The Long Summer 24
An evening at the Bronze definitely filled the order after a long day on the worksite. Xander polished the cue tip idly and mentally lined up his shot. He steadied the cue against his hand and smiled slightly as a familiar figure appeared at the opposite end of the green topped table.
Right on time.
"Evening, Spike." He struck the white ball and sent it flying down to sink the number 7. "Beer?"
"Sure, why not?" Spike nodded toward the table. "Feeling up to a challenge?"
"From you?" Xander chuckled and peeled off a twenty to hand to a wandering waitress. She winked as he asked for a pair of beers.
"If you're feeling up to it." Now there was the cocky Spike that Xander recalled.
"Oh, I think I'm up to it. Go ahead, rack 'em up." He accepted the beers the waitress returned and watched as Spike stripped off his jacket. "You're really ditching the black and rustic look aren't you?"
"Hmm." Spike spared him a half-glance while he set the balls up. "You're dressing up your wardrobe. Not to mention your tastes in beer." He nodded at the import Xander sipped.
"Hey, what can I say? Man's gotta have some good perks in life." He watched Spike, the vampire still moved like a predator, but there did appear to be something different in his expression.
Xander never really paid that much attention to it before, but if he thought about it long enough, he was sure he could put his finger on the pulse of it.
"Do you want to break or shall I?" Spike asked. Now there was a loaded question. Xander contemplated the weight of his pool cue. Could he slam it down on the edge of the table, snap it in half and leap across, plunging the stake into the lying black-heart until all that was left was dust?
He held himself poised over the imagery, savoring it. It seemed almost a disappointment to simply respond. "Go ahead."
Spike nodded slowly. Xander wondered if the vampire had any inklings toward the direction that his thoughts ran these days. Of course, Spike never cared much about what anyone thought unless it involved getting in Buffy's pants.
Sick thought.
The first three games passed uneventfully, two in Spike's favor and one in Xander's. "Another?" Xander asked casually as he lifted the eight ball out of the corner pocket.
"Sure." Spike peeled off a ten and purchased another two beers. Xander shook his head and stacked the balls together once more. "So what's new with you, Harris?"
"Me? Nothing. You - now that's a different story, isn't it?"
"How's that?"
"Drusilla mentioned something the other night." Xander hid a grin as he shot the break and glanced over at Spike. "Aha, thought I wasn't paying attention, huh?"
"She's a bit daft sometimes, mate. I wouldn't put too much credence into it." Spike circled the table for his shot and Xander watched him. Oh, pretty boy was nervous now.
"I 'spose. You would know."
"Yeah. I would." The pool cue cracked against the white ball and sent it flying sinking the number 2 into the pocket Xander stood near.
"Good shot."
"Thank you."
He watched Spike maneuver for his next shot. The vampire's expression carried a note of wariness now. Xander found himself liking that part. For once, it was Spike who had something to worry about.
Oh yes, he liked that indeed.
An evening at the Bronze definitely filled the order after a long day on the worksite. Xander polished the cue tip idly and mentally lined up his shot. He steadied the cue against his hand and smiled slightly as a familiar figure appeared at the opposite end of the green topped table.
Right on time.
"Evening, Spike." He struck the white ball and sent it flying down to sink the number 7. "Beer?"
"Sure, why not?" Spike nodded toward the table. "Feeling up to a challenge?"
"From you?" Xander chuckled and peeled off a twenty to hand to a wandering waitress. She winked as he asked for a pair of beers.
"If you're feeling up to it." Now there was the cocky Spike that Xander recalled.
"Oh, I think I'm up to it. Go ahead, rack 'em up." He accepted the beers the waitress returned and watched as Spike stripped off his jacket. "You're really ditching the black and rustic look aren't you?"
"Hmm." Spike spared him a half-glance while he set the balls up. "You're dressing up your wardrobe. Not to mention your tastes in beer." He nodded at the import Xander sipped.
"Hey, what can I say? Man's gotta have some good perks in life." He watched Spike, the vampire still moved like a predator, but there did appear to be something different in his expression.
Xander never really paid that much attention to it before, but if he thought about it long enough, he was sure he could put his finger on the pulse of it.
"Do you want to break or shall I?" Spike asked. Now there was a loaded question. Xander contemplated the weight of his pool cue. Could he slam it down on the edge of the table, snap it in half and leap across, plunging the stake into the lying black-heart until all that was left was dust?
He held himself poised over the imagery, savoring it. It seemed almost a disappointment to simply respond. "Go ahead."
Spike nodded slowly. Xander wondered if the vampire had any inklings toward the direction that his thoughts ran these days. Of course, Spike never cared much about what anyone thought unless it involved getting in Buffy's pants.
Sick thought.
The first three games passed uneventfully, two in Spike's favor and one in Xander's. "Another?" Xander asked casually as he lifted the eight ball out of the corner pocket.
"Sure." Spike peeled off a ten and purchased another two beers. Xander shook his head and stacked the balls together once more. "So what's new with you, Harris?"
"Me? Nothing. You - now that's a different story, isn't it?"
"How's that?"
"Drusilla mentioned something the other night." Xander hid a grin as he shot the break and glanced over at Spike. "Aha, thought I wasn't paying attention, huh?"
"She's a bit daft sometimes, mate. I wouldn't put too much credence into it." Spike circled the table for his shot and Xander watched him. Oh, pretty boy was nervous now.
"I 'spose. You would know."
"Yeah. I would." The pool cue cracked against the white ball and sent it flying sinking the number 2 into the pocket Xander stood near.
"Good shot."
"Thank you."
He watched Spike maneuver for his next shot. The vampire's expression carried a note of wariness now. Xander found himself liking that part. For once, it was Spike who had something to worry about.
Oh yes, he liked that indeed.