Title: All the Gin Joints in the World
Author: chamomile chick
Show: Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Angel
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Gift/ Riley leaves
Summary: Post-Gift Riley angst.
POV: Figure it out yourself :)
Author's note: I wrote this a LONG time ago and kind of forgot
about it until now...
---------------------------------------------------------------
He wandered into the bar one night, just as a Gaia demon warbled
the last few lines of that damn Titanic song. Looking a little
uncomfortable, like he wasn't used to the jeans he was in, he
nonetheless walked in and sat down at the bar.
I'd been watching the comings and goings, and I thought he was
lost, one of those human tourists who like to enter the first
bar they come to, thinking it's adventurous or something. I
can't tell you how many of those I've eaten over the years.
He just had that look about him. You know,
first-time-in-a-big-city, fresh-off-the-farm?
But something about the way he sat down and ordered a pretty
impressive drink from Raul told me there was more to him. That,
and the fact that he didn't flinch when a Vulkar demon tried
to hit on him.
"You know, have anymore of that, and you won't get home alive."
I figured he deserved that much after the way he fended off the slut.
"Thanks, but I don't need help from a vampire." Short and
to the point.
"Hey, look who you're calling names, already," I protested.
It was just friendly advice, even if I would've drained him in a
second anywhere else. "Besides, how'd you know?"
"Spidey-sense." He said. I guess it was some kind of joke,
because he smiled.
At my questioning look, "You give off vibes. Bad vibes.
Enough that I wish you would go away now."
Uh oh. They guy had the whole Batman attitude. Holier-than-thou
and defender of all that is good and wholesome and fuzzy. Still,
something intrigued me. "So what was it? A girl?" When I didn't
get a response, I tried again. "A guy?"
Surprised, he looked at me for the first time. I did notice that
his eyes went lower than they should have. Maybe he wasn't as
innocent as he seemed. "A girl. Not that it's any of your business."
We sat for a moment. He had a few more drinks. So did I. I
did notice that he grimaced a little when I asked if I could
have some vodka in my A-positive. Then again, I don't know
how humans can handle solid food. Guess it shows my age that
I don't really remember how I ate before my undead life began.
"You know, you think you know someone," He began, startling me out
of my not-so-deep thoughts.
"Bad breakup?" I pushed a little.
"You could say that." He replied. "I'm not sure of how we even
happened. My fault, and now she's dead."
I was surprised. So the boy scout had some nerve to him. Hmm...
I guess I must've made some sound, cause he looked at me. "Not
like that! I mean, I didn't do it. I just wasn't there to stop it."
I sat back, disappointed. Guess maybe he wouldn't be worth turning
after all.
He went on. No particulars. Guess he wanted to preserve the lady's
honor. How come all the good ones are alive?
Don't answer that.
I got the general picture. So they loved each other, she stopped,
he noticed. He left, still loving her. Classic. Seen it over and
over, minus the addiction part. He didn't seem like a druggie to me,
and something didn't quite fit, but I let it go. Anyway, he came back
from abroad and called up some friends in town, and finds out she's
dead. Sad, but I've heard worse.
Either way, he was stoned drunk.
"Come'n." I said. "I'll walk you home."
Drunk or not, he wasn't falling for it that easily. "Ha. Thanks,
but I can get a cab to the motel myself.
Damn. I laid it on. "You think I could listen to your life's story
then kill you in cold blood? That's not the way we work, you know."
I lied, hoping he didn't know that much about vampires. "You can
come to my place. We could -" I waited a beat for emphasis. "Hang
out. Just a guy and a girl."
He looked me up and down for a second, then agreed with a nod.
I helped him pour himself off his stool and out the door, avoiding
looks from the green guy singing on stage. Guess he's against interracial
dating or something. We entered the alleyway outside the bar, and I
continued to help him along.
Before we reached the streetlight, I tugged him to a stop. "You know
what would make this more fun?"
The boy turned to me, the alcohol gone from his eyes. "You know," he
replied, "I can't tell you how long I've been waiting to hear you say
that." I felt a slight push at my front, and the last thing I heard
was; "You're right. That was a lot more fun."
