Better The Devil You Know
 

Kendra sighed and leaned against the counter. The clock on the wall said 2:35, which meant she was already about half-way through her shift. The diner was empty, except for a couple of regulars off in one corner, and she'd already topped up their coffees. She tapped her fingers on the counter in time with whatever song was on the radio, and she glanced around the diner out of habit. She kind of wished Bianca was there, at least she'd have someone to talk to.

Bianca, on the other hand, was busy behind the bar at the club she worked at, cleaning glasses and refilling drinks and tossing the occasional quick reply over her shoulder. She wasn't the most popular bartender, but she was by far the sassiest one.

Of course, if she'd realized how much trouble it would get her into eventually, she might have kept quieter. Maybe.

Kendra was bored enough to pull out her phone, and she tapped out a message to Bianca.

On shift till six, swing by for some food when you get out.

I'll be there, Bianca texted back when she had a minute. Which took a little while.

But she got to the diner safely just after 3:30 in the morning, plopping herself into a chair and still in her club get-up.

"All quiet here?" she asked, settling in.

"Boringly quiet," Kendra replied, already getting her sister a coffee. "Dinner or breakfast?"

"I'm in a breakfast mood." Bianca doctored her coffee how she liked it and took a sip. "Well, I'll hang out here until you get off, and then we can go crash for a while."

"Breakfast it is," Kendra said, nodding and writing a few things on her order pad. She knew what her sister liked. She took it back to the cook, and then came back out to the counter. "How was work?"

"Only had one jerk tonight, that was nice," Bianca said with a grin. "My tip jar is going to be full at the end of the week."

"Awesome," Kendra said. "Sounds like it's been a good week, then." She glanced around the diner habitually. "It's been quiet here. Only a couple of regulars."

"Anyone weird?" Bianca paused for a moment. "Weirder than normal?" Because that was something to take into account.

Kendra snerked.

"I work the graveyard shift," she pointed out anyways. "Everyone's weird this time of night. But no, nobody weirder than usual."

Bianca snorted quietly. "Anything interesting on the news?" she asked, because she knew the small TV in the diner was always set on the news.

"Nothing new, really," Kendra said as she got Bianca's plate from the window and set it in front of her. "A few claims of seeing the Devil of Hell's Kitchen, but that's about it."

"Ah, the Devil's out a-walking," Bianca murmured with a grin. Because she really kind of liked the Devil, what she knew of him. "Well, could be worse."

Kendra snickered.

"You've got a thing for him," she teased. "What, is it the whole blindfolded thing that does it for you?"

Bianca snorted. "No, not necessarily. I mean, he's hot and he's helping the city. What's not to like?"

"You've never seen his face," Kendra pointed out. "How do you know he's hot?" She smirked a bit, still teasing. "And the media is divided on whether or not he's helping or not."

"I've seen pictures of him. That black outfit leaves nothing to the imagination. There is no way a guy as cut as that is ugly." Bianca grinned. "And the media is always divided, so there."

"He could look like a gremlin for all you know," Kendra said, grinning. "But okay, fine, whatever. Have it your way."

Bianca snorted again and shook her head, but she didn't argue further. Instead she ate her breakfast and settled in to wait for Kendra's shift to end.

Kendra went to check on her regulars in the corner, and cleaned up the counter some more. As it got later in the early morning, a few more people filtered in, and she got a bit busier taking care of people.

Bianca entertained herself for a while until Kendra got off. Then she packed up again, bouncing a bit on the balls of her feet as she waited for Kendra to grab her stuff.

As soon as the next shift was in and she'd cleared all of her tables, Kendra was out of there. She grabbed her jacket, throwing it on as she met her sister outside.

"Come on," she said. "My bed is calling my name."

"Yeah, I know." Bianca smiled a bit and started walking. "Soon you'll be able to collapse and sleep."

"And it will be magical," Kendra said, stretching with a sigh. "It was a long night."