Fuck.

The one time i decide to do a good deed and help someone out when they're in trouble, and the whole thing has to come back around and bite me in the butt. Why couldn't they just keep to their own elite killjoy parties or whatever it is they spend their time doing? Why did they have to chose to come to The Battery on the day i was bar tending?

Party Poison's busy talking to the blonde killjoy of the group, who i'm guessing by the similar smiles on his face is his brother, making him Kobra Kid. It's easy to pick up the names when you hang around all the other killjoys for long enough.

Behind them is the one i'd already identified as Fun Ghoul. I've heard plenty of girls swooning over him in the past. Hell, they'd swoon over all four at a time when they had the chance. The last guy to walk through the door has a mass of brown afro and a smiley face, which i instantly identify as having to be Jet Star. I've been told he was the kindest of all the fabulous four, so it seems fitting that he is the one who looks the most approachable.

"Party! Kobra!" Crash yells from a few mere meters away from me where he is leaning against the bar. "Get over here! It's been way too long!"

I start to panic, wondering how i'm going to get out of this now. So i do the first thing that comes into my head - i drop to my knees and crawl out the other end of the bar, and just in time to. As i stand up, brushing the dust off my knees, the four killjoys reach the bar. Crash is busying high fiving them all, looking excited to see them all again.

"Hey Spark.." I hear him trail off as i push through the crowd. "Oh, she was here just a minute ago. Anyway, how's Dr D?" And just like that, the conversation is changed, my name quickly forgotten. I shove past the dancing killjoys, determined to get out of sight. For once I'm actually cursing my bright shade of hair for being so recognisable. There's no way I need the fuss of everyone finding out that I saved the fabulous four. They'd be shocked I actually helped them in the first place, but perhaps not so surprised that I ran off afterwards. Most people have gotten use to my live alone/die alone lifestyle by now to know that I don't stick around to make friends.

Attention has never been something i craved, and today is no exception. So i'm not satisfied until i've crossed the room completely, leaning against the wall when i finally reach it. I look over at where the fabulous four are still talking at the bar, their glasses full and their smiles wide. I notice that Ghoul seems to be explaining something in great detail, his hands flying all over the place as Crash listens. there comes one bit where Crash's eyes go wide in surprise, and then realisation. His eyes start to scan the room again, so i slide down behind a crowd of people who are dancing, pretending to be pulling my boots up. 

After a good minute i bop my head back up, seeing that he's still talking to the killjoys, but no longer looking around the room. I think i stand there for a good ten minutes, just watching them all converse and trying to keep out of anyone's way. 

Eventually they all leave the bar and head for the dance floor, giving me the perfect opportunity to sneak around the side and jump back over behind the bar, smoothing down my clothes as i do so. I've only just turned back to serve a customer when Crash grips me by the arm, a playful smirk on his face. 

"Where did you get to?" Normally he wouldn't care when i took my breaks, so i instantly know that he knows something. And knowing him, he'll try and worm it out of me rather than just admitting it himself. 

"Just cooling down" i shrugged. "Now can you let go of my arm before i make you?" 

"Sorry" he immediately drops his grip, but doesn't give up. "But seriously, was it because the fabulous four came in?" 

"Why would i care?" I brush it off and start to mix another cocktail, my nimble hands quickly pouring various drinks into the mix without needing to fully concentrate. I know the drinks menu back to front, and can probably recite it in my sleep if needs be. 

"Well maybe because Fun Ghoul mentioned something about a chick with bright blue hair saving Party's life earlier today? Ring a bell?" He nudges me. "He even said that she ran away straight afterwards, and if that doesn't sound like you then i don't know what will." 

"You better not have mentioned me to them" i growled, handing the girl her cocktail and then roughly taking the carbons she offered in exchange. "Because i swear Crash, i really don't need your blabbermouth in all of this." 

"So it was you" is all he grins in return. 

"Crash..." 

"It's alright, i didn't mention you!" he just chuckles. "Although you're not going to be able to hide long out here. Everyone knows everyone, and they've already checked all the databases for your face. They couldn't find it though, mainly because you aren't actually part of the killjoys. But it's only a matter of time before someone puts two and two together." 

