Disclaimer: Despite a resemblance, I am NOT Stephanie Meyer. Any recognizable characters belong to her; I'm just playing with them. Nor do I own any of the music contained in this piece. Rated M for drinking, adult situations, angst and fucking language. I am including a warning... as we get a little further into why Esme is the way she is, there will be some... sensitive subject touched on. I will add warnings when I post as well.
AN: This was originally written for the Fandom4TwiFanG compilation and I was HONOURED to be a part of it. Much love to my beloved beta TammyGrrl who made this all pretty and fixed my absurdly long sentences and tense which shifts like nobody's business. The extraordinary Christine over at Christag's Banners made me a delicious banner with Jackson photo credit going to the amazing Parker Photography. As always, this is dedicated to my beloved ficwife Sky Chaser. Love her more than glitter topped cherry cheesecake. That is A LOT ya'll. I swear, she never fails to make me smile. Reviews are rewarded with sneak peeks and panty flashes!
Smoke, perfume and the dull, malty scent of beer flooded my senses as I meandered through the pulsating crowd towards the bar, the brightly couloured lights twinkling off of the rainbow array of bottles, seeming to make the clear contents sparkle. My platforms stuck slightly to the grimy floor as I held my hands tightly to my sides, my hips moving slightly in time with the thumping music as I finally reached the bar. My long nails drummed along the scarred surface in time to the slightly familiar song that blasted through the speakers. It was Friday and, if the signage was right, the live music would be starting in about five minutes.
I let my eyes drift over the racks of bottles, weighing my options for tonight's escape, a small smile crossing my painted red lips as my gaze stopped on the twinkling bottle of Woodford Reserve. Bourbon sounded perfect. A tiny girl appeared before me on the other side of the bar, her shock of black hair spilling wildly down across her shoulders, shot through with streaks of violet and cobalt, delicate features perfectly accented by her smoky eyes and shiny lips, the flashing lights seeming to sparkle off her bare arms.
"What can I get for you, honey?" Her voice was surprisingly husky compared to her pixie like appearance and I was taken aback for a moment before ordering.
"Can I get a double Woodford Reserve and an Abita Purple Haze please?" " My voice was even and sure as I ordered my poison and the tiny girl nodded before flitting off to fill my order.
I stood still, my eyes scanning the crowd, trying in vain to find someone who looked even remotely familiar to no avail. I was honest with myself about why exactly I was here tonight, as I was every time I went out. I wasn't meeting any friends, not looking for someone to talk to. I was here to drink and find a distraction, some way to get out of my head. The canned music finally ended and there was a moment of uncomfortable silence as the crowd seemed to part, returning to their tables and the bar, topping off drinks, twisting lids off bottles and resting for a few moments before the band returned.
"Here you go, Hun" The tiny bartender had reappeared, setting both my drink and the beer before me. I gave her a small smile and fished in my black clutch, fishing out a fifty and sliding it across the sticky bar to her. Her vibrant blue eyes darted between the bill and my face and her smile slipped, her tiny hand resting on mine for a moment before she spoke. "I know it's none of my business honey but are you alright?" The question surprised me as did the cool feel of her hand on mine. I plastered on what I knew was an obviously fake smile and nodded my head, my hair swishing over my bare arms.
"I'm fine" My voice was empty of any emotion, and I knew the small woman before me could pick up on it. Her hand was gone in a flash, slipping into her pocket before returning to mine, a crisp white card in her hand, slipping it below mine with a tiny smile before vanishing to the other end of the bar. I shook my head in confusion, and dropped the rectangle into the depths of my purse without looking at it before grabbing the cool highball glass in one hand and the damp beer in the other, navigating the slightly less packed floor towards one of the few empty tables, twisting and turning before reaching my destination., I was careful not to spill a drop of my drink as I slid into the raised chair, placing both items on the table before me, watching the band take the stage as I took a sip of the cold beer, the sweet raspberry flavor exploding on my tongue.
I let my eyes roam for a moment as the band warmed up their instruments, the notes drifting across the room before settling into a slightly familiar tune, the notes tugging at the recesses of my mind as I grasped to place it, my eyes resting on the lead singer, his voice husky , caressing the words like a lover. I paused, my bottle halfway to my lips as the song finally registered and I swallowed deeply, shaking my head as I let my eyes wander in an attempt to get a better look at the man whose voice held me hypnotized.
My elevated table had an unusually good view of the stage but the man had angled himself away from me, giving me an fantastic view of his back: dark golden hair tickling the collar of his black and white plaid shirt which hung loose over his faded jeans, the denim encasing his long legs, hinting at the muscles beneath them and ending with a peek of cowboy boots. Well fuck me.
As his voice continued to carry through the club, husky tones redolent with emotion, I drained my beer, the malty, hoppy taste blending with the sweetness of the raspberries and leaving my throat dry. The first song ended and I found myself oddly happy;, it reached too many notes, touched too many places inside of me to feel comfortable with it, the liquid honey voice singing it not doing a thing to change that. My fingers danced around the edge of my glass, skimming along the smooth surface, delicate under my small fingers.
As I watched, my eyes shifting between the band and the crowd, unusually nervous as to what the next song would be. My fingers halted as I saw the singer slip a guitar strap over his shoulder, and I very nearly swooned right there.
