With one last look at the portrait of himself, Xander pulled himself
together and went in search of Spike. //You have some serious explaining to
do, buster.//
Xander found Spike where he had left him, still talking to the gallery owner. He positioned himself a couple of feet away, and listened in on the conversation. It seemed as if the owner was trying to persuade Spike into selling one of the portraits. Telling him again and again just how much the presumably buyer was willing to pay. Spike on the other hand was venomously refusing, telling her that the portraits were personal and that there was no way that he was willing to part with any of them. Apparently they had had this conversation before and the discussion got more and more heatedly. When they were reduced to glaring at each other, Xander thought it was time to make his present known and stepped forward to introduce himself.
He got the woman's attention and stretched out his hand in greeting. "Hi, I'm Xander Harris."
The gallery owner immediately took him for a possible customer and turned on her best unquestionably fake cheerful smile for him.
"Hello, Mr. Harris. I'm Patricia Evans, the owner of the gallery," she said while giving him a confident handshake. "And this is William Southfork, the artist." The artist was said with reverence as if it was the pope himself that stood before them. She gestured to Spike and probably expected them to shake hands. Xander didn't know what to do; did he tell her that they were old friends or did he play the part of awed artlover that got the chance to meet 'the artist' in person. Luckily Spike stepped in and made the decision for him.
"Pleasure to meet you Mr. Harris," the older man said and extended his hand.
"Pleasure is all mine," Xander replied and shook the vampires hand. There was an uncomfortable silence as they all waited for one of the others to say something. //Wasn't there a law somewhere that all shop owners had to be able to make small talk with even the most reluctant customers, even if this was an gallery and not the Gap.// Finally Xander couldn't take it anymore and opened his mouth.
"So." He turned to Spike. "If you don't mind me asking, I had some questions about one of your highly talented work of art. I found it most elusive and the use of colours just took my breath away." //Heh. Who said that I couldn't act.// Spike on the other hand was doing a fair impersonation of a goldfish.
"Maybe if I showed you the painting in question?" Xander continued and took a dumbfounded Spike by the arm and started to lead him over to the nearest painting, while all the time smiling his most reassuring smile at the gallery owner.
When they where finally out of earshot Xander couldn't suppress his mirth any longer and started to giggle uncontrollable.
"Hey!" Spike had finally found his voice again.
"Oh god! I haven't had this much fun in years." Xander managed to get out between giggles. "You should have seen the look on your face. priceless."
"Yeah, well. Nice to know that you find me entertaining." Spike grounded out. He tried to appear angry but his eyes were crinkled and his lips were twitching. /Oh to hell with it,/ Spike thought and burst out laughing.
Once the laughter had tapered off, Xander decided to hold of the confrontation about his portrait and asked if Spike could give him a small tour of the exhibition. Like he had anticipated the vampire steered clear of the back room and showed of the paintings in the main room instead. //Guess I'm not the only one to find the portrait a delicate subject.//
Before they knew it, it was over ten o'clock and they were being ushered out of the gallery. The gallery owner wanted to go home and all the other customers had already left.
They ended up on the sidewalk outside the gallery. Spike was busy lighting a cigarette while Xander shivering a little in the cool August night. //I should have brought a jacket.// Before he could turn to say 'good night', Spike had draped his own coat over Xander's shoulders.
"Not like the cold bothers me." The older man explained and shrugged.
Which was a big fat lie as far as Xander was concerned. Spike hadn't once stopped complaining about always being cold when they had been roommates. However, Xander thankfully excepted the warm, dark grey, woollen coat, //guess the duster would have clashed with the outfit,// and tried to think of something to say.
"I'm parked this way." //Xander the great conversationalist.//
"Ok." Was the only reply he got and they started walking toward his car.
//Now would be a good time to ask about his whereabouts for the past years.// "So, what have you been up to since Sunnydale?"
"This and that. I did some travelling, revisited some of my old haunts. You know." Spike started out and then seemed to fall in deep thoughts.
The streets they wandered through were pretty deserted at this time of night. The crowds tended to gather around the bars and clubs after nightfall, and this part of the city only housed stores, and galleries.
Up ahead a man crossed the street and when he saw Xander he nodded respectfully in greeting and then hurried on his way.
Xander nodded back in acknowledgement and waited for the outburst that was sure to come. He didn't have to wait long. A few seconds later and Spike couldn't contain his astonishment any longer.
"You know that's a vampire right? "
"Yeah." Xander replied and waited for the onslaught. He knew he shouldn't bait the vampire, but it was fun.
