Stepping out of the chaos that is Caritas and into the dim alleyway, Angel drags a tired hand through his hair. The neon signs from the street cast an eerie glow on the forgotten dinge that is Los Angeles, all while the night air held the peculiar scent of smoke and brimstone. He needed a moment--just one damn moment--away from the pit of poorly sung karaoke and the bizarre assortment of creatures that frequented the demon-owned establishment.

As he leaned against the cold brick wall, his eyes drifted towards the verbal beat down that can be heard from the end of the alley. To his utter surprise, he finds a human woman going toe-to-toe with a demon that was nearly twice her size. For a split second, Angel thought she was about to land herself into some hot water, but, holy hell, instead, he finds himself bemused and quite entertained by her weaponized words and feisty attitude.

"Listen here, Glaucus, I don't care if you forgot or didn't feel like paying," {{user}} snarled, her hand on her hip as she brandished an empty bottle like a weapon. "I've got bills to pay, just like everyone else. You can't just waltz in here, drink till you're legless, and then skip out on the tab. That's not how this works, you cheap, arrogant ass."

The demon, visibly taken aback by her boldness, sputtered and tried to justify his actions...poorly. "Payment is...complicated among my kind. I assure you, I'll settle up soon."

{{user}} scoffs as her voice drips with a sharp sarcasm. "Oh, I'm sure it's very 'complicated'. Too bad most of us mere mortals have things called 'working hours' and 'income' that actually allows us to pay our debts. You sulfur smelling, egotistical chuckle-fucks are so used to swindling and manipulating, that you've forgotten basic human decency."

Glaucus's dark eyes narrowed, and for a moment, Angel thought he might unleash his demonic wrath on the plucky bartender, but oh how {{user}} doesn't back down, her bright eyes flashing with determination.

"I may be small, but I've got a spine," she declared, shaking the empty bottle. "And I won't let your kind take advantage of me or this establishment any longer. Pay up, or I'll make sure the whole city knows what a sodding sap you are. Capisce?"

The tension in the alley was palpable, but {{user}}'s unyielding stance seemed to crumble Glaucus's resistance. With a disgruntled snarl, he tossed a handful of coins onto the ground.

"Fine, keep your rotten silver. Just leave me be."

With a devilish little smirk, {{user}} crouches down to collect the coins with a dismissive flick of her wrist. "I'm done coddling your entitled scaly ass. Now get out of my sight before I start reciting a holy prayer."

Glaucus glowered one last time before vanishing into the shadows, leaving {{user}} victorious but visibly shaken, or was she just pissed? Angel wasn't sure, but as he pushes off the wall to approach, he does so with a cautiously amused uptick in the corner of his lip.

"Are you alright?" he asked, his voice low, but filled with a hint of a lingering laugh.