Only Exception (Lucci x Reader) Ch. 1

Dragging my feet along the pavement sluggishly, I rubbed my tired eyes to keep myself awake for just one more block.  Working double shifts at the bar was getting more tiresome everyday.  Water 7 was going through a small recession and money right now in my situation was getting tighter and tighter everyday.  Hell, I didn’t even get a lot of tips tonight since most of our clientele are pirates.  Most of them thought flirting with me and trying to get me to go home with them would be tip enough.

Finally, when I made it to my ‘house’ which was a small shack on the outside of town on Scrap Island, I opened the door to see my two younger brothers still up.

“Hey, what are you two still doing up?”

“We were waiting for you Sissy!” the older exclaimed.

“Bubba,” I addressed, “It’s way past your bedtime and you have school tomorrow.”

“Awww.”

“Now Bubba.”

“Okay, okay!”

I walked over to pickup my youngest brother, Damon, and cradle him on my shoulder.  The three year old was out cold so I just carried him over to the bunk bed and placed him on the bottom bunk while Bubba climbed up to the top bunk.  Tucking Damon in, I kissed him cheek then stood up to make sure Bubba was tucked in as well.

“Goodnight Sissy,” he said.

“G’nite.”

He reached out to hug my neck and I patted his neck.  Kissing his forehead, I tucked him in and retreated to the other side of the shack to my makeshift bed.  I kicked off my boots and lied back against the pile of pillows.

*Man, I need to find a better job.  I gotta make a little more money so that I can provide a better place for these kids.  They’ve been jumbled around enough by my mother.  Maybe…maybe I’ll talk to Paulie.  Maybe he can help me get into the shipyard.  That would be better than a bar job.*

*~Next Day~*

Sighing heavily I walked towards the shipyard where many of the women of Water 7 were gathered gawking at the shipwrights.  I had to push through each of them to just to approach the gates to see a large ship being repaired by the famous shipwrights.  It was almost noon so I was hoping to catch Paulie before he goes to lunch.

Right as the bell rang, I caught sight of Paulie climbing down from a scaffolding and walking towards the break room.

“Paulie, Paulie!”

I tried to wave him over, but I felt that I was being drowned out by the adoring fans.

“Paulie!!” I called louder.

Suddenly, he stopped to look around and find the source of the call.  I reached out to wave my hand to flag him over.

“Paulie over here!”

Narrowing his eyes he spotted me then walked over and approached me.  He jerked his head to the side letting me know to meet him in the back.  I nodded my head in understanding then pushed back through the crowd to take the nearby alley to get around to the back of Galley-La.  When I finally made it to the back, Paulie was waiting for me while leaning against the wall and smoking his cigar.

“What’s up (Y/N)?”

“Hello to you too Paulie.”

“Sorry, been a long day.  But really what’s up?”

“I need a favor.”

“Why did I know that was coming?” he scratched his neck.

“Come on Paulie, just listen to what I have to say.”

“I’m listening.”

“I really need a job here at the shipyard.  You know how good I am with repairing ships; my dad taught us both everything we know about working on ships, hell he helped YOU get a job here.”

“Yes but this is a shipyard, women don’t belong in a heavy workload environment.”

“Well, that’s very sexist of you,” I glared.  “When has gender ever been an issue in working in a shipyard?  You know that I’m good at what I do!”

“Yes I know, but you could get hurt.”

“I would rather get hurt in a shipyard than be harassed by men in a bar daily.  Come on Paulie, I need to give Bubba and Damon a better life than what I’m doing now.”

He sighed heavily, he knew better than anyone about my family situation.

“You’re mom still doesn’t help out?”

“Really, you think that woman would ever help anyone other than herself?”

“It was just a question,” he took a deep breath.  “Alright, I will talk with Iceburg, maybe he can get you a position somewhere in the office or in the yard.”

“Thank you so much Paulie!”

I launched out and wrapped my arms around him in a thankful hug.  Paulie didn’t know how to react so he just stayed still until I backed away.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.  Just don’t get your hopes up to high.”

I puled away and smirked.

“How about just to sweeten the deal, the next time you show up at the bar, first round on me.”

“I’ll hold you to that.”

“Thank you, you don’t know how much it means to me.”

“I’ll come talk to you at the bar if I hear anything.”

“Sounds great.  See ya!”

I walked away from the back door back towards the main street to head out to work.  The whole day while working at the bar, I couldn’t help but feel excited about maybe getting an opportunity to work at Galley-La and be a shipwright like my dad.