"Yeah? Is that all you have to say." Spike practically yelled. "What the hell are you doing associating with vampires?"
"Associating? You make it sound as if I hang out with them."
"Well, do you?"
"No. I have this agreement with the master. I don't kill them and they try not to kill me. Pretty simple actually."
Spike stopped and threw away his cigarette butt. "You can't trust vampires. Even if this master would keep his word what's to say that all other vampires in the city would?" He exclaimed.
"Now listen, we've had this agreement ever since I came here, and not once have one of the masters vampires tried something. And before you start, yes, there have been others, but if I didn't get them, and I'm sure that you will agree that I can take care of myself, the master did, and made good examples of them. I haven't been bothered for over a year now, so yeah, I trust the master." His outburst made the vampire beside him close his mouth and resume walking at a fast pace. He could hear a quiet mumbling about 'stupid humans' and 'trusting fool'. //At least he had backed down.// It wasn't like Xander didn't know what he was doing.
When Xander had first arrived to San Francisco the habit of going out on patrol every night had been strong and he had continued to make a quick sweep, just around his neighbourhood, every evening. After a few weeks he had been invited to a meeting with the master. Invited meaning he got the choice of coming with the fifteen or so fledglings that had cornered him willingly, or not. He had wisely chose willingly and spent a surreal evening talking to the master of the city. The master didn't want trouble with the slayer and Xander didn't want trouble period. So they came to an agreement. Xander would stop hunting the master's minions and the master would forbid anyone going after the human and try to keep the bloodshed to a minimum. It was all fine with Xander as long as he could stake any vampire that came after him, or that he caught feeding.
Xander's walk down memory lane came to a stop when the mumbling from the vampire beside him rose loud enough to pass for talking.
"I still don't like it," the vampire grumbled.
"Tough, deal." Was the younger man's only reply as they arrived at his car.
"So." Spike said while rocking slightly on his feet.
"So." Xander answered.
"I guess..." the vampire began but then stopped as if he didn't know what to say.
"You want to come over for some tea?" Xander heard himself say. //That has to be the lamest pick-up line to date. And I'm not even trying to pick him up. Not that I couldn't, he can't weigh more than 140, 150 pounds tops.// While Xander's thoughts tried to get back on track the vampire had already made up his mind.
"Sure, why not." Spike said and grinned at the confused young man.
Xander found Spike where he had left him, still talking to the gallery owner. He positioned himself a couple of feet away, and listened in on the conversation. It seemed as if the owner was trying to persuade Spike into selling one of the portraits. Telling him again and again just how much the presumably buyer was willing to pay. Spike on the other hand was venomously refusing, telling her that the portraits were personal and that there was no way that he was willing to part with any of them. Apparently they had had this conversation before and the discussion got more and more heatedly. When they were reduced to glaring at each other, Xander thought it was time to make his present known and stepped forward to introduce himself.
He got the woman's attention and stretched out his hand in greeting. "Hi, I'm Xander Harris."
The gallery owner immediately took him for a possible customer and turned on her best unquestionably fake cheerful smile for him.
"Hello, Mr. Harris. I'm Patricia Evans, the owner of the gallery," she said while giving him a confident handshake. "And this is William Southfork, the artist." The artist was said with reverence as if it was the pope himself that stood before them. She gestured to Spike and probably expected them to shake hands. Xander didn't know what to do; did he tell her that they were old friends or did he play the part of awed artlover that got the chance to meet 'the artist' in person. Luckily Spike stepped in and made the decision for him.
"Pleasure to meet you Mr. Harris," the older man said and extended his hand.
"Pleasure is all mine," Xander replied and shook the vampires hand. There was an uncomfortable silence as they all waited for one of the others to say something. //Wasn't there a law somewhere that all shop owners had to be able to make small talk with even the most reluctant customers, even if this was an gallery and not the Gap.// Finally Xander couldn't take it anymore and opened his mouth.
"So." He turned to Spike. "If you don't mind me asking, I had some questions about one of your highly talented work of art. I found it most elusive and the use of colours just took my breath away." //Heh. Who said that I couldn't act.// Spike on the other hand was doing a fair impersonation of a goldfish.
"Maybe if I showed you the painting in question?" Xander continued and took a dumbfounded Spike by the arm and started to lead him over to the nearest painting, while all the time smiling his most reassuring smile at the gallery owner.
When they where finally out of earshot Xander couldn't suppress his mirth any longer and started to giggle uncontrollable.
"Hey!" Spike had finally found his voice again.
