javier leans against the bar, ready for whatever the weekend brings. he gives sean-luke a weary smile. "at least it's not too crowded in here."

"i just can't believe you're even here." sean-luke says in his thick south-african accent.

"what do you mean, like you think i'm not fun? why do people think i'm not fun? i'm very fun. and spontaneous."

sean-luke laughs heartily. "hey man, i know you're fun, i'm just saying, it's nice to see you out. especially since i gotta skidaddle once darius finally shows up. motherfucker's always late." he checks his phone. the bartender puts their shots on the bar. tequila and bourbon. sean-luke takes the tequila and hands javier the bourbon. "i hope you have a good time, whatever you get into, cheers."

"cheers." they slam their shots and put their glasses on the bar letter-kenny style. the bartender nods and grins. "i just got a good feeling about tonight. you ever just get a feeling in your gut and want to go somewhere. you don't know if it'll be worth it, but everything in your body is saying, hey get out tonight, there's something magical in the air. when you said you were coming here after work, i said, hey, maybe tonight the magic is at... what's this place called?"

sean-luke gives a deep laugh. "sweet kitty honky tonk! and man, you're crazy, i love the way you talk. ah, shit, speaking of cats- there's darius. motherfucker you're like twenty minutes late, ain't got no respect i'm telling you. man thinks i'm chopped liver over here, might as well just hang out with you." he laughs at darius who's in a giant cowboy hat and waving across the bar. he turns to javier and gives his big cheesy smile. "but you know i got time for you later." sean-luke winks and gives javier a little buttcheek squeeze. "let me know if you find the magic you were talking about."

"i will." he grins and waves at darius. "don't do anything i wouldn't do."

"well that's a pretty short list, spicy boy!" sean-luke cackles as he saunters off to darius who gives him a very over-the-top and rowdy hello.

javier turns to the bar. the bartender is cleaning glasses and glancing about the room. he meets eyes with javier and smiles. "want another one?"

"sure." javier says. he leans in a bit more as the bartender hands him his drink. "so how do you like working at sweet kitty honky tonk?" he reads his name tag. anthony.

"ya know it's got a seedy reputation, but i think if more people stopped in they'd actually like it. i've been working here a long time. you see some pretty funny shit, meet some pretty interesting people. first time in?"

"haha yeah..." javier sips. "seems like a good vibe." a few more people walk towards the bar.

"well i really hope you enjoy your evening, let me know if i can get you anything else." javier smiles and raises his glass and anthony helps the other bar-goers.

javier relaxes against the bar counter and looks around the room. it's one of those places that's loud, but not loud. groups of people erupting in laughter. a fun karaoke stage where the drunker parts of the scene have migrated. some tables off to the side for quiet conversation. and in the corner a billiards table. he glances there and sees a tall, lean man playing by himself. javier gets that feeling in his gut as soon as he sees him. like a sinking feeling, but not in a bad way. a quiet tension and a gravitational pull. like when you see a painting and it just draws you into it without you having the words to describe why. the man bends over to make a shot and suddenly looks up and their eyes lock. that feeling in javier's gut swells. he goes for the moment. he smiles and lifts his glass and feels a blissful harmony in his soul as he sees the man give him a grin and wave subtly with his hand on his pool stick. he makes a shot. it's a good shot. javier puts his glass on the counter and walks over to the pool table. "that was a pretty nice shot."

"thanks." the man flashes him a small smile as he chalks up his stick. "do you play?"

"nah, i mean i've played socially, but i don't know the technique or anything. you look like you've got it down pretty good."

"hey i'm warning you now, flattery will get you nowhere." javier is relieved that he's smiling. magic is real he thinks to himself. there's something about this guy, like, do you ever get that feeling when you meet someone for the first time, but you feel like you missed them. he's glad the vibe is so good.

"hey if i give you a compliment, it's genuine, i'm just saying." javier grins. "mind if i watch, or are you here with someone?"

"nah, just me, myself, and i as usual. i just come here to practice and hang out with anthon- well, the bartender. you been here before?" he makes another shot. "dammit." he sucks his teeth. "pretend you didn't see that."

"i think the whole bar saw that and you'll have to live in shame forever." they laugh together and the man walks up a bit closer.

"y tu nombre es?" the man says swaggily.

"i'm javier." he extends his hand.

"emilio." he gives him a handshake and quickly pulls out a pole from behind them on the wall and puts it in his hand. "and i think you should play. that shot threw off my groove anyway."

"that was smooth." javier flashes a big smile. "i'll give it a shot, but i'm trash at this."

"i bet you're a pool shark." emilio looks at him saucily as he lines up the balls. "here from the international secret league of billiards players to throw off my game." he chalks up his stick again and smirks. "not gonna happen."

javier gives his stick an aggressive chalking himself. "we'll just see about that." emilio takes a shot. "you're funny. you looked kinda emo when i walked over here."