Later that evening when I was on my second shift, Paulie and the rest of the Galley-La shipwrights walked in and took a seat at one of the back tables.  

“(Y/N),” Blueno called.  “Go take that table.”

“Why me?” I asked while picking up my next order to hand out.

“Because,” he pointed to the other waitresses.  “They will not be professional enough to even take their orders.”

Looking to the other waitresses, they were already gawking at the group of men.  Rolling my eyes, I nodded my head then left to deliver my order of drinks, then walked over to the shipwrights table.

“Hey (Y/N),” Paulie greeted.  “You’re working tonight?”

“Always Paulie,” I smiled.  “Now, what can I get you gentlemen?”

“Don’t try and kiss up because you want a job,” Paulie snickered.

I whacked Paulie over the back of the head with my check pad.

“I’m working Paulie, not kissing up.”

“Wow I’ve never seen anyone hit Paulie and get away with it,” the one with the long nose commented while laughing.

“Shut up Kaku.”

“Sorry about that, I’ve just known Paulie for a long time.  But anyway, what’ll it be boys?”

“Double shot,” Paulie grunted.

“Long-Island iced tea please,” Kaku requested.

“Your best whiskey,” Lulu said while trying to fix his hair.

“And for you Mr.?”

The one with the top hat did not speak, he only stared at me with his stern gaze.  However, his pigeon fluffed his wings and answered for him.

“Ruggh!” it squawked.  “Cold beer.”

“Uh, for the bird,” I pointed, “or you?”

“For me of course!” the pigeon answered.

“Please excuse Hattori,” Kaku explained.  “He speaks on behalf of Lucci.  So Lucci is the one that actually wants the beer.”

“Oh, okay.  Sorry about that.”

“It’s alright,” Hattori answered.

“I’ll be right back.”

I turned to go behind the counter to prepare the drinks when one of the other waitresses approached me.

“You’re so lucky!” she smacked my arm.

“Why do you say that?”

“Are you kidding me?  You’re servicing the rockstars of Galley-La!”

I placed all the drinks on a tray and grabbed a small bowl with some nuts for the bird, then turned to the other waitress.

“They are just customers, nothing more.  Now please go and take care of your tables, they are flagging you down right now.”

She groaned while I just took my tray and went to my table to deliver the drinks.

“Alright, double shot for you, long island iced tea, whiskey, and beer.  I also brought this bowl for Hattori, I don’t know if he wants a little snack,” I smiled.

“Thank you!” Hattori squawked.

He jumped off of Lucci’s shoulder and began eating the peanuts.  Before I walked away Paulie called me back.

“Hey!  Another round please.”

“You do know that the next round is not free Paulie?”

“Oh yeah, well then keep ‘em coming until I forget I have to pay.”

I chuckled at his response, “Alright.”

I walked away to fix him another drink, when a rowdy group of men burst through the door and occupied about two tables.  By the look of them, they looked like a group of pirates, so I know that we were going to be cleaned out of our rum.

After I poured another shot for Paulie, I walked across the room to give it to him when someone grabbed my arm and yanked me towards them.

“Hey cutie!  I want a rum with a side of you!  Can you make that happen?” he winked.

I yanked my arm away from him and I tried to walk away because Blueno said that if I start another fight, I was fired.

“Don’t touch me,” I growled.

Walking back over to the shipwrights table I gave Paulie his shot and took another order for Lulu and Lucci.  I tried to keep calm because the pirates were now harassing the other waitresses, and I was starting to get irritated at how Blueno wasn’t out here doing something to protect his workers.  

I walked around to service other tables and help the girls get away from the the men that were harassing them.  While running my tables, I could feel eyes watching me, and they weren’t from the pirates that were trying to flirt with me.  Glancing over at the shipwright table, I noticed Lucci glancing over at me almost as if he was studying me.  He mostly kept a close eye on me when I went over to the pirates table.

In a way I felt comfort because his expression was not perverted at all, it was almost protective.  However, I didn’t let it get to my head; instead I kept on working until I heard someone call my name.

“(Y/N)!  Where the hell are you?!”

I turned to face the door to see my mother, dressed like a dirty hooker, and dragging my brother’s behind her.  I approached her to try and calm her down.

“What are you doing here?!” I scolded in a whisper.  “And how did you get the boys?!”

“Don’t you try to yell at me!” she exclaimed.

“Can we please just take this outside?” I whispered.  “My boss, and these boys do not need to see this.”

