetic while the drag queens were performing, but Ari just couldn't get into it. The thrum of the bass lines and the sight of patrons' revelry couldn't even keep her attention. She just felt so distracted. Not annoyed, but close to it, like it was sitting in waiting. She felt like an outsider, an intruder, tonight.

What was the deal? This was her bag, her gig, her home base. Why couldn't she just snap out of it?? Her mother shouldn't have this much power over her mood. The woman wasn't married to a god, she was a goddamned witch.

Exasperated, she grabbed her small purse and set her empty glass on the inner edge of the bar for Kenzie to pick up later. Making her way to the door, she smiled as she saw regulars that she knew, but didn't stop to chat with anyone like she usually would. Reaching the door, she breathed the cool spring air in as she pushed it open and stepped outside.

Fumbling around in her bag for a second, she brought out her menthol cigarettes and sleek chrome lighter. She looked at them for a minute.

She should quit.

She would quit.

But not tonight.

Tonight she needed this, to calm her agitation and bring her back to the moment. She lit her cigarette and took a deep drag, exhaling blissfully. Her vices might not be pretty, but gods did she love them. It was a little chilly out tonight, but s**t, she'd stand outside in a full blizzard to get this small feeling of grounding satisfaction. She took another drag, more regular this time, an exhaled again.

"You look like you're enjoying that."

Slightly annoyed, Ari turned around, expecting to find some scrub who was going to ask her for a smoke. This was Portland, after all. Still looking down, she took one out of the pack to give the guy a break. She stopped short as she looked up into one of the most beautiful faces she'd seen in quite some time. He had almond-shaped eyes, with irises such a deep brown you could barely see his pupils. His jawline was both fine and strong, with angles that drew defined lines from ear to ear, and accentuated a strong neck with perfect collarbones. His high cheeks still had the tiniest bit of chub from his remaining youth, but his half-smile held a hint of seductive knowledge that suddenly made her ankles feel weak.

The boy was gorgeous, and something told her he knew it. As for herself, Ari was speechless.

"Well, are you? Enjoying it?"

Ari snapped back to reality, "I'm sorry, what?"

He giggled, looking at the ground boyishly before looking back at her, "I saw you as I was walking up here. You were smoking that cigarette and looking like it was the only thing in the world that brought you joy. It's kind of...mesmerizing."

"Oh? Oh. Um..." Ari went to put the offered cigarette back in its pack, but he reached out quickly and snatched it from her fingers.

Startled, she offered him her lighter out of instinct. He gave an almost imperceptible wink before pulling a tiny pink lighter from his jacket pocket and flicking the flame on. Setting it to the cigarette in his mouth, he inhaled and exhaled, rolling his head on his neck.

"Mmm. Yeah, that is good. I knew you looked smart," he winked again before taking another hit from his smoke and stepping forward and turning to stand beside her. "Buy you a drink to pay you back?"

Ari snapped her head in his direction. Was this kid hitting on her? He didn't even look old enough to follow her back into the bar!

Ari collected herself quickly, "Excuse me? I don't even know your name. I'm just taking a break from -"

Ari's breath caught in her throat, cutting off her sentence. He had turned to look at her with inquisitive eyes, the motion making his collarbone stick out even more above the line of his black v-necked sweater. Gods, why was she such a sucker for a great neckline?!

She forced herself to stop staring, "This is my place. Free drinks are a perk of the job, but thanks for the offer."

The kid was unfazed, "I'll buy two anyway," he shrugged, "You can have one if you like it. If not, I'll keep it all to myself. I'm Bin."

"Ben?"

"Bin. with an 'I' in it. Looks like your cigarette is out. Humor me?" he raised his eyebrows in a question and twitched his head to the entrance to the club.

Ari knew she wasn't going to shake this kid so easily. Did she want to? She could use the ego boost, ditch him if it got weird.

Fuck it, she decided. She stamped out the butt of her smoke in the ashtray.

"I'm Ariyana. Sure," she said as she started for the door, leaving him to hurriedly put his cigarette out before jogging to catch up with her.

The lights and thrumming bass hit her as soon as she opened the door. The smell of sweat and alcohol comforting in its familiarity. Ari was acutely aware of Bin coming up close behind her. He wasn't pressed against her, but she could feel the heat from his body on the parts of her that her top left exposed.