"looks can be deceiving." emilio says getting a few balls in, and lines up his next shot.

"tell me about it." javier says and they smile serenely at each other.

"someone told me i have resting bitch face. people don't approach me much." he looks a little somber again. "but hey at least i like me. and anthony's cool." he turns quickly towards the bar and yells "aaayyyyeeeeeeeee!" and waves at anthony. anthony glances over from talking to a customer and cackles loudly and waves. "he loves it when i do that." he bends over to take another shot and glances up at javier with sweltering big brown eyes, "and you're pretty cool."

"aw shucks" javier giggles and holds his pool stick. "you're pretty cool too. now watch me ruin this by absolutely sucking at pool!" he lines up a shot, and actually gets two balls in. he looks up, genuinely surprised that he got some in.

"i knew it. butter me up to get me off my game then swoop in and clean house. i see how it is."

javier laughs, "i really didn't think i'd get any in."

"uh huh sure, i'm on to you." emilio walks up next to javier and gets very close. "also, sorry i just gotta scooch in here, this angles a little... difficult." their bodies touch as he leans into javier obviously more than necessary to make a shot. javier does not mind.

"oh yeah, sorry if my stick is in your way." he leans in to meet emilio's body and emilio presses his ass into javier's other pool stick.

he lines up a shot and looks back at javier. "not at all." he takes the shot while maintaining eye contact and javier stiffens more, in a good way.

"hey you got some of my balls in!" javier chortles. emilio turns back to him and their faces get painfully close.

"worth it." he whispers.

they continue on like this for quite a while making sexy banter and flirting and teasing each other. it's a very magical night and javier doesn't want it to end, and its nice to feel such mutual energy from emilio. they finish playing pool and go to the bar.

"do you do karaoke?" emilio asks. "you gotta have a go-to karaoke song."

"nah i don't think anyone wants to hear me sing."

"i want to hear you sing!" emilio smiles. "and also since you beat me at pool, i'll teach you the secret to the best karaoke song ever."

"haha, what is it?"

"tequila!"

javier just stares at him for a moment before erupting in laughter. "oh my god, i get it."

"ahh, and speaking of tequila, i gotta close out my tab and head out actually. hey anthony! can we uhhh" and he 'makes it rain' with his hands. anthony nods and smiles at them and gets their tabs.

"aw man, yeah you did say you have an early morning, huh." javier says, a little wearily, debating in his mind if he should make more of a move. but emilio comes here a lot though, he'll probably see him again. maybe i'll become a sweet kitty honky tonk regular he thinks.

they pay their bills and say goodbye for the night to anthony and walk out of the bar together. "well, i'm over this way." emilio motions.

"oh me too actually." javier walks emilio to his car. they stand in a serene but antsy silence for a minute. "it was really nice meeting you." he shuffles his feet shyly. "this might sound stupid or cheesy but i told someone earlier i felt like tonight might be a magical night, and meeting you was pretty magical. i hope i see ya around again."

emilio laughs, "hey i like cheeseballs actually! and yeah it was pretty great meeting you also. you'll probably see me if you come here again, i'm here... a lot." they stand together silently again for a moment and emilio extends a hand. "i'll see ya later, javier."

javier shakes his hand. "see ya, emilio."

he walks to his car, only a few cars away from emilio's. he feels a little disappointed as he gets in his car. like c'mon be more assertive, he was aggressively flirting all night. aw well but there's no point thinking of how things could've gone, it was still a pretty magical night and i'll probably see him again-

there's a sudden knock at his car window and he sees emilio leaning down and smiling at him. javier rolls down his window.

"hey, actually i just wanted to say it was really nice meeting you. and sometimes i have trouble going for it, but i'd actually really like to kiss you." javier just looks up at him with big beautiful brown eyes. he thinks briefly about kissing him though the car door, but he fills up with the magic of the night and opens the car door and holds emilio's face.

"yes."

emilio pushes him against the car gently but firmly and they share a very magical passionate kiss that feels like it has years instead of one night's worth of buildup behind it. their tongues swirl around each others and emilio feels up javier through his shirt and pants.

"ahh, alright." emilio says breathily and pushes himself off javier. "holy fuck. yeah it was really nice to meet you. i do have an early morning, but i better see you here again soon."

javier stands in a romantic and spicy stupor. "yeah, you will" he smiles serenely. "drive safe."

"you too." emilio says and gives him another smooch and a hand squeeze and he turns and walks off to his car.

javier gets in his car, high off magic and life, and sits peacefully before turning his ignition. who knew there was a world of magic to be found at sweet kitty honky tonk.