“I’m a grown ass woman I can do whatever the fuck I want!”

“That’s it.”

I grabbed my mom by her arm and dragged her outside of the bar and took her out towards the alley.  I shoved her there and crossed my arms.

“What do you think you’re doing?” I questioned.  “Bringing the boys to a bar this late, and then trying to embarrass me at work!”

“Who the hell do you think you’re talking to?”

“I’m talking to my mother who acts like a fucking child!”

SMACK!

She smacked me across the face in front of the boys.  Both of them started to sniffle and start to cry, but I needed to reassure them that they are safe.  I glared at my mother, and she backed up a little bit.

“Go back to the corner you came from, because you are not getting work here tonight.”

She tried to walk past me, but I snagged her arm and jerked her back.

“And don’t you ever come near my boys again.  You walked away from them before, so stop coming around unless you are actually going to be there for them.”

“You think you’re their mother?” she asked with a sneer.

“As of right now, I’m a better mother than you’ll ever be.”

She pulled her arm away from me then strutted out of the alley away from the bar.  I turned to my two brothers, Bubba was trying to comfort Damon while trying to hold back his tears.  I kneeled down to pull them into a protective hug.

“It’s going to be alright, you hear?  Don’t you worry about a thing.”

“I wanna go home,” Bubba said.

“I know bud, I know.”

“Sissy, I’m hungry,” Damon muttered.

“Alright, I’m gonna go and talk to my boss, maybe he’ll let me out early.”

They nodded their heads and I had them follow me back into the bar.  I noticed that the pirates from earlier were shit-faced drunk and were starting to get more aggressive.  I took the boys over to the counter and sat them each on a stool.

“Just wait right here a moment, I’ll be right back.”

“(Y/N) where have you been?!” one of the waitresses called.

“Rachel, not now,” I growled.

“Your tables are still waiting on refills!”

“Well then why didn’t you just do instead of sitting in those disgusting men’s laps?”

I turned away from her and pat the boys’ head.

“Listen just wait right here, and do not move.  I will be back in a few minutes.”

“Okay,” they said.

I went behind the counter to fix my tables their drinks.  I went around the other tables by the pirates and quickly served them then approached the shipwrights table.  I brought them extra booze to make up for the time I was gone.

“Here you go boys, sorry for the wait.  This round is on the house.”

“(Y/N) are those your brothers?” Paulie asked.

“Huh?  Yeah that’s them.”

“They grew up quick,” he commented.

“Yeah, they did,” I smiled.  “Alright is there anything else I can get you guys?”

“Just the check please,” Kaku answered.

I pulled out the check from my apron and placed it on the table.

“You gentlemen have a nice night.”

I walked away from the table to go in the back and talk to Blueno who was in his office taking inventory.

“Boss, would you mind if—”

“I already saw what happened,” he interrupted.

I gulped suddenly, man am I gonna lose my job.

“Just finish up with your tables and take the kids home.  Rachel and the others can lock up tonight.”

“Thank you sir.”

I left his office to go back out into the bar and I finished up making my rounds and cleaning up my tables.  When I was done, I went to grab the boys and I turned to leave.  Before I got out the door, I noticed Lucci’s tall figure leaning against the wall by the exit with his top hat blocking his eyes.  Before I past him he held out his hand and in his hand was twenty belli.

“What is that?  A handout?”

“No,” Hattori answered.  “Every hard worker deserves a tip.”

I blushed slightly but took the money from him.

“Thank you Lucci, and Hattori.”

Lucci nodded his head then left out of the bar with us following him out.  Once on the street, I noticed Paulie there smoking another cigar as if he was waiting.

“Hi Uncle Paulie!” Bubba smiled.

“Uncle Paulie!” Damon greeted.

“What’s going on guys?” he grinned at the boys.

“I’ll see you around Paulie.  Let me know what Iceburg says please.”

He turned around extinguishing his cigar then smiled at me.

“Actually, Iceburg told me to tell you to come in tomorrow around eight and he’ll give you a trial.”

“Are you serious?”

“As I’ll ever be.”

I launched out to hug Paulie tightly.

“Thank you!  Thank you so much!”

“Alright alright,” he pushed me back.  “Look, I’ll walk you and the boys home, but you better be there early first thing tomorrow.”

“I won’t disappoint.”

He leaned down the give Bubba a piggyback ride while I carried Damon back towards our little shack.  Hopefully, tomorrow opens doors for us.