"Oh god! I haven't had this much fun in years." Xander managed to get out between giggles. "You should have seen the look on your face. priceless."
"Yeah, well. Nice to know that you find me entertaining." Spike grounded out. He tried to appear angry but his eyes were crinkled and his lips were twitching. /Oh to hell with it,/ Spike thought and burst out laughing.
Once the laughter had tapered off, Xander decided to hold of the confrontation about his portrait and asked if Spike could give him a small tour of the exhibition. Like he had anticipated the vampire steered clear of the back room and showed of the paintings in the main room instead. //Guess I'm not the only one to find the portrait a delicate subject.//
Before they knew it, it was over ten o'clock and they were being ushered out of the gallery. The gallery owner wanted to go home and all the other customers had already left.
They ended up on the sidewalk outside the gallery. Spike was busy lighting a cigarette while Xander shivering a little in the cool August night. //I should have brought a jacket.// Before he could turn to say 'good night', Spike had draped his own coat over Xander's shoulders.
"Not like the cold bothers me." The older man explained and shrugged.
Which was a big fat lie as far as Xander was concerned. Spike hadn't once stopped complaining about always being cold when they had been roommates. However, Xander thankfully excepted the warm, dark grey, woollen coat, //guess the duster would have clashed with the outfit,// and tried to think of something to say.
"I'm parked this way." //Xander the great conversationalist.//
"Ok." Was the only reply he got and they started walking toward his car.
//Now would be a good time to ask about his whereabouts for the past years.// "So, what have you been up to since Sunnydale?"
"This and that. I did some travelling, revisited some of my old haunts. You know." Spike started out and then seemed to fall in deep thoughts.
The streets they wandered through were pretty deserted at this time of night. The crowds tended to gather around the bars and clubs after nightfall, and this part of the city only housed stores, and galleries.
Up ahead a man crossed the street and when he saw Xander he nodded respectfully in greeting and then hurried on his way.
Xander nodded back in acknowledgement and waited for the outburst that was sure to come. He didn't have to wait long. A few seconds later and Spike couldn't contain his astonishment any longer.
"You know that's a vampire right? "
"Yeah." Xander replied and waited for the onslaught. He knew he shouldn't bait the vampire, but it was fun.
"Yeah? Is that all you have to say." Spike practically yelled. "What the hell are you doing associating with vampires?"
"Associating? You make it sound as if I hang out with them."
"Well, do you?"
"No. I have this agreement with the master. I don't kill them and they try not to kill me. Pretty simple actually."
Spike stopped and threw away his cigarette butt. "You can't trust vampires. Even if this master would keep his word what's to say that all other vampires in the city would?" He exclaimed.
"Now listen, we've had this agreement ever since I came here, and not once have one of the masters vampires tried something. And before you start, yes, there have been others, but if I didn't get them, and I'm sure that you will agree that I can take care of myself, the master did, and made good examples of them. I haven't been bothered for over a year now, so yeah, I trust the master." His outburst made the vampire beside him close his mouth and resume walking at a fast pace. He could hear a quiet mumbling about 'stupid humans' and 'trusting fool'. //At least he had backed down.// It wasn't like Xander didn't know what he was doing.
When Xander had first arrived to San Francisco the habit of going out on patrol every night had been strong and he had continued to make a quick sweep, just around his neighbourhood, every evening. After a few weeks he had been invited to a meeting with the master. Invited meaning he got the choice of coming with the fifteen or so fledglings that had cornered him willingly, or not. He had wisely chose willingly and spent a surreal evening talking to the master of the city. The master didn't want trouble with the slayer and Xander didn't want trouble period. So they came to an agreement. Xander would stop hunting the master's minions and the master would forbid anyone going after the human and try to keep the bloodshed to a minimum. It was all fine with Xander as long as he could stake any vampire that came after him, or that he caught feeding.
Xander's walk down memory lane came to a stop when the mumbling from the vampire beside him rose loud enough to pass for talking.
"I still don't like it," the vampire grumbled.
"Tough, deal." Was the younger man's only reply as they arrived at his car.
"So." Spike said while rocking slightly on his feet.
"So." Xander answered.
"I guess..." the vampire began but then stopped as if he didn't know what to say.
"You want to come over for some tea?" Xander heard himself say. //That has to be the lamest pick-up line to date. And I'm not even trying to pick him up. Not that I couldn't, he can't weigh more than 140, 150 pounds tops.// While Xander's thoughts tried to get back on track the vampire had already made up his mind.
"Sure, why not." Spike said and grinned at the confused young man.