He's right. All they have to do is swing by the gas station and i know Atomic or Scarlett will be able to tell them my name, along with some other pointless fact that nobody probably needs to know. They're good at storing pointless information, dishing it out when nobody could really care less. 

"So what are you going to do?" Crash notices my silence. "I don't even see why you're hiding from them in the first place. I mean, all they want to do is thank you probably. And maybe buy you a drink." 

"Crash you know i don't do friendships or any of that crap. I helped them out but i don't want anything in return." I roll my eyes at him. Surely he must have figured this all out by now, especially with the way i constantly brush him off. 

"Well then tell them that!" he exclaimed. "They aren't going to tie you down and make you get friendship tattoos! Look, just let me point them in your direction." 

"No. Just drop this one, okay?" Maybe i shouldn't be getting so worked up over it, but i hated the possibilities of getting close to anyone. I guess i'm mad at myself for going and saving one of the killjoy's leader's life. It's not exactly keeping a low profile and it has now made me the centre of their attention - something i wanted to avoid. 

He tries to protest further, but this point i'm mumbling an excuse about fetching more glasses from the stockroom, shoving my way through the crowd before he can complain. I'll leave him to him ramblings in the hope that by the time i return he'll have calmed down a little. 

Once i'm in the stockroom i let myself relax, taking a moment to lean against one of the crates as i think about my situation. On one hand i could probably just avoid the four of them for the rest of the night and be done with it, but then i also know that the problem isn't quite so simple. They're bound to find out my name eventually. 

I wait a while in there, looking around at the various stock and trying to decide weather i should just go and talk to them or keep running. 

Keep running. Those words echo in my head, too familiar for my liking. They're almost enough to bring me back to those painful memories i would never want to return to. Even as i try and shake the thoughts away i can still feel the memories threatening to creep up on me. 

"No" i mutter to myself. I know if i stay in there any longer i'll start to go back over my past, digging up the sort of things i never want to have to remember. The same thing that shaped me to be the bitter lone killjoy i've become. 

That's why i stumble slightly as i walk out the room, running a hand through my hair and trying to push past one group of dancing people without shoving them too hard. The last thing i need is a bitch fight in the middle of the bar. 

"Excuse me" I mutter over my shoulder. It's really crowded tonight, although that does help me slip through all the people without anyone really noticing. Crash seems to be managing the bar okay, so at least i don't feel the need to rush back over. 

"Sorry" someone mutters, bumping into me from the left. 

"it's oka-" the words die on my lips when i see who's hit me. 

Fun Ghoul stares at me with wide eyes, also seeming to forget about what he was doing or where he had been going. Instead we just look at each other for a moment, the crowd around us seeming to disappear, just a background hum of noise.

"You..." he trails off. it only takes a split second, but the whole thing seems to register more fully in his mind as all of a sudden he's turning around, looking madly for his friends. "Party!" He starts to yell "Jet! Kobr-" 

"Shut up!" i hiss, slamming my hand over his mouth in an attempt to stop any more damage from being caused. "If i wanted to talk to you and your friends then i would've come over to you all when i saw you walk in here." 

He pries away my hand, looking at suspiciously. 

"Why don't you want to talk to us? You saved Party's life." 

"Yeah. So i've already done enough for you" i try to push past him but he reaches out to grab my arm on instant, stopping me in my place. 

"Woah wait" he tries to pull me back but i don't budge. "What's the matter? I don't get why you're being so hostile towards me. And how come i haven't seen you around here before? We checked all the databases for you and couldn't find you anywhere." 

"I'm not a database type of girl then" i pull my arm out of his grip "now if you'll excuse me, i'm leaving." And then i storm away, not caring about how rude i'm being or how it will only make the whole situation worse. 

"Wait!" he yells, but i keep walking, almost jogging by this point. I don't stop until i reach the exit, and even then i only turn around for a split second. My eyes go to Crash behind the bar, who's obviously seen whats going on and gives me an eye roll, showing he doesn't care about me leaving early. My eyes then go to the crowd, where i can see Ghoul frantically explaining our conversation to a shocked looking Party, Kobra and Jet. 

Party looks up at the stairs which i'm standing halfway up, our eyes connecting for less than a second before i'm turning and running up the remaining stairs. I don't look back, and i don't stop until i'm out of The Battery and grabbing my bike. 

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