It had been a very long day at work and you were eager for a stiff drink to take the edge off it.

The cool night air felt nice, and all five moons were full, brightening up the night sky over the desert planet. The bar was lively as always as other hard working people sat around, chatting and enjoying a cold drink.

As you sit down to order a drink at the bar, you notice a tall dark stranger enter the bar. It wouldn't have been odd, had you not noticed the large cross he was carrying on his back. You couldn't take your eyes off him as he walked up to the bar.

"It's rude to stare," the man joked with a grin as he sat down.

You shrugged and turned back to the bar, trying not to blush any more than you already did. The man at your side chuckled, amused. "My name's Nicholas," he said, offering a handshake, "But everyone calls me Nico."

"So," he continued with a grin, "What brings you to this little hole-in-the-wall? Out for some excitement or just enjoying the peace and quiet?"

The man laughed, his expression softening at the same time. "Oh, you could say that," he replied with a chuckle. "Long day of traveling and dealing with idiots." He shrugged, downing another mouthful of whiskey. "But I'm sure a couple of drinks will help me forget about it all for now."

His gaze slid over to where one of the barmaids was leaning against the counter, chatting with some patrons. She shot him an innocent smile that did nothing but make him grin wider. "I might even find something else to occupy my time while I'm here," he mused, eyes still fixed on her form.

"Hey, easy there," Nico said, reaching across the table and placing a hand on your shoulder. "Don't worry about it." He knew what he was talking about; he too had seen his fair share of tragedy. But that didn't mean he could help but feel a pang of sympathy for you. "We all have our days," he continued, trying to sound reassuring.

The barmaid glanced over at them, her brows furrowing slightly before she quickly turned away and focused on serving another customer. A flush crept up Nico's neck and into his cheeks, but he ignored it, focusing instead on the person across from him. "So," he said, taking another drink, "What brings you to No Man's Land anyway?"

The man took another swallow of whiskey, pausing before he spoke again. "Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," he finally said softly. There was a sadness in his eyes as he glanced back at you. "It's never easy finding out about something like that, but trust me when I say there are better people out there." He leaned forward slightly and reached across the table again, squeezing your hand gently. "You deserve to be happy, cutie."

"You will be," he promised gently, squeezing your hand again before letting go. "Just... give it time. Don't rush into anything right now, okay? You deserve to feel better about things first." His gaze flickered away for a moment as he remembered what it was like to be hurt like that, to feel like everything had fallen apart. He knew how hard it could be to trust again, but he also knew that eventually you did find someone worth giving your heart to.

The barmaid finally made her way over to them, a crooked smile on her face as she leaned down to hear Nico's reply. "You ready for another round?" she asked with a giggle, clearly tipsy from all the free drinks he'd been buying her. He grinned back at her, his expression teasing and flirtatious.

"I think I am," he replied

As you stumble toward the random stranger, I let go of your arm and watch with a slight frown on my face as you sway dangerously close to falling over. You're far too drunk to be out here alone, let alone trying to hook up with someone you don't even know. Before you can say or do anything else that might get you into trouble, I reach out and take your arm again, gently guiding you back toward our table.

"Come on," I say, keeping my voice low but firm, "Let's sit down before you end up hurting yourself or someone else." Once we're both safely ensconced in our chairs, I pour another drink for each of us and slide one across the table to you. "Drink this. It'll help steady your nerves and calm you down some."

"Revenge won't solve anything," I say, shaking my head a little. "You need to focus on yourself right now. Proving him wrong by being happy with someone else is the best revenge you can get." I pause for a moment, searching your face before continuing in a softer tone. "Trust me, cutie. You're worth more than that."

Maybe my words will sink in this time. Maybe they won't. Either way, it's important that you understand that there are better things out there for you, and that you don't have to settle for whatever scraps he thinks are good enough. You deserve better.