AN: Vinarfel or Vinarfeliens are a centipede-like species created by Lord Frostdraken The Deranged, this is a fan fiction of a universe created by that writer, who helped with getting this story written. See his various social media posts for artwork of the creature in this story. End AN.
The man sighed, pushing open the door, lively chatter and energetic music greeting him. He looked around the bar, seeing it was very packed, people all over the place, many human, but there were also various alien creatures, some of them mingling with the humans.
One of the workers in the bar noticed him, gesturing for him to head over to the bartop. There were a few empty seats and he grabbed one that was furthest away from the other patrons.
The woman manning the bartop spoke to him, the man leaning against the backrest as she spoke. "Hey, you're in a bit later than usual today, work run late?"
He nodded, looking back at her. "Ya, you could say that. Fucking horrible today." He glanced around the bar, looking at all the patrons. "Never been much for the crowds and noise, I like to get in before it gets busy."
The woman waved her hand. "Gotta lighten up a bit, dear, ain't gonna find anyone like that." She was filling a glass of what she already knew was his preferred drink. "And I know you still haven't found anyone."
She walked back over to him, setting the glass down in front of him.
He shrugged, setting a hand on the glass. "I just haven't been that interested I guess."
The woman's lips curled into a smile, a scoff coming from her. "Well, there is someone here who is certainly interested." She turned her head to the side.
The man's eyes widened, following her gaze. He froze, his breath catching when his eyes settled on what she was looking at.
There at the corner of the bartop was a Vinarfel. He could only see its torso from where it sat, its long tail out of view, hidden by the counter. He sucked in a breath, seeing its eyes were focused on his, staring straight at him.
"She's been here about an hour, just sitting there, quietly drinking, eyeing the patrons as they come in. You're the first one she's locked eyes with..."
He coughed, breaking eye contact with the Vinarfel, feeling his hands shaking a bit. He set both hands on his glass, trying to stop the shaking. There was something about the way she'd stared at him. Her eyes had been subtly moving, scanning over him, making him think he was a meal waiting to be eaten.
He took a sip of his drink, trying to calm his nerves. He highly doubted that would happen, but being stared down by what he knew was an apex predator was a bit disconcerting. "I've never seen her before."
The bartender nodded. "Ya, usually you're gone before she comes in. This is the only day of the week she actually comes in too, ain't that lucky?" She leaned in close to him. "You know, I've talked to her a bit, she hasn't found anyone either."
The man was in the middle of taking a drink when she said that, and he found himself coughing as he heard her words, setting his drink down. "You're like my coworkers at work, you know that? They're always asking me if I've found a girlfriend."
The woman laughed. "Life's too short, gotta enjoy every moment." She glanced back over at the Vinarfel, then back to him. "Well, I've got some customers to tend to, don't you go running off now."
He watched her move to the wall filled with drinks, grabbing a bottle filled with some drink. He squinted at it, making out the name. 'Crecini Ale.'
She carried it over to the corner of the bartop where the Vinarfel was sat. He looked up at her, seeing the creature was still staring at him, but she averted her eyes when the bartender came over.
The Vinarfel's glass was empty, the bartender tipping the bottle towards it, slowly filling it up. As he looked at them he noticed the bartender start up a conversation with the creature.
'Oh god.'
The Vinarfel was silent, but as the woman was speaking he saw the creature's eyes shoot up, her antennae perking up as her eyes turned towards him. He pursed his lips, looking back down at the counter top, raising the glass to his lips again.
His nerves were on fire now, he knew the bartender well enough to know that she was telling the Vinarfel all about him. He desperately hoped the drink would calm his nerves down, but it was doing nothing.
He closed his eyes, leaning over the counter, nervous. A human woman would have had him nervous enough, but the bartender was trying to get him with a freaking centipede. He didn't really care about that bit, he just found it really awkward.
He lifted his head back up, glancing back over at the two women, seeing the Vinarfel was speaking to the bartender, though he saw her eyes constantly angling towards him. The Vinarfel nodded her head to the bartender, then the bartender started walking back towards the man.
"What were you two talking about?"
The woman chuckled, ignoring his question. She turned around, pulling a bottle from the wall, then a glass to go with it. "Trying to get you to enjoy life a bit." She poured him a glass, handing it to him. "Here, take a drink of this, it'll get you relaxed."
He looked down at the drink, moving his hand to it. He hesitated for a second, but then he saw his hand still shaking, along with feeling how tense his muscles were. He sighed, grabbing the glass and taking a sip of it.
It actually didn't taste too bad, and sure enough it did seem to relax him a bit.
The woman nodded, slotting the bottle back into the wall. "That one is on the house. I'm gonna leave you be now, have a good night."
He raised a hand up, trying to stop her, but she was already walking off. He sighed, turning to look back at the Vinarfel. Her head was turned towards him, a full glass of that Ale in her hands. She stared at him for a few seconds, then she raised the glass to her mandibles.
He took in a heavy breath as she tipped her head back, downing the glass in one go, setting it on the counter. She looked at it for a second, then she looked at him again, the man looking away when he saw her start to get up, pushing herself away from the counter.