The drums began and moments later the guitar began, accompanied by a raucous cheer from the crowd, a smile teasing my own lips. I had to give these guys credit, transitioning from 90's alt rock to D'yer Mak'er was not an easy task but they managed to pull it off, excellently. My hand slipped down my glass and gripped it as the music washed over me, my eyes closing as I let myself get lost for a moment before raising the cool glass to my lips. Tilting my head back I emptied it in one swallow, the smoky liqueur sliding down my throat with a delicious burn, the familiar feeling of warmth spreading through my stomach, signaling the impending escape that was well on its way. I sat for a few more songs, letting the amber liquid work its magic as I enjoyed the music and began to succumb to the blissful warmth spreading through me., Smiling softly, I slipped from my stool and wove through the crowd back to the bar, forcing myself not to look at the stage, not yet. I wanted another drink in me first.
Slipping a twenty out of my purse I raised it at the tiny bartender, catching her eye and she nodded, setting the beers down for the customers in front of her and quickly pouring another double of my beloved Woodford Reserve, sliding Iit to me with a soft, some how sad smile. I nodded in thanks and placed my bill on the bar before tossing the alcohol back down my throat, closing my eyes and smiling at the slow burn.
The music shifted, again surprising me with the direction it took, and still managing to shake me, despite the alcohol that was slowly spreading through my veins.
"I'm safe, up high, nothing can touch me, why do I feel this party's over.."
Well fuck me, these guys were good, and they knew it. The bourbon boosting my courage, I wove back through the shifting crowd towards the stage. All around me my fellow customers were slowly swaying, limbs entwined, hands grasping as they moved to the hypnotic beat. My own hips moved slightly as I walked, instinctively shifting in time with the music as I stopped as close to the stage as I could get.
Glancing up at the singer I gasped, startled by his beauty. Messy, damp strands of deep gold hair framed a golden tanned face, the chiseled features offset by soft lips and ridiculously long lashes on his downcast eyes. I licked my lips and allowed my eyes to blatantly roam over his obviously well muscled body, the open plaid shirt doing little to hide the black t-shirt beneath that hugged his torso or the coltish arms emerging from below the rolled up sleeves.
The music shifted, surprising me yet again, and I watched as long fingers coaxed the strings, twisting and pulling the notes issuing forth, bending him to his will in the way only a true artist could as I moved to the music, compelled by both the musician and beat.
A pair of strong arms wrapped around my waist and tugged me slightly backwards against a very familiar, very strong body and I grinned, tilting my head back to meet a pair of twinkling blue eyes and a deliciously dimpled grin.
"Fancy meeting you here Em." I continued to move to the music, the alcohol making my limbs loose and fluid. My words were greeted by a deep chuckle, Emmett's broad chest rumbling.
"Fancy my ass, Es, you know I'm always here on Friday." " My companion's tone was light as he pulled me flush against him, his strong, heavily muscled arms holding me tight.
I smiled, far less than innocently, up at him and winked. "You're right, I was kind of betting on it." And I had been. Emmett and I were casual acquaintances and sometime lovers, both of us knowing that it would never be any more than that, and more than happy with our circumstances. He got me out of my head and I got him out of his. A mutually beneficial agreement.
My words were greeted with a booming laugh and a soft tug at my waist, warm breath on my ear, completely distracting me from the band on the stage as they flowed seamlessly into "The Kill", a song I recognized immediately and one which seemed utterly appropriate at the moment.
"Wanna get out of here, Vixen?" The soft words sent a chill down my spine and I swallowed hard, my head swimming with booze and I nodded, simply.
"That sounds perfect, Handsome."
There was no spoken reply, only a large hand grasping my small one as Emmett turned, pulling me lightly behind him as we wove through the dense crowd toward the door. I paused for a moment at the edge of the dance floor and glanced back at the stage one last time, gasping softly as I met a pair of haunting green eyes.
"He's a stranger to some and a vision to none, he can never get enough, get enough of the one …"
I swallowed hard as I fought to break my gaze away from the singer's , shaking my head slightly in a futile attempt to clear the haze that had settled , fueled by lust, alcohol and music.
Emmett's low voice pulled me from my daze, his hand once again finding miney and pulling gently.
"Come on Vix, we have things to take care of" His voice was steady, indicating a lack of alcohol and I nodded, following close behind him. Stepping out into the cool night air I shivered both with cold and need as I followed close behind Emmett, my eyes on my ridiculously high heels as I followed Emmett to his car, knowing that in ten minutes we would be at his place, the demons of the day, week, month, years , forgotten for a brief, time, the only things that mattered were the present as we lost ourselves in each other, searching for some momentary solace from whatever demons had sent us running into each other's arms yet again.
A/N part the second: The songs, which I also don't own, are as follows: Addict by K's Choice, D'yer Mak'er by Led Zeppelin, Sober by P!nk and From Yesterday by 30 Seconds To Mars. They all make me melt and you should DEFINITELY give them a listen. The title, as usual, comes from a song. Playboy Mommy by the illustrious Tori Amos. It makes me sob every time but I love it so.
Pups' fic rec corner: Okay, today's rec is for an AMAZING story I could not stop reading: Rekindled Ashes by NostalgiucMiss . I just… I can't even. I was sobbing and that NEVER happens. Go, read, review and love. Tell her pups sent you!