The End
Author: chamomile chick
Show: Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Angel
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Gift/ Riley leaves
Summary: Post-Gift Riley angst.
POV: Figure it out yourself :)
Author's note: I wrote this a LONG time ago and kind of forgot
about it until now...
---------------------------------------------------------------
He wandered into the bar one night, just as a Gaia demon warbled
the last few lines of that damn Titanic song. Looking a little
uncomfortable, like he wasn't used to the jeans he was in, he
nonetheless walked in and sat down at the bar.
I'd been watching the comings and goings, and I thought he was
lost, one of those human tourists who like to enter the first
bar they come to, thinking it's adventurous or something. I
can't tell you how many of those I've eaten over the years.
He just had that look about him. You know,
first-time-in-a-big-city, fresh-off-the-farm?
But something about the way he sat down and ordered a pretty
impressive drink from Raul told me there was more to him. That,
and the fact that he didn't flinch when a Vulkar demon tried
to hit on him.
"You know, have anymore of that, and you won't get home alive."
I figured he deserved that much after the way he fended off the slut.
"Thanks, but I don't need help from a vampire." Short and
to the point.
"Hey, look who you're calling names, already," I protested.
It was just friendly advice, even if I would've drained him in a
second anywhere else. "Besides, how'd you know?"
"Spidey-sense." He said. I guess it was some kind of joke,
because he smiled.
At my questioning look, "You give off vibes. Bad vibes.
Enough that I wish you would go away now."
Uh oh. They guy had the whole Batman attitude. Holier-than-thou
and defender of all that is good and wholesome and fuzzy. Still,
something intrigued me. "So what was it? A girl?" When I didn't
get a response, I tried again. "A guy?"
Surprised, he looked at me for the first time. I did notice that
his eyes went lower than they should have. Maybe he wasn't as
innocent as he seemed. "A girl. Not that it's any of your business."
We sat for a moment. He had a few more drinks. So did I. I
did notice that he grimaced a little when I asked if I could
have some vodka in my A-positive. Then again, I don't know
how humans can handle solid food. Guess it shows my age that
I don't really remember how I ate before my undead life began.
"You know, you think you know someone," He began, startling me out
of my not-so-deep thoughts.
"Bad breakup?" I pushed a little.
"You could say that." He replied. "I'm not sure of how we even
happened. My fault, and now she's dead."
I was surprised. So the boy scout had some nerve to him. Hmm...
I guess I must've made some sound, cause he looked at me. "Not
like that! I mean, I didn't do it. I just wasn't there to stop it."
I sat back, disappointed. Guess maybe he wouldn't be worth turning
after all.
He went on. No particulars. Guess he wanted to preserve the lady's
honor. How come all the good ones are alive?
Don't answer that.
I got the general picture. So they loved each other, she stopped,
he noticed. He left, still loving her. Classic. Seen it over and
over, minus the addiction part. He didn't seem like a druggie to me,
and something didn't quite fit, but I let it go. Anyway, he came back
from abroad and called up some friends in town, and finds out she's
dead. Sad, but I've heard worse.
Either way, he was stoned drunk.
"Come'n." I said. "I'll walk you home."
Drunk or not, he wasn't falling for it that easily. "Ha. Thanks,
but I can get a cab to the motel myself.
Damn. I laid it on. "You think I could listen to your life's story
then kill you in cold blood? That's not the way we work, you know."
I lied, hoping he didn't know that much about vampires. "You can
come to my place. We could -" I waited a beat for emphasis. "Hang
out. Just a guy and a girl."
He looked me up and down for a second, then agreed with a nod.
I helped him pour himself off his stool and out the door, avoiding
looks from the green guy singing on stage. Guess he's against interracial
dating or something. We entered the alleyway outside the bar, and I
continued to help him along.
Before we reached the streetlight, I tugged him to a stop. "You know
what would make this more fun?"
The boy turned to me, the alcohol gone from his eyes. "You know," he
replied, "I can't tell you how long I've been waiting to hear you say
that." I felt a slight push at my front, and the last thing I heard
was; "You're right. That was a lot more fun."
The End