She was suddenly self-conscious of her clothing. Her pants were tight and form fitting. Could he see the bit of pudge that poked out from the top where he was standing? Was she too old to be dressing like this still? Gah, f**k it. He was just going to buy a couple drinks and bounce anyway. Get his dollars and send him along, this wasn't a big deal. She jumped a little as his arm came over her shoulder from behind, and his hand pointed to an empty table in the corner.

"Can we still see the stage from there?" he half-yelled into her ear.

Ari nodded, making an effort not to look at the well-formed forearm right next to her cheek, and led the way to the little table. Making eye contact with a waiter, Nic, she motioned for him to come take their order.

"Hey, gimme another Malibu and pineapple. He wants -" she look at Bin to finish her sentence.

"Craft beer. Not too hoppy, not too dark. I trust you. And make it two. I promised."

Nic nodded and went to pour their drinks. Ari sat at one of the seats, and looked at Bin as he removed his jacket to hang it on the back of his chair. His sweater was soft and worn, but not faded. His jeans were in good shape, snug and hung low on his waist, kept in place with a plain black belt. As he sat down, he watched the stage where a drag queen named Mock Sea was faux-belting out Paparazzi by Lady Gaga and swiveling her thin hips in time with the music. Bin was smiling and bobbing his head to the music, and Ari took her chance to take in his looks a bit more.

His skin was golden tan and flawless. The club lights made the fine chain dangling from his pierced ear glint. His nose was pert and just a little wide, and his smile was bright with the enjoyment of watching the show. His shoulders were broader than she expected, and she could see the muscles of his biceps and forearms straining his sleeves ever so slightly. This kid was pretty, that was without a doubt. Ari smiled to herself that at least agreeing to a drink gave her a chance to look at him close up for a bit.

As if feeling her smile, Bin turned his face to her. Recognizing that he was being fully checked out, he smiled even wider and look down at the table, the shy motion making him look even younger for a moment. Ari collected herself, and met his eyes with a casual façade as he looked back up to her.

"So, Bin, what brings you here?" Ari asked.

He chuckled, and Ari kicked herself for asking something that sounded like a lame pick up line. But he just shrugged and pointed at the stage.

"I heard this place had the best queens in town. I wanted to see it," he finished his sentence by clapping and whistling as Mock Sea finished her song and sauntered offstage.

Ari joined the applause as well. He wasn't wrong. She paid her entertainment well, and knew that meant the best talent, from drag queens and burlesque dancers to live bands and DJs, frequented her stage nearly every night of the week. She sat a little straighter with pride, and took her drink from Nic as he brought them to the table as Bin took his beers with a smile before taking a healthy gulp out of one of them and setting them both on the table in front of him. Taking a small sip, she watched as a new performer, Alabamma, came to the stage.

She loved this set. No matter how many times Al performed it, she couldn't get enough. As the first notes of Chandeliers by Sia started playing, Ari was fixated on the stage.

As Sia hit the high note in the second chorus, she unbuckled a tab at the top of her dress. It fell down behind her in a rhinestoned water fall, catching the stage lights and lighting up the club with twinkling stars as she spun around. As always, Ari got goosebumps. Suddenly, she was aware of Bin's eyes on her, and turned to him to see that it was her turn under the scrutiny of being checked out.

She looked right into his eyes, and felt the heat rising into her neck. Instead of getting flustered again, Bin continued to look her up and down, raising his glass to his lips and taking another couple drinks of his beer. His face showed her that he very much appreciated what he saw, and she felt her cheeks start to burn in a blush.

The crowd whooped and hollered as Alabamma struck her final pose on stage, and Ari could see dollars flying toward it out of the corner of her eye. She couldn't look away from Bin's face though, not even to praise her favorite performance. His eyes looked like he was literally drinking her in, and she felt his gaze like a pressure on her skin.

Bin's face didn't look boyish now. It looked....wow. His eyes weren't wide and inquisitive, they were instead relaxed with invitation. His smile had moved down into a smirk that was still warm, but held an edge of desire in it.

"Ariyana, I think I'd like to see you dance."