Prompt for 21.12.11:

Fandom: Leverage; Eliot's pov.
Song: Bad Things by Jace Everett.

Answer:

Fandoms: Leverage (Eliot Spencer), Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Buffy Summers)

Disclaimer: I don't own the wonderful worlds of Leverage and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Forever Ago

There was almost unnoticeable hint of hesitation in Eliot's movements as he saw someone he recognized. He knew Sophie had spotted it as he saw her cast a searching look at his direction.

He was quick to press past the moment of freezing, but he couldn't help but wonder what she was doing here in a high-class Christmas party. She was dressed appropriately in a cocktail dress and high heels and her hair were gathered up in an elaborate hairdo.

The settings he had met her in the other side of the globe years ago had been as opposite as they could. The way she looked had changed drastically as well.

It had been during time when he had been younger and more reckless back then than he was the present day.

xxx

He was killing some time in a backwater town's rundown bar while waiting for his ride out of this hell hole to arrive.

He was sipping from his whiskey when there was a pause in the conversations as someone new entered the place, accompanied by a gust of clear air that was fast to mix with the smoke-filled and dense air inside.

He turned his head to side to take a look of whoever it was. He liked to be aware of his surroundings, it one of the things behind his success.

He was slightly surprised by what he saw. He hadn't expected it to be an attractive, petite blonde woman whose entrance had caused the momentarily silence. Although, he would have been more surprised if she hadn't been decked in black leather and if she hadn't had the air of danger like she did. When he looked closer, he could detect as least two knives on her.

Considering everything, he estimated the pause must have been caused by equal amounts of trepidation and plain surprise of seeing a woman who wasn't a hooker enter the dive.

As he followed her with his eyes, she surveyed the crowd in briefly. Their eyes locked and she must have seen something in his eyes as she gave a nod to him before heading to the bar.

She came to his little corner table once she had gotten a glass of what he assumed was her brand of poison.

"Do you mind if I sit?"

His answer was a wordless gesture to be his guest and grab a seat.

"Thanks," she sat on a seat next to him.

They had been sitting there a while, drinking their liquors in silence, when a twitchy-looking man entered. He went to the bar and asked something from the bartender. In response to that question the bartender gestured to their table. He was immediately on alert.

The nervous man came to their table and addressed not him but the blonde woman, "S-s-slayer?"

"Yes, you got the item for me?" she looked at the man with a look that told Eliot she was surprised by it somehow.

"Y- yes," the man nodded twice in rapid succession.

"Oh, goodie," the woman, now identified as Slayer, stated with a sarcastic tone. She grabbed the small black pouch the man offered and peeked inside it. She lifted her eyebrows in a manner that said 'look at that'. She went and dug a similar looking pouch from her pocket– assumedly a reward for whatever she had been handed, and gave it to the man who then stammered his thanks and slipped out of the door.

Once he was out of sight, Slayer gave a gleeful smile.

"Good news?" he raised an eyebrow.

"Definitely, next round's on me."

The next round was on her, but they didn't stop there. Especially since he got a message his ride was delayed.

xxx

They met in the bar that was almost empty with everybody socializing. When he entered she was already sitting on a bar stool.

"Spencer," she acknowledged without looking as he climbed on a stool next to her. He assumed she had seen him come from the mirror behind the bar.

"Slayer," he replied, claiming the seat next to her.

"Actually, it's Buffy Summers these days," she corrected him, this time looking at him and giving him a half-smile.

"Call me Eliot," he offered in exchange.

"Nice to see you again," she smiled and seemed to mean what she said.

"Likewise. Can't say I expected to meet you somewhere like this. Or at all, for that matter."

"Things change, and that was long ago."

"True. So, if you don't mind me asking, what are you doing here?"

"Same that everybody else is doing– meeting people, making with the merry."

He humphed.

"Okay, part of it was that I knew you and your crew would be here. I've heard of what you do. My company could use your services, I think we could come up with something that works for both sides."

"I'd have to talk to my people."

She nodded at his answer like she'd expected that.

"Let me know what you decide. Also, if you ever need help with the more– slimy side of world, give me a call."

She pushed a white card in front of him and slid down from the stool. He followed her distancing reflection from the mirror.

Once she was out of his sight he picked up the card she had slipped on the table before leaving. It stated she was Buffy Summers, director of IWC. Under her that and the usual contact information, she had scrawled down what he assumed was her personal cell phone number.