*Disclaimer: I don't own anything Btvs related, but the story's mine.
Summary: Always wondered what the bartender at the bronze thought and saw? Set directly after LMPTM, Spike leaves Woods place frustrated and upset, b/s.
A/N: Just a little fic that I have wanted to write for a while. Hopefully the chapter to my other story (After Midnight) will be up soon.
A different point of view:
****
People always ask me what it's like to be behind the scenes, watching and serving my loyal customers. I always would tell them that it's the same old thing, like any other job, except it wasn't. Living in Sunnydale has always been a challenge, an experience. And working at the Bronze made all of the odd abnormalities even more real.
A bleached hair man sauntered up to the bar and I hastily walked over to serve him. Standing behind the bar makes you fell in control, like you're always watching.
"What can I getcha'?" I asked automatically.
He looked up at me for a moment and I got a better look at his face. It was striking and pale, it almost didn't look real. A wave of recognition washed over me when he spoke. I had seen this guy before; he was a regular.
"I'll just have a beer," the blond murmured, keeping his head low. He fidgeted in his seat, looking around the room. It was obvious that he was waiting for someone.
"Sure Spike," I replied, reaching for a beer and a glass. He lifted one eyebrow and opened his mouth.
"-You're a local, I see you around," I interrupted, before he had the chance to ask.
"Oh, okay," he grunted, taking a gulp of his drink. I watched him carefully, not sure what to say. I knew I should probably be serving the other customers, but something about him made me stay put.
"So what's your deal, man? Normally I see you picking up chicks and talking to some blond. Why so glum today?"
He growled, glaring at me. "It's none of your business, mate."
"Perhaps. . .but I think I could help. I know a lot more than you think, trust me," I said, not sure how he would react.
"You don't know anything, you ignorant fool!" he yelled standing up. Spike leaned across the bar, inches away from my face. I held my breath, staring into the eyes of a demon. After a moment he sat back down on his stool, a small smirk plastered on his face.
"Still got it," Spike muttered, taking a large gulp of his beer. I looked around to see if anyone had noticed his outburst, but no one seemed to be paying attention, or they were just used to the banging and the regular fights.
"So what's your name, mate?" Spike questioned, while leaning across the bar and grabbing another beer without paying.
"Alex," I replied, not sure what to do. I always knew there was something different about Spike, just didn't know it was his lack of breathing. Also known as a vampire, the other large population of Sunnydale. I was one of the few residents that accepted it. I knew from the moment I took this job, that something wasn't right. It wasn't everyday that your club was taken hostage by a gang of guys with bumpy faces.
"You really want to know what's troubling me. . .Alex?" he asked, emphasizing my name. Spike's whole demeanour had changed. When he had walked into the room he seemed uptight and confused, now he was in control. I didn't reply to his question, so he continued.
"I was attacked tonight by someone I thought I could trust. Believe me Alex, I'm no fool. I didn't like this bloke from the beginning, but if the slay-, I mean, if my friend trusted him, then so did I. They bloody well set me up! The worst part is she might have been part of it!" Spike yelled, taking another swig of beer. He appeared to be getting drunk and I had no way to stop him from taking more beer.
All I could think to ask was, "Who was the guy that attacked you?"
"Woods," he spat out, "he almost had me, if it wasn't for my ninja skills. . ."he said, starting to laugh, taking another gulp of beer.
"How'd all this happen," I questioned, now becoming slightly intrigued. I didn't know if it was the alcohol or Spike's raspy voice, but something made me want to know more. In fact, I wasn't the only one, two other loners by the bar had moved towards us. A dark haired girl watched with wary eyes, trying to hear the story.
"It's a long story, mate. . .but it all started with a girl. This amazing girl that takes your breath away every time you see her. She was my world and my ruin. The real tale will take a hundred and twenty years to tell, so I'll give you the short version. Became a vampire, fell in love, got a soul, battling the First evil, was hunted by the son of the second slayer I killed, and finally. . .ended up in a bar telling my pathetic sorrows to a bald bartender named Alex."
I'm not sure how I long I stared at Spike, not believing my eyes. However, I was not the only one, now almost six people were listening, but Spike didn't seem to notice, didn't care or was just to drunk to realize. The odd thing was that all the listeners were by themselves. They were intrigued by the story of a person just like them, well, minus the whole vampire deal.
"Spike. . ."
"Ya?"
"That was one hell of a story."
"I know mate, I know," he said getting up. I watched him wobble a little and push past the tiny crowd. Some of the girls tried to pick him up, but he didn't even notice. At the moment I thought it was because he was to drunk to tell, but now I know better. He didn't respond to the women because he was in love, with her, his slayer.
Spike walked towards the door and stopped as soon as a blond girl entered. She looked up at him with questioning eyes and scowled when she saw he was drunk. I couldn't hear what they were saying, but it was obvious it was light arguing. Surprisingly, the pretty girl wrapped her arm his waist, fully supporting him. A bunch of people rushed by them, but they didn't move, they just watched each other. The blond slowly smiled and pulled Spike outside. I don't know where they went after that.
"Alex, who was that guy you were talking to. I think I've seen him before," my boss called out, walking over. I turned towards him, peeling my eyes away from the empty door.
"Spike, he's a regular."
"Good guy?"
