Waiting Game
Riley Scott
Summary: Buffy Summers never dreamed of being famous, she never thought of performing for sold out crowds. All she wanted was to write her own music and lose herself on a dimly lit stage and to reach people. William 'Spike' Ryane had come out of the womb with a spotlight on him. Royal music blood in his veins, he always knew he belonged on a stage in front thousands of screaming fans. An unplanned meeting between two vastly different souls leads to a love story that makes no sense. Not even to those in love. Inspired by 'Waiting Game' by Banks.
10:03PM
The sun had long since set. The air was thick with the smell of stale cigarettes and cheap beer. The faint sounds of the docks the next block over competed with the bass of the house music coming from the warehouse club. Buffy Summer made her way down the dimly lit alley, her boots almost silent on the cracked pavement and she moved without worry, she wasn't wasn't concerned about the time. She squeezed past three almost drunk, frat boy wannabe's as she nodded to the bouncer, who barely spared her a glance. His game of Sudoku was more engrossing. The combination of house music and pumping a/c slapped her in the face and gave her bare arms goosebumps as she walked into the club. She tried not to be too off put by the overbearing a/c, knowing she would be grateful for that later on.
As she weaved her way through the tables she nodded at her best friend. The redheaded waitress was working overtime at a table full of college boys, making sure to smile through her annoyance, the tip would be more than worth it.
She made her way over to the bar, giving the area a once over, not seeing the bartender she hoisted herself over the counter and slipped onto the other side. After less than a minute of digging around she found her treasure in the small fridge underneath the sink. Popping the top to the redbull she maneuvered herself back over the bar just as the bartender, Xander came through the swinging door to the kitchen. He looked slightly annoyed when he spotted her, but that could have been from carrying the overflowing ice bucket in his arms. She just smirked at him, holding up her prize and worked her way to the side of the stage. Giving it a quick once over she took a mental inventory of the equipment on stage and checked that off of her list.
10:11PM
As she shoved her phone back into the hip pocket of her jeans she pulled the curtains beside the stage back and slipped behind them. Walking down the hallway she opened the door to the sole dressing room the club offered. She was the only one to ever use the room, and yet she never liked to call it 'her dressing room'. It made her feel like an asshole. So it was just 'the dressing room', as she walked through the door she flipped on the light and flopped herself down into the rolling office chair that sat in front of the tiny old vanity in the corner. She checked over her makeup and grimaced, reaching down to open the drawer to her left and pulled out a makeup case. She dug around and pulled out her eyeliner and after a few minutes of playing around with her lids she was satisfied. Leaning back in the chair she fluffed her long blonde hair with one hand. Not impressed she used her other hand to dig through the makeup bag and pull out a hair tie. She quickly worked her hair into a messy bun and smiled.
10:22PM
She stood, her phone now sitting on the vanity as she shimmed out of her jeans and tossed them to the corner, she stood just in her white tank and panties now. She turned to the rack of thrift shop finds and slid the racks around until the found her favorite jeans. She slipped into them and knew she was ready to go on. One last look in the mirror, her knees poking out of the denim that was held together with a few strands and a prayer.
10:28PM
She stood at the bottom of the stairs that lead to the back of the stage and felt the jolt. It happened every time. The last second stage fright, the blinding panic. She heard someone take the stage beyond the curtains and sighed, climbing the three stairs that lead to the platform. She walked up the edge of the curtains and ran the set list over in her mind. She went through it twice when she heard the squeal of the mic, quickly followed by Xander apologizing to the complaining crowd.
"Every time." She thought with a smile.
One last deep breath as she heard his announcement "Ladies and Gents, please welcome Sunnydale favorite 'Ms. Buffy Summers." and she walked through the curtains, and let Xander's hand squeeze hers as he slid past her to the stairs.
10:30PM
Buffy stood before the crowd behind the mic, and as she looked out of the small club and saw that it has filled impressively in such a short time. She waved with a smile and then pulled her stool up closer to the mic and sat down, adjusting the stand. She reached behind her and pulled her guitar into her lap, the strap slipping around her back.
"Hey guys, thanks for coming out tonight. Those of you that are regulars know that I'm not much for the talking. And I'm sure that you all aren't here to hear me blather on so I'll just get down to it." Buffy said with a huge smile, her fingers falling into place on the strings as she slowly moved into her first song.
"This song is called 'Stay' and people seem to like it."
She smiled as she heard and few whistles and a quiet smattering of applause throughout the club. After the first few cords she saw a few couples gravitate to the dance floor and then switched into performance mode, her mind drifting.
"All along it was a fever Round and around and around and around we go Not really sure how to feel about it
A cold sweat hot-headed believer
I threw my hands in the air I said show me something
He said, if you dare come a little closer
Ohhh now tell me now tell me now tell me now you know
Something in the way you move
Makes me feel like I can't live without you
It takes me all the way
I want you to stay "
The dance floor was full, Buffy scanned the crowd and smiled to herself. This was her heaven. She never imagined herself some great singer. She had a decent voice, she knew that. But her real talent was in her writing.
It's not much of a life you're living Not really sure how to feel about it
It's not just something you take, it's given
Round and around and around and around we go
Ohhh now tell me now tell me now tell me now you know
Something in the way you move
Makes me feel like I can't live without you
It takes me all the way
I want you to stay
She had been scribbling down song lyrics as far back as she could remember. When she was really young they were basic, nothing special. But as she grew older, and her life brought her so many ups and downs with no other built in way to cope she turned herself even more to music. Ohhh the reason I hold on
Ohhh cause I need this hole gone
Funny you're the broken one but I'm the only one who needed saving
Cause when you never see the lights it's hard to know which one of us is caving
By the time she had wracked up a few heartbreaks she found herself with dozens of songs, songs that she had no clue what to do with. She knew she didn't have the voice to make a career out of being a performer. But she also knew she could never stand to have her songs sung by someone else. By someone who didn't have the stories in their blood. Not really sure how to feel about it
Something in the way you move
Makes me feel like I can't live without you
It takes me all the way
I want you to stay, stay
I want you to stay, ohhh
So this was her solution. She came here, to the club that she had grown up in, The Bronze. She performed here 4 nights a week for her friends, family and perfect strangers. She got up on this stage with her guitar, her better than average voice and her songs that came out of pain and growth. It never ceased to amaze her that people showed up every night to see her. The same faces mostly, sometimes new ones, but it didn't really matter to her. All that mattered to her was that she got to do what she loved, and she got to open herself up to people for a 30 minute set and then disappear back into the crowd just like everyone else.
She had every thing she had always wanted.
Well almost everything.
TBC
A/N: This is an idea I have been playing around with for a long time and have finally put it to paper. I am really eager to see if there is any interest, I would love to keep this story going.
Spike will appear soon, but and Spuffy is a ways away, but don't worry, I will make it worth it.
The song Buffy performed is called 'Stay' and was originally performed by Rihanna.