"The best," I replied chuckling.
*****
THE END
Summary: Always wondered what the bartender at the bronze thought and saw? Set directly after LMPTM, Spike leaves Woods place frustrated and upset, b/s.
A/N: Just a little fic that I have wanted to write for a while. Hopefully the chapter to my other story (After Midnight) will be up soon.
A different point of view:
****
People always ask me what it's like to be behind the scenes, watching and serving my loyal customers. I always would tell them that it's the same old thing, like any other job, except it wasn't. Living in Sunnydale has always been a challenge, an experience. And working at the Bronze made all of the odd abnormalities even more real.
A bleached hair man sauntered up to the bar and I hastily walked over to serve him. Standing behind the bar makes you fell in control, like you're always watching.
"What can I getcha'?" I asked automatically.
He looked up at me for a moment and I got a better look at his face. It was striking and pale, it almost didn't look real. A wave of recognition washed over me when he spoke. I had seen this guy before; he was a regular.
"I'll just have a beer," the blond murmured, keeping his head low. He fidgeted in his seat, looking around the room. It was obvious that he was waiting for someone.
"Sure Spike," I replied, reaching for a beer and a glass. He lifted one eyebrow and opened his mouth.
"-You're a local, I see you around," I interrupted, before he had the chance to ask.
"Oh, okay," he grunted, taking a gulp of his drink. I watched him carefully, not sure what to say. I knew I should probably be serving the other customers, but something about him made me stay put.
"So what's your deal, man? Normally I see you picking up chicks and talking to some blond. Why so glum today?"
He growled, glaring at me. "It's none of your business, mate."
"Perhaps. . .but I think I could help. I know a lot more than you think, trust me," I said, not sure how he would react.
"You don't know anything, you ignorant fool!" he yelled standing up. Spike leaned across the bar, inches away from my face. I held my breath, staring into the eyes of a demon. After a moment he sat back down on his stool, a small smirk plastered on his face.
"Still got it," Spike muttered, taking a large gulp of his beer. I looked around to see if anyone had noticed his outburst, but no one seemed to be paying attention, or they were just used to the banging and the regular fights.
"So what's your name, mate?" Spike questioned, while leaning across the bar and grabbing another beer without paying.
"Alex," I replied, not sure what to do. I always knew there was something different about Spike, just didn't know it was his lack of breathing. Also known as a vampire, the other large population of Sunnydale. I was one of the few residents that accepted it. I knew from the moment I took this job, that something wasn't right. It wasn't everyday that your club was taken hostage by a gang of guys with bumpy faces.
"You really want to know what's troubling me. . .Alex?" he asked, emphasizing my name. Spike's whole demeanour had changed. When he had walked into the room he seemed uptight and confused, now he was in control. I didn't reply to his question, so he continued.
"I was attacked tonight by someone I thought I could trust. Believe me Alex, I'm no fool. I didn't like this bloke from the beginning, but if the slay-, I mean, if my friend trusted him, then so did I. They bloody well set me up! The worst part is she might have been part of it!" Spike yelled, taking another swig of beer. He appeared to be getting drunk and I had no way to stop him from taking more beer.
All I could think to ask was, "Who was the guy that attacked you?"
"Woods," he spat out, "he almost had me, if it wasn't for my ninja skills. . ."he said, starting to laugh, taking another gulp of beer.
"How'd all this happen," I questioned, now becoming slightly intrigued. I didn't know if it was the alcohol or Spike's raspy voice, but something made me want to know more. In fact, I wasn't the only one, two other loners by the bar had moved towards us. A dark haired girl watched with wary eyes, trying to hear the story.
"It's a long story, mate. . .but it all started with a girl. This amazing girl that takes your breath away every time you see her. She was my world and my ruin. The real tale will take a hundred and twenty years to tell, so I'll give you the short version. Became a vampire, fell in love, got a soul, battling the First evil, was hunted by the son of the second slayer I killed, and finally. . .ended up in a bar telling my pathetic sorrows to a bald bartender named Alex."
I'm not sure how I long I stared at Spike, not believing my eyes. However, I was not the only one, now almost six people were listening, but Spike didn't seem to notice, didn't care or was just to drunk to realize. The odd thing was that all the listeners were by themselves. They were intrigued by the story of a person just like them, well, minus the whole vampire deal.
"Spike. . ."
"Ya?"
"That was one hell of a story."
"I know mate, I know," he said getting up. I watched him wobble a little and push past the tiny crowd. Some of the girls tried to pick him up, but he didn't even notice. At the moment I thought it was because he was to drunk to tell, but now I know better. He didn't respond to the women because he was in love, with her, his slayer.
Spike walked towards the door and stopped as soon as a blond girl entered. She looked up at him with questioning eyes and scowled when she saw he was drunk. I couldn't hear what they were saying, but it was obvious it was light arguing. Surprisingly, the pretty girl wrapped her arm his waist, fully supporting him. A bunch of people rushed by them, but they didn't move, they just watched each other. The blond slowly smiled and pulled Spike outside. I don't know where they went after that.
"Alex, who was that guy you were talking to. I think I've seen him before," my boss called out, walking over. I turned towards him, peeling my eyes away from the empty door.
"Spike, he's a regular."
"Good guy?"
"The best," I replied chuckling.
*****
THE END